Congratulations on your new place! Choosing a new home and community can be one of the most exciting yet overwhelming life events we encounter. Now that your home is ready to move-in, it’s only natural to want to celebrate with family and friends.
Here are some tips for hosting a housewarming party:
Simplicity
Don’t worry too much about having all of your boxes unpacked and staging your home to look flawless. In this case, your family and friends will understand that it takes some time to settle; they’ll just want to celebrate the transition into the next stage of life with you.
Save the date
Choose who you will invite and whether you want to do an afternoon or evening event. An afternoon affair will be more casual than an evening get together. You can also organize your housewarming party as a drop-in event by giving your guests a span of several hours to stop by. This way your guests won’t all come at once.
No need to get fancy with invites, once you have the guest list sorted, send a quick text or email a few weeks ahead so those invited can save the date. This is also a great opportunity to knock on your neighbour’s doors to introduce yourself and invite them in-person.
As with any party, be sure to request that your guests RSVP at least a few days before so you can prepare enough food and drinks.
Prepare high traffic areas
Before your guests arrive, make sure your closet has enough hangers and space for their outwear and shoes. Don’t forget to prepare your bathrooms with plenty of toilet paper, clean hand towels, an air freshener and soap.
Ambiance
The focus of this party is your new home so no need for decorations that will detract from its features. If you want to add a special touch, turn on your fireplace to instantly add visual warmth and use fresh flowers to brighten up a space. You can also put together a great playlist to set the mood throughout your home.
Food
Your guests will be walking around to observe your home so this is a fantastic time for casual finger foods. Baking fresh cookies beforehand will not only be a delicious snack but it will also create a comforting smell throughout your home. What better place to set down food and drinks than in your new kitchen where you can showcase all of its marvelous features! This is also a great location because guests can come and go as they please without worrying about spilling anything on your new flooring.
Pair easy snacks with recyclable paper products to minimalize clean-up time. This way, if you’re still living in boxes, you won’t need to search for specific plates, cups or utensils.
Tours
The tour of your new home is your party’s main attraction so be sure to show your guests around. Instead of giving a ton of individual tours, you can opt to wait for a small group to arrive. While showing guests around, use this as an opportunity to bounce ideas off of them if you are unsure of how to utilize a space.
Gifts
Although gifts are usually customary, they shouldn’t be expected of each guest. This is a time to fill your home with happiness and best wishes from your loved ones.
A well-planned housewarming party will allow you to kick back and enjoy the celebration of all your hard work leading up to this moment. Cherish this time while you create some of your first memories with your loved ones in your new home.
After your housewarming, it is always a nice touch to text or email your guests to thank them for coming and to show how much you enjoyed their company.