A selection of my favourite housewarming gifts

Looking for the perfect gift? Here are some ideas. (These are not affiliate links!)

Ordnance Survey Maps

The Ordnance Survey offers lots of great gift options. Folding Ordance Survey Explorer maps are perfect for people moving into a new area.

Alternatively, you could create a custom wall map on the OS website, centred exactly on the recipient's property. These are available in an Explorer Enlarged 1:10,000 scale, and with a variety of framing options.

If the recipient is keen on local history, you could choose an old OS map of the area. The National Library of Scotland has a really good interactive tool where you can find out which maps are available.

St Mark’s Crescent surveyed in 1870 (Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland)

House Portraits

Why not commission a house portrait as a gift? You can find artists via a straightforward search on the internet, or you can search on your favourite platform, eg Instagram, Etsy, or Pinterest.

Chestnut Walk by Ellie Grace

House History Research

This is another great gift for someone moving into an older house. You’ll need a better budget for this. Good house history takes time, and a qualified house historian will work hard for their fee. I am an experienced and qualified house history researcher with a PGDip in Local and Family History. I offer two options: I charge £100 for 8 hours or £250 for 30 hours.

St Mark’s Cresent surveyed in 1913 (Reproduced with the permission of the National Library of Scotland)

Huffkins Gift Boxes

Huffkins are a wonderful family bakers in the Cotswolds, and their tea room in Stow on the Wold is one of my favourite places to go. They offer a range of gifts which would make excellent housewarming presents, some of which come in their trademark jute bags. You can buy them here! (This is not a commission link).

Or why not look for gifts sold by local bakers in the recipient's area? It's a lovely way to introduce them to their new community.

Leonidas Tin Houses

Who doesn’t love Belgian chocolates? As a canalside property specialist I particularly love Belgian chocolates when they come in a tin in the shape of a traditional Dutch style canalside house. Isn’t this sweet?

Buy them here! (This is not a commission link).

M&S Magic and Sparkle Chocolates

Sadly these dinky houses from the Christmas 2021 range are no longer available. They were presented in a light up box. You can see the old listing here. (This is not a commission link).

Yumbles Housewarming Gifts

Yumbles have a great selection of housewarming gifts at a wide variety of sizes and prices. They specialise in foods from artisanal bakers and other smaller suppliers. I especially like their iced biscuits. They also have some great mini hampers which will fit through a letterbox.

Buy them here! (This is not a commission link).

Biscuiteers Housewarming Gifts

Biscuiteers specialise in iced biscuits and they have some lovely new home selections in their range. Aren’t these front doors cute?

Buy them here! (This is not a commission link).

Gift Hampers

Some of my favourite hampers are the towers from Hamper Gifts. I have sent these to several clients and companies, and their quality and service has always been excellent. They look really special and the boxes are reusable. They have lots of different selections and styles.

Buy them here! (This is not a commission link).

If you’re looking for a classic hamper, Regency Hampers have one of the best selections I have seen anywhere. They have lovely housewarming range of fruit hampers, but almost any of their hampers are suitable for a new home gift. If you don’t see exactly what you want, you can create your own selection. Corporate buyers can even personalise the packaging. Regency are based in the Cotswolds.

Buy them here! (This is not a commission link).

I’d better stop listing food now – I’m getting hungry! Let’s do something completely different…

Village Pottery Houses

You can buy these tealight pottery houses from the wholesaler, Hollygrove, (not a commission link), or from many garden centres and gift shops. I think it would be a lovely idea to add a local candle, or fill one with biscuits or sweets.

Toilet Twinning

By donating £60 to twin a toilet, you help fund a project in a poor community that will enable families to build a basic toilet, have access to clean water and learn about hygiene – a vital combination that saves lives. Your recipient will get a lovely certificate to display in the toilet in their new home, showing a photograph of their overseas toilet twin and GPS coordinates so they can look up their twin’s location on Google Maps!

Twin a toilet here! (This is not a commission link).

Jigsaws

Upstairs Downstairs Jigsaw

Ravensburger make excellent quality jigsaws and I think this Upstairs, Downstairs 1000 Piece Jigsaw would make a great housewarming present! After all the chaos and hard work of moving house, some down time with a jigsaw is exactly what I’d need.

Moving Day Jigsaw

Books

Books can be especially useful for people buying period homes. Why not order from the recipients local bookshop to get them off to a great start with shopping locally! Haynes Period Property Manual is a cracking book for the first time periofd property owner. It explains the correct approach to care and repair and covers the full range of traditional materials.

The Old House Eco Handbook is another great title. It is perfect for those who want to improve energy efficiency, cut CO₂ emissions, and reduce waste in a period home.

Children's Moving Home Books

Children's books make great gifts, especially if a child is nervous about their new home, or wants to understand more about the process. They can restore a sense of fun and excitement, even where there may be chaos and stress around them.

Up Gifts by Disney

If you loved Disney’s heartwarming animated film Up, you’ll love their cushions, biscuit barrels, and Christmas baubles. I want them all, but I think the cushions are my favourites!

Buy them here! (This is not a commission link).