A friend or a family member has just made the big move into a new home or first apartment, and they have invited you to a housewarming party. Congratulations are in order. You want to show them your good wishes, but you don’t know where to begin. Deciding what to buy and how much to spend can be challenging, nerve-wracking, and exciting – all at the same time. You want your friend to love their gift, but you don’t want to give them a cheesy gift card or a bottle opener.
If you are in need of a thoughtful yet useful gift to help your friend break into their new home, check out these unique housewarming gifts for friends. From the design lover friend to the adventurer and fashionista, this list has the best housewarming gift ideas to help your friend celebrate this major milestone and settle into their new house or new apartment.
Best Housewarming Gifts for Friends
1. Cheese Board
Grab a large wooden cheese board that can also double as a charcuterie board, veggie board, or breadboard. This board is great for a friend that loves to host and have a dinner party. A cute cheese board is guaranteed to impress guests. Go for a uniquely shaped board like a square or circle or an oversized, extra large, and thick one.
2. Houseplant
Plants are the perfect gift for almost any occasion, especially a housewarming. It is my go-to housewarming gift. House plants are trendy and very popular right now, so you can’t go wrong with gifting your friend a plant. From the money tree that symbolizes prosperity, succulents that don’t die, and pothos plant that they can easily propagate to the monstera that helps to purify and put fresh oxygen back into the air.
Your friend will absolutely love this meaningful yet thoughtful housewarming gift. Depending on the size of their new space, getting a small plant is a better way to go since they can tuck it in a corner or on a window sill. If your friend doesn’t have much of a green thumb, then try to get a fake plant that looks surprisingly real.
3. Curated Gift Basket
Put together a DIY gift basket to show your friend how much you care. Include an eclectic array of items that they might need, from candles, coasters, and an oven mitt, or create a spa-inspired basket that includes a bathrobe, bubble bath, and essential oils that will help your friend relax after a long day of unpacking or organizing.
4. Bakeware Set
A baking pan set is a requirement for a well-stocked kitchen. While your friend can amass the baking pieces over time, a uniform bake set is a great way to get started with all the fundamental pans they need to bake and roast their favorite dishes.
5. Towel Set
Almost everyone needs a good set of bath towels. A towel set is a great gift that your friend can add to a guest bedroom or bathroom. It’s the perfect housewarming gift idea that your friend will least expect but most likely to use in their new place. Most sets will come with a bath towel, hand towel, and washcloth, but the best towels will be uber soft and plush.
6. Pot Set
There is a good chance that a pot set is a part of your friend’s kitchen checklist for their new home. And if your friend is starting from scratch, a pot set can be the best way to get them started in their new kitchen.
7. Spice Rack and Set
Get your friend a spice set and make their home a more flavorful place. A thoughtful selection of spices may be necessary for one’s home, so your friend may appreciate this one more than you know. But if you want to keep it simple, gift them with a salt and pepper grinder or shaker.
8. Crockpot
Slow cookers unassumingly produce some of the most flavorful food. From soup dishes to meat and stews, a slow cooker can make just about any savory dish. Excellent gift for someone who can appreciate a well-made dish.
9. Rice Cooker
According to my mom, you can’t mess up the rice in a rice cooker even if you want to. Besides the fact that this appliance is great at making rice, it is a gift that your friend will least expect but most appreciate simply because of its functionality. While it’s rare to find someone who doesn’t eat rice, it is common to find someone that won’t make rice because of the difficulty and precision needed to make it – especially on the stovetop. A Rice cooker is a must in every household. It is the gift they will most likely use and cherish for many years to come.
10. Mixology Kit
Help your friend with their mixology skills by gifting a mixology kit to whip up some impressive cocktails. They won’t need to go to the bar to create a cocktail as they can now create the perfect cocktail right in the comforts of their home. And if you really want to take it up a notch, incorporate a Cocktail Kit like this specialty craft cocktail kit or this gin making kit curated by some of the top bartenders in the world.
11. Coffee Table Book
Coffee-table books add ambiance and depth to a new home. It is a great housewarming gift that can double as reading material and a home decor item in the living room or office space. So elevate your friend’s book collection with this piece of art. whatever your friend’s interest, you can’t go wrong with a coffee table book. https://www.rd.com/list/best-coffee-table-book-to-gift-this-year/
12. Cute Basket
Baskets are highly multi-functional and help to organize the home by hiding and reducing clutter. Baskets also add character, warmth, and a cozy vibe to any space while seamlessly and effortlessly integrating with the home’s decor. They can use the basket to store a throw blanket, throw pillows, and even their baby’s toys.
13. Sheet Set
This one’s a bit unconventional or even out of the box, but a nice quality sheet set makes the perfect housewarming present. Though it’s not a traditional housewarming gifts for friends, This unique comforting gift will likely be used every night. Go with a luxury Egyptian cotton sheet that’s super soft and buttery for your friend to laze around in.
14. Soap and Lotion Dispenser
This is a wonderful gift if the kitchen doesn’t already come with a built in soap dispenser. A matching soap and lotion dispenser is a thoughtful gift they can use in the bathroom or kitchen. This can be customized, and they can add their favorite fancy hand soap and scents to the dispensers making their home look classy and rich.
15. Serving Tray
A serving platter tray is multifunctional as it can be used as a home decor piece on the dining room table, ottoman tray, or charcuterie plate. The serving tray can also be used to serve breakfast in bed or coffee to guests.
16. French Press
It is often argued that a french press makes the best coffee. So for the coffee lover friend who may already have a basic coffee maker, help them liven up their space with a beautiful french press. A French press allows for steeping, making the coffee bolder and richer in flavor. They can even use this coffee maker to jazz up their own coffee bar station and use the french press to switch up the days they want to make a richer, well curated coffee to go.
17. Wine Subscription
Instead of showing up with a bottle of wine or wine glasses to the housewarming party, opt for a wine subscription service instead. This can be the gift that keeps on giving. This will also give your friend a chance to choose from a selection of wines that they like best.
18. Customized Apron
Spruce up their kitchen with a lovely customized apron. They can use the apron for baking, cooking, and even barbecuing.
19. Doormat
Give your friend a warm welcome and a fresh start with an adorable doormat. Not only do they look great, but they also add the perfect finishing touch to an entryway. Doormats also keep your home safe, clean, and visually pleasing. This gift is especially great if your friend has a shoe-free home.
20. Blanket
There’s nothing better than snuggling up on a couch watching tv with a warm, soft blanket. It’s even better on a cold winter night. It is a simple gift with a big impact that provides a deep level of comfort and safety. Throw blankets can even make any room feel cozy.
21. Wooden Salad Bowl
You can’t go wrong with a wooden salad bowl as a housewarming gift. These bowls are quite charming and functional.
I’d love to hear your thoughts about this article, so leave a comment below. Feel free also to follow me on my social media pages – Pinterest and Instagram or subscribe to my mailing list for other design inspiration and home decor ideas.
Tamara White is the creator and founder of The Thrifty Apartment, a home decor and DIY blog that focuses on affordable and budget-friendly home decorating ideas and projects. Tamara documents her home improvement journey, love of thrifting, tips for space optimization, and creating beautiful spaces.
