Moving house is chaos. I know because we've done it enough times. From Sydney to a tiny beach town, from that beach town to a condo, from the condo to a house we built ourselves, then to Bali for two years (that was interesting), and finally to North Carolina. Every single time, someone brought flowers. Every single time, they were exactly what we needed.

Here's the thing about housewarming flowers. They're the first things that make a house feel like home. Before you've unpacked the boxes, before you've figured out where the coffee mugs go, before you've found the TV remote, there are flowers on the kitchen counter making the place feel real.

The New House Reality Check

You know what your friends are dealing with right now in their new place? Boxes everywhere. No vase anywhere. They just discovered the previous owners painted over mold in the bathroom. The movers broke something important. They can't find the corkscrew.

So when you send flowers, we're sending them in a vase or container they can keep. No scrambling through boxes marked "kitchen misc" looking for something to put flowers in. The flowers arrive, they go on the counter, done. One thing that's actually easy on moving day.

Timing Your Flowers Right

First week in the new house? Send bright, cheerful stuff. They need the energy. Sunflowers, gerberas, mixed bright colors. Something that fights back against the chaos and exhaustion.

Been there a month? Now you can send something more sophisticated. They've probably unpacked the good stuff by now, figured out their style for the place. Orchids work great here. Elegant succulents. Something that says "your house is becoming a home."

Three months or more? Honestly, you missed the housewarming window. But send flowers anyway and just say you've been meaning to see the place. We won't tell.

Plants vs. Flowers for New Houses

People ask about this all the time. Here's my take: flowers for apartments and condos, plants for houses with yards. Why? Apartment people are usually temporary, they don't want another thing to keep alive. House people are nesting, they're planning to stay, they want things that grow with them.

But also, if you know they kill every plant they touch (we all have that friend), stick with flowers. Two week commitment, max.

What Actually Sells for Housewarmings

I pulled our numbers because I was curious. Our top 5 housewarming orders:

1. Sunflower bouquets (happy, bright, hard to screw up)
2. Mixed bright arrangements in reusable containers
3. Orchids (but only for people moving into nice places)
4. Succulent gardens (impossible to kill, supposedly)
5. The "whatever looks good today" designer's choice

That last one? That's code for "I remembered at 2 PM they moved in today." It's fine. We get it.

The Apartment vs. House Thing

Small apartment? Don't send enormous arrangements. I watched someone try to fit a massive tropical arrangement in a 400 square foot studio once. It took up half their dining table. They ate dinner standing at the counter for a week.

Big house? Go bigger with the flowers. They've got space to fill and empty rooms that need life. That grand arrangement that would overwhelm an apartment makes perfect sense in a house with 12 foot ceilings.

Skip These for Housewarmings

White lilies. Unless you want their house to smell like a funeral home.

Anything too fragrant if they have pets. Cats especially. Trust me on this.

Roses, weirdly enough. Too romantic for a housewarming. Save those for other occasions.

Cactuses if they have kids. Learned that one the hard way when Asha was three.

The Note Matters More Than You Think

"Welcome home" is fine but boring. The best housewarming message we ever got was from my mate who wrote "The WiFi password better not be password123 again." Made us laugh every time we saw the flowers.

Write something personal. Mention a memory about their old place. Joke about their moving disaster stories. Make it real. The flowers will die, but they'll probably keep the card.

Real Talk About Delivery

New house means delivery drivers can't find the place. GPS will be wrong. The house numbers might not be up yet. Do everyone a favor and add delivery instructions. "Blue house with the U-Haul out front" works better than just the address.

Also, if you know they're not moved in yet, send the flowers to their work instead. Nothing worse than flowers sitting on an empty porch all day.

Order Your Housewarming Flowers

Look, moving is stressful enough. Whether they're moving across town or across the country, flowers make it better. Pick something bright, something in a container they can keep, and write a note that'll make them smile. That's it. That's the whole formula.

And if you're reading this because you just moved yourself and you're dropping hints to friends and family, just send them this link. Subtle.

Housewarming Flowers FAQ

How long after someone moves can I still send housewarming flowers?

Month one, you're golden. Month two, still fine. Month three, you're pushing it. After that, just send flowers for a different reason or no reason at all. Though honestly, we had someone send us "housewarming" flowers eight months after we moved and we didn't care. Flowers are flowers. But if it's been a year and you're still calling them housewarming flowers, that's just weird.

What if I don't have their new address yet?

Send them to their workplace. Seriously, this solves everything. They get flowers at work, everyone asks about them, they get to talk about their new place, flowers make it home that evening. Plus, no worrying about delivery drivers finding a house that's not on GPS yet. If you don't know where they work either, you might need to just ask for the address. Novel idea, I know.

Should I send flowers before they've finished unpacking?

Yes, but stick to flowers in vases or containers. They don't need another task right now. Last thing someone wants while surrounded by boxes is to dig through bubble wrap looking for a vase. We sent flowers to friends who were still sleeping on an air mattress. The flowers ended up being the nicest thing in their house for two weeks. They said it kept them sane.

Is it weird to send housewarming flowers if I haven't been invited over?

Not at all. Sometimes flowers are your way of saying "I'm happy for you" without inviting yourself over to see the place. They might not be ready for visitors yet. House might be a disaster. But flowers show you care without the pressure of hosting. Plus, when they do finally invite you over, you're the person who sent those lovely flowers when they moved in.

What's the difference between sending flowers for a house vs. an apartment?

Size and permanence. Apartment = smaller arrangements, nothing too massive. House = bigger arrangements work, plants are great too since they're probably staying longer. Also, houses usually have porches where flowers can be left safely. Apartments might mean leaving flowers with a office or hoping the neighbor's honest. Consider delivery logistics.

How much should I spend on housewarming flowers?

Same as you'd spend on a decent bottle of wine to bring to their house. $50-75 is solid. Under $40 feels cheap unless you're broke (which is fine, flowers are flowers). Over $100 is showing off unless it's immediate family or your best friend. Though honestly, if four people go in together on a $100 arrangement, that works too and looks impressive.

Should I send flowers if they're moving because of divorce or downsizing?

Tricky one. Divorce? Skip the "congrats on the new place" angle. Go with "thinking of you" or "fresh starts" instead. Downsizing from a house they loved? Don't go overboard with cheerful. Maybe elegant orchids instead of party colored gerberas. Read the room, even from a distance. We've done "starting fresh" arrangements that acknowledge the situation without being depressing.

What if they're renovating and living in chaos?

Send the flowers anyway, but maybe wait a few weeks. Let them get past the "everything is covered in drywall dust" phase. Nobody wants flowers sitting next to a circular saw. Once they've got at least one room livable, that's your moment. Or send them to their office with a note about surviving renovation hell. They'll appreciate the sympathy.

Is it tacky to include a gift card with the flowers for their new house?

Not tacky, just unnecessary. Flowers are enough. If you want to do more, send the flowers now and bring a bottle of wine when you actually visit. Or send flowers now and a pizza delivery card for moving day. But flowers plus gift card feels like you couldn't decide what to send. Pick one, commit to it.