Though I titled this for "first-time homeowners," a lot of these apply to anyone who is living on their own for the first time.
I'll start with 15 popular gifts that everyone loves and end with 15 not-so-common gifts, but are practical and every homeowner should have on hand!
15 Gift Ideas Almost Everyone Will Love
1) Welcome Mat
Every homeowner needs a mat by their front door to wipe off dirty shoes!2) Microwave
I have never been to a home without a microwave, and not sure how anyone could live without one, so it's the perfect gift, especially if the house doesn't come with a built-in!3) Coffee Maker
Perfect gift for the coffee lover! We love our proctor silex. It's simple and easy to use.4) Toaster
Highly recommend a 4 slot toaster, especially if you are married! This is the one we have and love:5) Instant Pot
This is actually one item we don't own but wish we did. Instead, we have a crock pot and a rice cooker, whereas this would have been nicer as it can do everything!6) Dish Towels
This is always a fun housewarming gift as you can get fun designs that match the new homeowner's personality or style!8) Candle
Candles are a classic gift and you can personalize it by choosing a scent to match the new homeowner's tastes.
9) Plants & Planters
Help the new homeowner decorate their place with plants. If they don't have a green thumb, opt for something easy or fake plants.Aren't these owl planters just adorable? I also love the hanging pots!
10) Blanket
My favorite blankets are The Big One blankets from Kohls. They are super soft and huge!11) Tea Kettle
Perfect for tea drinkers, or for hot cocoa, or for boiling hot water in general!
12) Throw Pillow
Throw pillows are another fun gift as there are so many fun designs and colors, so you can get something more personal for the new homeowner.13) Pots & Pans
These are the necessities every person living on their own needs in order to cook!
14) Cutting Board
Another good kitchen essential.
15) Knife Set
Now that they have their own place to cook, they'll need a good set of knives to help them cut and chop food.
15 Useful Gifts You May Hot Have Thought Of
1) Snow Shovel
Living in Minnesota, having a shovel is a must! May not be the prettiest gift, but definitely one that a new homeowner would appreciate.
2) Rake
If you live in a state with 4 seasons, then you know having a rake is a must to rake leaves. Make sure you choose a metal rake, avoid plastic, as metal is more durable and will last longer.
3) Fire Extinguisher
Not the most glamorous gift, but definitely one of the more important ones! Apartments often have these in hallways, but once you get your own home, you are on your own and you will want to have a fire extinguisher on hand in case something does go wrong.4) Step Stool
A more practical gift. Step stools come in handy for reaching tall places in the house or garage. We have both, but I mostly use the short folding one around the house to reach cupboards as I am short! The 3 step stool is great for hanging Christmas lights, refilling the birdfeeder, and reaching the high shelves in the garage where we store holiday decorations.
5) Stainless Steel Garbage Can
This may not be the prettiest present, but your friend or family member would be so thankful you got them a good garbage can.
After going through our fair share of plastic garbage cans, we finally decided to upgrade to a stainless steel one and boy has it made a huge difference! This thing is built to last and it doesn't absorb odors like plastic. Perfect for the kitchen!
6) Ladder
Owning a home means they will have to clean those gutters and if snow is bad in the winter where they live, they may have to shovel snow off your roof to prevent ice dams (or get a roof rake). Also, if your friend or family member is into decorating for the holidays, they may need a ladder for hanging lights and decorations.
This is the ladder we have and it's amazing, our neighbor has even borrowed it!
7) Leaf Blower
Not a huge need, but definitely makes life easier which is why it makes a great gift!
My husband actually uses a leaf blower more for the driveway and cleaning the side of the road. He prefers using a rake for the yard. It's also great for blowing leaves out of gutters!
8) Garden Hose
Perfect for the new homeowner that loves to garden. Also great for spray cleaning big items outside, like garbage bins, and filling up kiddie pools.
9) Basic Tools
I actually asked my husband for his advice on what tools would be the best gifts, and he said every homeowner should have at least the following on hand: screwdrivers, socket wrenches, hammer and nails, measuring tape, pliers, and a cordless drill.
10) Mop & Bucket
Another great practical gift, especially if their new home has a lot of hard surfaces!
11) Brooms & Dustpan
A regular broom and dustpan are great for sweeping hard floors. A push room is great for cleaning driveways and sidewalks. We also discovered that it is amazing in winter for cleaning large amounts of snow off our cars! Both would make great gifts for a first-time homeowner.
12) Dust Mop & Duster
Besides brooms, dust mops and dusters make great gifts too for a new homeowner!
13) Gardening Tools
This is geared more so for the new homeowner who is into gardening or has a larger yard to maintain. Clippers are especially good to have if they have bushes because they will need to be trimmed.
14) Vacuum
A vacuum is a must if there is carpet in their home! We love our Shark Lift-Away, which you can read my review here. I definitely recommend a Shark vacuum.
15) Toilet Plunger & Brush
This is probably the last thing you would want to give as a gift, but every new homeowner needs one (or more if they like to have a set in each bathroom). So if you are into practical, useful gifts, that won't get tossed out, well this is perfect!