21 DIY Housewarming Gifts to Make for a New Homeowner

Moving into a brand-new house is undoubtedly exciting, especially for first-time homeowners. In the midst of unpacking all of their boxes and settling in, receiving a meaningful gift from loved ones who are thinking of them during this important process will be that much more special. Whether the new homeowners in your life love to cook or they plan to grow the most stunning garden on the block, we've rounded up essentials you can make from scratch to help perfect their space.

Who doesn't love an accessory for the kitchen? Make a set of homemade potholders for your loved ones, which they'll appreciate anytime they need to take hot dishes out of the oven or from stovetop to table with ease and style. And if you know their style well, help them dress up the kitchen's walls and countertops. If they're family, a sentimental accent, such transferring the handwritten instructions for a delicious family recipe onto a pie plate. They'll love that the piece doubles as décor and a new heirloom they can treasure forever.

If you're not sure what the new homeowners want or need, treat them to homemade indulgences instead. We love the idea of dropping off custom self-care kits to help them get some much needed R&R at the end of a long moving day. You can't go wrong with a basket filled with goodies, like a candle, body scrub, and any other little treats they love. If you're a strong knitter, household necessities like cozy blankets will help your loved ones feel right at home in their new space.

Ready to make and give a present that is sure to wow the new homeowners in your life? Ahead, we're sharing our favorite housewarming gifts that you can make from the heart.

These kitchen accessories make a perfect gift for a new homeowner who may still be building their collection of housewares. You can begin by casting on 24 stitches—decide on the width of stripes, which are made with cotton twill tape, and where you'd like to place them. Knit at least eight rows in garter stitch before placing your stripes.

For a narrow stripe, follow this pattern: Row one, knit; Row two, purl; Row three and the rest of the rows, knit. For a wider striped look, follow this pattern: Row one, knit; Row two, purl; Row three, knit; Row four, purl; Row five, purl; and row six and the rest of the rows need to be knits.

Cast off your work after knitting a total of 48 rows. Weave in the ends, and then cut a seven-and-a-half-inch piece of twill tape, matching its width with that of the knit groove. Fold the ends under half inch and place in the groove. Then, stitch the tape to secure, hiding stitches in the knit's stitches. For a loop, cut three inches of one-inch twill tape, and fold it under about half inch before sewing to one side of the potholder. Fold other end under and stitch it to the side as well.

Shop Now: Sur La Table Beechwood Angled Turner, $12.50, surlatable.com; Sur La Table Beechwood Sauté Spoon, $12.50, surlatable.com; Rowan Creative Linen Yarn, $15, greatyarns.net; Red Herringbone Cotton Twill Tape, 1", $4 for 3 yds., etsy.com.

If you know the new homeowners love to cook, an apron (or one for each person!) will be hugely appreciated. Create this exact denim design or use another material that you know the recipient will love.

Gardeners love these earthenware pots because they're porous; if your giftee has a green thumb, present him or her with a plant of their own. Terra-cotta clay pots and planters from the garden center can be customized with craft supplies like paint and stamps. Painters' tape marks the pattern, and all that's left for you to do is paint between the lines. Once everything is dry, remove the tape and bask in your creativity.

If the new homeowner in your life is a tea drinker, use the beloved drink to inspire another home essential: a candle. White tea, green tea, or black tea are great to mix with a classic soy wax chip candle. Not only does this have a fragrant scent, but it can serve as a stress-reliever once you light it. Make this candle on your own and pour it into a decorative jar for an easy, aromatic present.

Do you plan to drop by to see the new home with a bouquet of flowers as a housewarming gift? Make them a nice vase, too. Take a plain piece of pottery and decorate it to create a stunning piece of custom art. We recommend a splatter paint or line pattern technique. All you need is a ceramic bowl or vase and ceramic paint for supplies. Afterwards, place the finished product in the oven for 300 degrees for about 35 minutes.

It's fun to feel pampered, especially after a long day of moving and unpacking boxes. In this personalized self-care kit, the new homeowners can treat themselves to a little R&R with luxurious beauty products, candles, fragrances, and bath salts. The latter is made from coarse sea salt, Epsom salt, baking soda, and soothing essential oils to create a fragrant, hot bath. You can add a touch of food coloring to give the bath salt a pop of color.

Recipes passed down from generation to generation are meant to be cherished. One way to make it easier is by opting to write them down on something you likely already have in your kitchen. We suggest handwriting the recipe for a cherish family meal on a pie dish to adorn on the wall or sit on a countertop.

These roses will look fresh for months in a new home, and that's because they were freeze-dried in full bloom. Order a couple from a florist—they're doing lots of dried arrangements these days—or source them online. The blossoms typically come without stems (since those are harder to freeze), so we poked green floral wire into the bottom of each to make them, and secured and covered it with matching floral tape. To arrange, place a flower frog in a vessel, insert the roses, and fill them out with dried bougainvillea, ferns, seedpods, and grasses. Consider covering smaller arrangements with a protective glass cloche.

Shop Now: USA Party Sales Preserved Rose Heads, in assorted colors, $24 for eight, usapartysales.etsy.com; Wow Bouquets Preserved Rose Heads, $6.50, wowbouquets.etsy.com; Quick Candles Preserved Red Roses, 4", $17, quickcandles.com; Fabulous Florals Dried Lavender Bougainvillea, $27 for three, bulkwholesaleflowers.com.

Toast to their new home with a bottle of wine. Make your own, like a homemade mulled wine, pour it in a bottle, and wrap it up for the best gifting. All you need to do is roll and cinch each bottle in a decorative, reusable cloth with a tag attached. This will allow for sustainable and chic packaging.

Once you've tried traditional knitting, graduate to arm-knitting to create something special for the homeowners in your life. The technique—with its relative ease and satisfyingly quick results—lets you churn out sweaters, scarves, and super-soft pillows. For your introductory project, try making our giant knit blanket—a top favorite among knitters of all skills. This housewarming gift can allow people to have a cozy blanket to drape over their couch or keep them warm as an addition to their bedspread.

This gift might seem simple, but it's loaded with all of the best ingredients for self-pampering. Get your loved ones in a lather (the good kind) with marbled soaps that cleanse gently and smell incredible. This recipe combines skin-softening shea butter with spa-like eucalyptus oil or sweet almond honey, plus coral- or golden-colored natural mica powder to deposit a soft shimmer. It also makes 10 full size bars—enough for gifting multiple people.

Color-block home décor is a trend that is steadily on the rise. Creating custom place mats with this design as a housewarming gift will be an instant hit for homeowners. You'll start by cutting out rectangles of yellow and white waxed canvas. Rather than hemming the edges, gently pull a few loose threads to give them a frayed finish. Then stitch on contrasting pockets so you can tuck in flatware, and go spot-on with plates.

Nothing feels more like home than when you're in the company of loved ones. You can help homeowners curate cherished memories and visuals of friends and family around with a heart-embroidered frame. Plus, with a stylish frame to match, they can adorn their shelves and walls with ease.

Outfitting a new home can have its challenges when trying to arrange furniture and also getting the rest of the décor to fit just right. That's where a nice rug comes in. This geometric area rug is easy to make and can serve as the missing piece new homeowners need for their house's aesthetic. All you'll need to do is paint a set of bright triangles on a plain area rug to create a 3D look and a pop of color.  

Personalize mugs for your loved ones. Our marbleized design features initials. You can do the same monogram design or take it up a notch and put someone's full name or even a meaningful quote. Top off this gift by putting some goodies inside, like packaged hot cocoa, marshmallows, chocolates, and more. This gift might seem simple, but your friends and family as sure to love it and think of you with every use in their new home.

Any spare wood you have, especially from a tree, can come in handy to create kitchen staples. This DIY project from The Martha Stewart Show will allow you to transform fallen tree trunks into elegant cutting boards. You'll start by cutting slabs of wood one inch or two inches thick (depending on your preference). This is more of a long-term project since we recommend waiting about one month for the wood to completely dry before going on to the next steps.

One way to make a new home feel even more personal and inviting is by featuring a signature scent. Thanks to potpourri, you won't need an abundance of air fresheners, candles, or other parfums to make this happen—as long as you have this essential on deck. Our suggestion? Pits, peels, and inedible scraps: There are many ways to scent your home using these kitchen castoffs. You can arrange them in a bowl and make a potpourri bowl.

New homeowners will love putting their kitchens to use to make family meals and a slew of baked goods. To keep their bustling kitchen at bay, gift them will a tea-towel bread pouch to store their freshly made treats. You can even share a loaf of sourdough in the DIY bread pouch for your fellow carb lover. Start simply by sewing together kitchen tea towels. Then break out your favorite recipe, bake it to perfection, and place the homemade baked goods in this gift wrap.

Homemade limoncello or arancello will transport recipients from their kitchen to a tropical oasis with every sunny sip. Fill bottles with limoncello or arancello using funnel; secure the tops. Fold each circle card in half, and crease with bone folder. Paint edge of semicircle with yellow or orange watercolor paint, then paint five evenly spaced triangles inside semicircle, arranged like pizza slices. Punch a hole in the top, and secure to neck of bottle with cord.

Shop Now: MiDanggu Small Clear Glass Bottles, 350 ml, $22 for 6, amazon.com; Antique Cord Round Leather Cord, 0.5 mm, in N12 Gold, $1.75 for 2 yd., antiquecord.etsy.com; Paper Presentation Circle Cards, 3", in Light Pink, $4.50 for 25, paperpresentation.com.

Think of these modern spins on gift baskets as coziness, curated. They're stocked with next-level supplies for classic hot drinks. Option one, for the homeowners who love a nightcap: hot toddies, with two sleek glass mugs, small-batch whiskey and honey, a lemon, cinnamon sticks, and fresh ginger, all tucked into an inexpensive tray that we updated with a felt lining and raffia handles. Option two, for the friend with a designated reading nook: soothing chamomile tea leaves, a strainer, honey, and tart lemon biscuits. Fit them into a reusable wooden wine carrier, and let the unwinding begin. To DIY neat sleeves for loose tea and cookies, wrap a piece of waxed paper around a narrow glass, fold the edge around the bottom, tape it flat, and slide out the glass. Slip the goodies inside, and tape the top closed.

Shop Now: CB2 Cantina Glass Mugs, $4.50 each, cb2.com; Kings County Distillery Bourbon Whiskey, $23 for 200 ml, kingscountydistillery.com; Pumpkin Village Vermont Raw Honey, $7.50 for 10 oz., shop.greenegrape.com; Paper Mart Natural Bentwood Wine Box, 12 5/8" by 3 3/8", $27 for 6, papermart.com; Proto Future Tea Strainer, $8.49, amazon.com; If You Care Unbleached Waxed Paper, $9., bedbathandbeyond.com; Nuts.com Chamomile Flowers, $16 a lb., nuts.com.

Gather essentials to create this quick-sew canvas log carrier. Homeowners will love this for camping trips or even for festivities in their new yard. Measure out one piece of canvas, 18 1/2 by 36 1/2 inches, and fold under sides of canvas by 1/2 inch, and press with a clothing iron. Fold under by another 1/2 inch, and hem all around. Using a stitching needle and waxed thread, hand-stitch leather handles onto center of short sides of canvas.

 Shop Now: Big Duck Canvas #10 Cottoncanvas Duck, 60" wide, in Dark Olive Drab, $11.99 a yd., bigduckcanvas.com; Byhands Hand Craft PU Leather Simple Tote Bag Handles, #PU24-5402, 21.2", in Orange Aid, $9.99 for 2, byhandsusa.com; ArtMinds Stitching Needles, $4, michaels.com; ArtMinds Waxed Thread, in Natural, $4, michaels.com.