5 Actually Useful Housewarming Gifts

A person can only burn so many scented candles. Or lay out so many welcome mats. Or drink so many bottles of wine. And let’s be real—after your friend or relative has just gone through the traumatic process of decluttering, boxing up the survivors, moving, and unpacking (all the while wishing they had decluttered a bit harder), the last thing they want is more decorative knick-knacks and general stuff. Here are a a few tried and true ideas to get you started. Some really nice olive oil. Consumables are always a good bet when it comes to housewarming gifts, and things that will get used on a daily basis—quality olive oil, some fancy salt, a special coffee—are an even better one. They’re the perfect blend of useful and novel, and—most importantly—they  won’t hang around collecting dust. A gift card to the nearest hardware store. You can bet any freshly-moved homeowner (or even renter) is going to have a list of home projects to tackle. No matter the size or number, money is always going to be welcome. Some home cooking. Back to food—we can all agree there’s nothing quite like home cooking. If you’re at least modestly talented in the kitchen, or if your friend or relative is partial to a certain go-to recipe of yours, baking them something is an especially personal and thoughtful gift.Take it to the next level by giving it to them on a pretty dish they can keep (and that you know they’ll like). A plant. House plants tend to be one of the first casualties of a move. They take up a lot of space and don’t travel well, so odds are good your friend or relative is currently in a plant-free state. Which is a shame, since bit of greenery can brighten up any room. Make sure you pick a plant that matches your friend’s personality and level of commitment, though. If they’re the kind who keeps a garden alive all summer, go for something pretty or even something useful. For someone with a real black thumb, you’d be better off finding a high-quality fake. Something personal. Yeah, this one’s pretty vague. That’s because, ultimately, you know your friend or relative (and their current circumstances) a lot better than we do. Presumably, you’ll have been in contact with them So they still haven’t figured out what’s going where on the walls? Gift them with some hanging and mounting supplies wrapped in a pretty bow. Know they collect antique milk glass? Stop by your local flea market and try to find a new piece for their curio.