You’ve finally settled into your new home and a toast is called for. Invite your nearest and dearest to celebrate your new abode and to let some new energy in. We’ve made a list to help you get organised so you can be clinking your glass of bubbly in no time.
The Plan
Start planning before you even move. Choose a date for your party and think about what sort of occasion you want to create – fancy, casual, dress-up, a sit-down meal or a lazy afternoon where people can drop in and out as they please. In a nutshell, decide on the ambience and lock in a date.
The Invitation
There are loads of online invitation services and social media channels that you can use to get your message out to friends. You might choose to just send an email with the details or a ‘Save The Date’ message. Either way, the earlier you let people know, the better.
The Bathroom
The bathroom is going to be the most visited room in the house. For this simple reason, spend some time on the day of your function making sure it’s a pleasant place to be in. Get some fresh towels out, clean the bath and shower, put some nice handwash out for your guests and maybe even light a scented candle.
The Seating
People don’t have to sit on chairs. If you’ve got a guest list that stretches for miles, think outside the box when it comes to seating. Milk crates, boxes, cushions on the floor or timber logs are just a few ideas to span your seating gap.
The Breakables
If there’s going to be lots of kids running around, or your housewarming is likely to be lively, consider packing away some of your valuables and breakables. Put them somewhere safe so you don’t spend time at your party worrying about your antique vase that was passed down for generations.
The Mood
There are some simple solutions for setting the mood. Play around with candles, fairy lights, lamps, outdoor lights or dance floor lighting. Also, adding touches of green really livens up a space, so invest in some potted plants to set the tone.
The Music
Create a long, memorable playlist that changes throughout the party. Start off with bright, welcoming tunes, then mellow out for conversation and pick it up again to see the party out. Set up a playlist that lasts for hours, and if you don’t have enough music, loop it at the end. If you do this in advance, you can just press play and forget about it. If you’re plugging in your phone for the music, make sure you turn your alerts off, otherwise, every time you get a message, your whole party will know.
The Memories
Encourage friends to take lots of photos and share them. If you have a decent digital camera, keep it on hand to snap the moments. Candid shots are great for capturing the vibe of the party, while group photos make great mementos. You can even create your own unique hashtag and tell everyone to tag their photos if uploading on social media. That way, you can find and collate all the memories in one place.
Thinking ahead will ensure your housewarming is a huge success. But remember, at the end of the day, it’s the people that warm a house.
