Housewarming gift budgets: how much is enough?

Someone you know just moved house, and you're standing in a shop trying to work out whether £15 looks stingy or £50 looks like you're trying too hard. Housewarming gifts sit in an odd budget zone: generous enough to matter, small enough that nobody expects a mortgage payment.

What people actually spend

Most etiquette guides put the range at £15-50, and your relationship to the homeowner does most of the work in deciding where you land. Close family tends toward the top of that range. Colleagues and casual friends usually sit closer to £15-25.

New homeowners have just made the largest purchase of their lives and know full well that budgets vary. A £15 gift chosen with some thought will land better than a £50 gift picked in a rush.

Gifts that read as generous without costing much

The gifts people remember are usually practical ones they wouldn't buy for themselves while still unpacking boxes:

• A bottle of wine or champagne with a personalised note
• Gourmet coffee, tea, or hot chocolate selection
• A small succulent or herb garden starter kit
• Artisanal soaps or bath products
• A cosy throw blanket or decorative cushion
• Local speciality foods or treats from a nearby market

All of these sit comfortably under £25 and get used within the first week in the new place.

Spending more for close family, less as a plus-one

For immediate family or close friends, £40-60 on something like a picture frame, a quality kitchen gadget, or a personalised doormat makes sense, especially if they'd do the same for you.

If you're going as someone's plus-one to a housewarming and barely know the hosts, £15-20 is plenty. A candle, some good biscuits, or a small plant does the job without overreaching.

If money is tight, £10-15 is a fine amount to spend, and homemade options like baked goods or flowers cut from your own garden cost even less while still landing well.

Group gifts: spend £15, give £75

Pooling money with coworkers or mutual friends lets you give something the homeowners will actually use long-term, a kitchen appliance, a piece of art, a proper hamper, without anyone paying much individually. Each contributor might put in £10-20; the group total ends up at £50-100.

It also solves the problem of three people independently buying the same candle. Just have one person coordinate and tell everyone upfront what they're expected to contribute.

If you're the one moving: make a wishlist

If you're on the receiving end, a housewarming wishlist saves your friends and family from guessing. List a mix of affordable basics, tea towels, storage containers, alongside a few bigger items that a group could split the cost of. That way each gift-giver picks something that fits their own budget rather than guessing at yours.

You can create a wishlist in a few minutes and share it with anyone helping you settle into the new place.