Throwing a party in your own home gives you the ease of being able to clean and prepare well ahead of time, and lets you really show off your hosting skills. It can be a bit of work to pull it all together for one special day, but in the end it’s all worth it to have the good company of friends and family together under your roof. We’ve got some great tips to help you organize a successful party in your home that will definitely impress your friends!
Start Planning Early
When organizing for a party in your home, it helps to start thinking about details as much as three to six months ahead of time. Will there be a theme to your party? What is your budget? How many people do you plan to invite? What kind of decorations will you want? Will your party be casual and call for disposable plates, cups, and utensils? Or, will you want to elevate your party to a more classy level with rented glassware, plates, and tables? Setting these types of details will give you goals that can be slowly achieved, instead of making a stressful time of last minute organizing. Leading up to the party, you can keep your eye out for decorations and accessories in stores you go to that might fit with your party theme.
Declutter & Clean
When you have guests at your home, you want them to be impressed with the level of cleanliness, your stylish home decor, and the effort you’ve put into organizing for the party. Start with the basics by making sure your home is free from pests, clutter, and is cleaned from top to bottom. It may be best to clean your home within the week before the party, so everything stays clean. That means dusting, vacuuming, mopping floors, washing rugs, cleaning kitchen appliances, and making the bathrooms sparkle. A few air fresheners here and there never hurt either!
Pre-Prep Food
One big part of planning is determining what you’ll be offering for food. Choosing catering is always a good idea, because it takes a load of work off your plate. However, you could also go with offering just appetizers and finger foods, request your friends to each bring a dish potluck style, or buy and make all the food yourself. If you go with the latter route, it’s best to purchase all the food several days out from the party date to ensure everything is fresh. On the day before the party, you’ll want to pre-prep as much food as possible. For example, get your appetizer trays ready to whip out on the day of the party. Peel, chop, and dice any fruits and veggies ahead of time. Prep or marinate your meats the night before so they’re ready to cook. You could also ask a few friends to come over early the day of your party to help you prep food and complete any last minute decorating.
Stock Drinks for Everyone
Everybody loves a good party with adult beverages on hand. When creating your guest list, think about what everyone likes to drink and try to accommodate the majority. You may want to have some beer, seltzers, wine, and cocktails available. And don’t forget about the guests who don’t drink or who will be designated drivers. Have a variety of non-alcoholic beverages like soda, ice tea, lemonade, plenty of water, and maybe even some non-alcoholic beer.
Organize the Music Playlist
When you're mingling with friends and enjoying the hard work you’ve put into your party, the last thing you want to be messing with constantly is the music. Either create a music playlist on an MP3 player, or choose the perfect station on a music app like Pandora. If you don’t already have a subscription to a music app that cuts out commercials, a free trial that will give you hours of uninterrupted music is a house party essential.
Plan for Some Simple Entertainment
While hanging out with friends, eating, and drinking is often a good time by itself, a few games and a little entertainment can really add to the fun. Some entertainment ideas for an outdoor house party might include cornhole, horseshoes, and Kan Jam. Indoor activities that are fun for a group are giant jenga, card games, darts, twister, and drinking games. Many drinking games are super simple and don’t require many accessories to play. Think beer pong, flip cup, never have I ever, and most likely, to name a few.
Don’t forget to send your invites out at least a month ahead of time, so your guests have plenty of time to plan to attend. Set an RSVP date as well, so you will know how much food and supplies you’ll need for the party. Yes, every party takes money and lots of effort, but when you see everyone having a good time together, the work all becomes worth it. Good luck in throwing a killer house party!
