By Shelley Little

Home sweet homeownership: one of the most scary and exhilarating transitions of any adult’s life. Between balancing bills, decorating, lawn care and unexpected repairs, first time homeowners are faced with a steep learning curve.

If a friend or loved one has recently become a member of the First Time Homeowner Club, help them make a smooth transition by giving them a truly useful housewarming gift. These tools are so much better than a casserole—and they last longer, too.

Perfect Tools for the DIYer

These days DIY is hot—and no one is more apt to take on a DIY project than a first time homeowner. Those with experience know that homeownership requires some basic tools and technologies right off the bat. Nails don’t go into walls without a hammer, picture frames don’t hang straight on the wall without a level and leaky pipes don’t tighten themselves.

However, many first time homeowners have very few—if any—tools to get these simple household tasks done properly. Aside from the basic gifts of hammers, drills—and maybe a box of band aids—a real DIYer would love an all-in-one multi-tool set.

Lawn Care and Landscaping Gifts

For most people, lawn care is on the not-so-fun side of homeownership. That grass just keeps growing, doesn’t it?

When it comes to practicality, a lawnmower makes a great gift for the first time yard owner. If you want to make the laborious job a bit easier, consider giving a self-propelled electric mower—or put a huge smile on their face with a riding mower.

On a smaller scale, you can never go wrong with some basic garden tools such as shovels, spades, rakes or even some tulip bulbs or a tree to add life to their new landscape.

Home Safety Technologies

Help keep your loved ones safe by giving them some of these key safety devices that every home should have:

• Smoke alarms
• Carbon monoxide detectors
• Fire extinguishers
• Flashlights
• Storm radios
• Security cameras

And for the true tech-savvy homeowner, programmable or learning thermostats are always a sleek and eco-friendly option.

Give the Gift of Organization

In the excitement of moving in, boxes are hastily unpacked, along with the dawning realization that there is limited storage space for everything. When it comes to day-to-day quality of life, there is no better gift than helping someone get their belongings organized.

You can help that new homeowner find a place for everything by giving them shelving units, decorative storage boxes, baskets, shoe racks or even a tool chest—perfect for storing all those tools they will need for home and lawn maintenance.

Another great housewarming option that every first time homeowner loves is a gift card. When you give a Project or DIY Gift Card, like those available from The Home Depot, you are giving the gift of freedom to buy whatever they wish, from that perfect shade of paint, to flowing curtains and maybe even a patio chair to lounge in when all the hard work is done.

About the Author

Shelley Little writes on home do-it-yourself topics, and the tools to accomplish DIY, for Home Depot’s Gift Cards department. Shelley hails from Iowa, and when she isn’t writing about DIY and design, she’s often found decorating her own home. Home Depot’s gift cards info can be found at http://www.homedepot.com/c/Gift_Cards.