You’ve moved. Awesome! Whether you’ve bought your first home, said goodbye to your mom’s washing services and moved in with mates, or finally shacked up with your partner, it’s time to open your doors and kick start a welcoming atmosphere for your friends with a housewarming party.
Invitations
You’ll be spoilt for choice when looking online for housewarming invitations.
Rustic simplicity will give your guests the impression your party will be relaxed and informal. This works well if you have an outside area and can set up string lights.
If you’ll be mostly indoors, keep it simple. You could even get matching hanging beads for your entrance. (See Decorations.)
Or if you’re planning on making a few martinis or cocktails, go retro and add your details on the back.
Party attire
You don’t really need to set a dress-up theme unless you want to, but mention it on your invitation if you do.
Make it an apron party and ask your guests to come dressed in an apron, over their clothes of course.
from MrottoTx
Or a bring your own slippers party, which means everyone can leave their shoes at the front door and not mess up your floors.
Might be good to have a few spares in case any guests forget.
Consider a seasonal theme depending on when you are holding the party. Wear something yellow for a summer party, orange for fall, floral for spring, or an ugly sweater for winter.
Decorations
Your home is the star of the party so bring it to life with ambient lighting.
Add things that bring good luck such as bamboo plants
hang horseshoes above doorways
or decorate furniture edges or doorway entrances with lucky four leaf clovers.
Scattering acorns bring good fortune and look particularly great if your party is in the fall.
Fragrant candles help with a homey feel.
Encourage guests into party rooms through beaded curtains
Don’t just put a disco ball in your dance area, make it a disco ball planter (or a collection of smaller ones) that you can keep hanging afterwards.
If you have not finished unpacking all your boxes, don’t keep them in the rooms you wish to use for the party. If they are in a space guests might see, cover them in sheets or tablecloths and put some temporary ornaments on top.
Food
You’ve just moved in and you may not have everything you need in the kitchen quite yet. Your guests will be very understanding if you propose a potluck – i.e. every guest brings a plate.
If you are keen to do all the catering yourself, here is a range of appetizers that are easy to prepare with minimal kitchen appliances.
Drinks
If your new home has a garden, you’re going to need a wheelbarrow at some point so get one now and fill it with ice so guests have somewhere to keep their drinks chilled.
You may decide a few rounds of shots (or mini icecream desserts) are in order. Set them up so you can carry them around or leave them on a table and they won’t get knocked over.
Choose simple shot recipes that are easy to refill.
A cocktail spoon will help make the job a little easier.
Tableware
House keys are an obvious theme for a housewarming.
Choose cups and plates in your favorite color and sprinkle new home confetti over the table.
Top it off with a bit of happy home humor.
If you decide on a potluck, have a few extra platters on hand in case your guests arrive with their offerings in containers.
Icebreakers
The term “housewarming” comes from medieval times when there was no heating technology and guests would bring firewood to chase away evil spirits and warm someone’s home. If you have the right outdoor space, tell your guests on the invitation that no gifts are required but to bring something to burn on a campfire instead.
Make your campfire festive and colorful with mystical granules to keep evil spirits away.
Put your guests into teams and send them on a scavenger hunt to explore your new place, find things that fit the clues and take photos of them. The winning team that has photos of the most items wins a VIP dinner invitation to your first dinner party.
If your party is in Spring, let your guests have fun planting wildflower seed bombs in random places around your garden.
Music
Really the songs you play come down to what makes you feel happy and relaxed. Sprinkle with a few tunes that remind people there’s no place like home.
Send them off with a smile
Make up some bags of popcorn before the party and label them to thank them for popping by when it’s time to go.
