MAIN Entertaining Gift Ideas Housewarming Gift Ideas

Since buying buying a housewarming gift is usually a toss-up between your personal tastes and the new homeowners, it's usually wise to steer clear of decorative piece such as paintings, lamps, vases, or clocks.

Before you decide on the same old houseplant or the obligatory bottle of wine to bring to the housewarming party, check the following ideas that any new homeowner will find especially thoughtful and memorable:

House repair tool kit: Especially for new homeowners just starting out, the ultimate in useful housewarming gifts is a bright red toolbox —filled with all the basics such as hammer and nails, screwdriver, wrench, faucet washers in various sizes, a can of silicone oil spray to unstick doors and windows, along with a tube of crazy glue when things start to fall apart! For complete novices, also consider a couple of how-to books on home repairs.

Garden equipment & supplies: Has your favorite new homeowner moved from the city to a big suburban house? Unless they grew up in the suburbs, they probably know little about lawn maintenance or landscaping. Help them out with a gift basket filled with supplies such as garden tools, gloves, and gardening books (also see: gardener gift Ideas.)

All Around the House Gift Basket: Stuff a large tote bag with simple items every new homeowner can't do without — such as paper towels, toilet paper, laundry detergent and fabric softener, hand towels, light bulbs, a flashlight and batteries, fuses, and an extra extension cord. For other hints, look around your kitchen or bathroom for anything else you think a new homeowner would need or appreciate.

Wine and Bread Gift Basket: Give a new twist to the old housewarming tradition of giving wine ("so that you may be joyous") bread ("so you never go hungry"), and salt ("to add spice to your life") by assembling a gift basket of table wines, fruit, gourmet baked goods and cheeses.

Gift certificate: Cash-strapped new homeowners won't mind the idea of an impersonal gift card, especially with so much shopping to do at the local home decor store or gardening center. And they can pick out exactly what they want or need.

Yet another great housewarming gift is a gift certificate to a local restaurant, if only to give the new homeowners a stress-free night off, to relax and get away from all that organizing and unpacking!

More tips & advice about housewarming gifts around the Web:

Great Gifts for a New Home

Ten housewarming gift ideas

Great Housewarming Gift Ideas

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