Housewarming Gift Ideas 2014
Top 10 Useful Housewarming Gifts (and 5 Items to Never Give)
How exciting to be invited to a housewarming! Although gifts aren't mandatory, it is nice to take along something small to show your appreciation and welcome your friends or family to their new home. Use the following top 10 list ofhousewarming gift ideas the next time you start searching for great suggestions!
1.Cutting board: The easy-to-grip handle makes any wood, marble, or plastic cutting board a useful item. It protects the counters from damage by knives, and is easy to clean after it is used. You will find them designed to hang from a hook or rest on the counter when not in use.
2. Personalized door mat: What a friendly greeting your host/hostess will send when visitors come to the door. The neatly printed name or nickname of the new resident(s fits on an oval, rectangular, and half-circular styles mat.
3. All-around hard cover cook book: Perfect for any household, this type of cookbook covers the proper way to measure items and the right size of pan to use. Recipes for fresh salads and microwave dinners accompany instructions for formal dining, such as Thanksgiving Dinner.
4. Trivets: One of the most useful housewarming presents, trivets provide a place to set hot pans, casserole dishes, or a vase. It's even common to see ceramic tile trivets hung on the walls to show off their artistic design or painting.
5. Candle: There are fragrance-free and scented candles. Some are enclosed in a glass or ceramic container ready to burn while others are designed to place on a plate or in various containers, such as a hurricane lamp. It's a delightful idea that will last as a decoration for years or bring a bit of light to a dark winter's night.
6. Wooden TV trays: The small dinette set is perfect for 1 or 2 people. Save the day when company comes to visit with a set of 4 wooden trays. They are durable and easy to clean.
7. Emergency flashlight: Shed some light in the home with an LED emergency flashlight that rests in a holder plugged into a wall outlet. If the power goes out, the light turns on and guides the user to its place on the wall. Lift it out and use it until the power comes back on. This is one of the most useful housewarming presents you will ever gift.
8. Quality cheese slicer: More supermarkets are featuring a deli counter with unsliced blocks of cheese. Gift a well-constructed cheese slicer that will hold up to cutting even slices for deli trays and sandwiches.
9. Home tool kit: Useful for any residence, home tool kits are available in many types of packages. You can also purchase a toolbox and fill it with flathead and Phillips screwdrivers, a tape measure, Allen wrenches, a pair of small pliers and a claw hammer.
10. Small ceramic crock-pot: There is no such thing as too many crock-pots! Timers and settings let the recipient make a main dish, including a roast, side dish of potatoes or vegetables, or a dessert, such as cake or cobbler. The ceramic surface is easy to clean when the inside is sprayed with no-stick baking spray before adding the ingredients.
Five Things to Avoid Bringing as Gifts
Some items do not make useful housewarming presents. Keep in mind that you are being given the opportunity to visit the new residence and offer a small token of appreciation for the invitation. There are lots of things to learn about the neighborhood and with a bit of research on the Internet, you can make the first month or so easier. Five top things to avoid bringing as a gift include:
1.Alcohol: Some people do not drink, others cannot drink, and some guests may be too young for drinking. Why add temptation' If liquor is your favorite way to show your appreciation, give a gift card to any store in the area that sells spirits. The host or hostess can select from a variety of items and think of you with kindness every time the item is used.
2. Irons: Once a staple of every household, irons have become sophisticated enough to be a personal choice item based on size, weight, and options. In addition to that, your friend may be too busy to pull out an iron just to press out a small wrinkle. Nearly everyone has something in their wardrobe or linen cabinet that requires dry cleaning. Consider a gift certificate to a quality dry cleaner nearby.
3. Live plants: Allergies are frequently a concern with plants and flowers. In addition, the host/hostess may not have time or the inclination to water, feed, and care for the plant. Select a lovely silk plant in a decorative container. It will last for years and be a wonderful reminder of your thoughtfulness.
4. Pets: Even if your friend has been talking about getting a cat, bird, or dog, let him or her do the choosing. The adorable German Shepherd puppy you give today will grow up and perhaps not be allowed at the next home. Contact your local no-kill animal shelter to find out about adoption gift certificates. Put the paper in a housewarming card with a map and directions to the shelter to help your host/hostess get the housewarming pet of their dreams.
5. Furniture: This is not the time to gift furniture. This soon after the move, the host or hostess may simply stare and wonder how complicated it will be to move some of the housewarming gift ideas that were purchased. Select a small, uncomplicated item that is a personal reminder of your delight in their new home.
