DIY House Warming Gift Idea

I hope you’re having a good week!  Today I wanted to share with you a quick idea for making an inexpensive house warming gift for a friend or family who is moving into a new house!

Around this time of year, (starting in the Spring) houses are popping up left and right for sale.  Lots of people move for various reasons whether it be downsizing, their family is growing, job relocation, retirement, etc. and its nice to be able to move in the summer time so that you can be all settled in before school starts ( if you have kids or teach school).  There are 3 families in particular that we know of who are moving to our area this summer and I started thinking about what to get them as a “house warming gift”.  I’ve always struggled with this because I know how stressful moving can be and the last thing you want when you are moving is more junk!  So, I came up with a DIY gift that I think is inexpensive, easy, and very practical!

When we first moved to our area, we didn’t know a single person here or anything about this town!  I would have LOVED to have a list of all the “go-to” places and suggestions for navigating our new community.  SO…

I decided to put together a “welcome gift basket” for some friends of ours that are moving to our neighborhood from another state.  It includes a folder with a list of recommendations for doctors, kids activities, adult activities, places to shop, great restaurants in town, home service provider referrals (cable, AC & heating, pest control, painter, Internet, carpet cleaner, etc.) the best parks, and a bunch of take-out menus from restaurants in the area.  I also included some inexpensive necessities for moving.  (Scroll down for a detailed description of these items)

I purchased these moving necessities at Target for under $20.  They include a pack of nails, a hammer, a screw driver, an extension cord, and “moving buddies” (those little things you can put under furniture to help slide them across the floor and keep your floors from getting scratched)

I found this folder at the Dollar Tree for $1 and these sticky letters were left over from the signs I made for our sons birthday party. (If you missed that post you can click here)  They are from Hobby Lobby

Here is a closeup of what I put inside the folder. On the left is my list of recommendations and on the right side I put the to-go menus.

I used a white rectangular container from Dollar Tree and stuffed it with some craft paper shredded tissue also from Dollar Tree. (you could also use tissue paper for this or crumpled up newspaper covered with tissue) I figured the family could re-use this white container as a bucket for toys or under a sink for organization. The brown/natural looking ribbons were left over from another project, also purchased at Dollar Tree.

Keep in mind, you don’t necessarily have to go out and buy a container to make this gift basket.  You can simply use an empty basket, pail, or bucket that you have laying around your house.  Same for the folder!

I found this “family” ribbon with the little houses on it at Hobby Lobby in the scrap booking section for 50 cents a roll! (reg .99)  It was too appropriate for this project to pass up.  I secured it to the existing ribbon with hot glue.

I tied a ribbon to a shish kebab stick, glued our friends names to the top of the stick, and shoved it down into the container.  The black and white striped paper is from some left over scrapbook paper I got on sale at Hobby Lobby