Housewarming gifts for every budget

With housewarming gifts, the idea is to give them a gift that is both unique and memorable but that doesn’t break the bank. Try some of these ideas on for size.

Plants

Foliage is always a winner, whether it’s an indoor plant in a decorative pot or a tree or shrub for the new garden. With the right care, plants can be lasting gifts as well as symbols of new beginnings. If the property itself is new, your friends may want to plant trees and shrubs that will grow with them, in which case it may be best to consult them first before you make a purchase. If you know the garden is full of natives, stick to those selections or give your friends the plant in a nice outdoor pot or planter so they can move it around as they like.

For a culinary and sustainability bonus, opt for edible plants; even those apartments with limited space can host herb gardens. For those with more room, vertical planters or hanging pots can yield great results, and you can find these at virtually any garden centre or hardware store.

Art

Buying artwork for friends or family can be tricky, as people have widely varying taste in art, but if you know the people — and what they like — well, it can be a lovely and lasting gift for a new home. A nice idea is to find an artist who’s local to your friends’ new home; arts-and-crafts markets as well as websites such as Etsy and Madeit are great places to find local artists. Along these same lines, a framed historic photograph of the neighbourhood or — even better — the home itself (if it’s old enough to class as ’historic’) is a thoughtful and personal option. Archives, libraries, historical societies and local markets are great places to start, as is good old Google.

Food and drink

Sure, a bottle of wine is an easy and often appreciated go-to gift, especially if your friends like to cellar wine and your bottle is a collectable, but if you’d like to think a bit more outside the bottle, why not buy or make them a hamper of food? Moving is exhausting, demanding business, and it can take a while to settle in. Food is both a great comfort and a help. Depending on how generous you’re feeling, you can even consider pooling funds with other friends to arrange delivery of meals, groceries or fresh produce for a few weeks to help ease their transition.

Buying a great housewarming gift doesn’t have to involve spending a lot of money; instead, aim for something personal or lasting.