How to Throw an Unforgettable Home Warming Party

What better way to say thanks to the people who helped you move home, or to get to know your new neighbours, or new work colleagues, than to organize a housewarming party?

From how to prepare your new home for your guests arrival, how to host a homewarming party, right through to cleaning up after all the fun, our guide will help you plan and host a truly memorable housewarming event.

Let’s keep this as simple as possible, you have enough to be doing finalizing your unpacking and organizing your new home. People will not expect a 5 course a-la-carte meal with a string quartet sat in the corner of the room entertaining them anyway.

A themed or fancy dress housewarming party may make some guests uncomfortable, so save that for when you get to know your new neighbours better and you have more time to organize it properly.

Equally, home warming party decorations are not really necessary, especially if you are hosting a housewarming party on a budget. That said, a few balloons here and there will probably not break the bank and will add to the party mood.

But however you choose to celebrate your arrival in your new home, this Homewarming Party guide will ensure a great time is had by all.

Recommended reading: 10 Simple Ideas on How to Make Your New Place Feel Like Home

You might also like to read this guide on how to child proof your new home.

Plan your Get to Know your Neighbours Party

Decide on a date for your new home party – 2 to 3 weeks after you move in is ideal, most of the unpacking should be done and you will have had a chance to get your home clean and feeling homely. Setting a party date is also a great incentive to get those last few jobs completed.

Draw up an invitation list – The size of your guest list is obviously dependent upon the available space and your available budget, but should definitely include new neighbours and those friends who helped you move home.

Send out your invitations – Send these at least a couple of weeks before the big event to give people time to organize any babysitters for example. To save some money send the invites via social media or just knock on the neighbours doors.

Here are some free, downloadable, Home-warming party invitation templates. There are plenty more available online.

Have you sorted out your change of address yet? Click here for a change of address checklist.

Keep it informal – It is easier to mingle with your guests if you can freely circulate, and isn’t the whole point of the party to communicate – to say ‘thank you’ to some, and ‘hello, nice to meet you’ to others?

Prepare your housewarming party menu – Finger food is so much easier to organize than a full-on, sit down dinner party. You can also distribute the food between different rooms so that as people mingle, and roam about your new home, they may discover different foods in each room. Don’t forget to cater for any vegetarian guests.

You can find some great housewarming party buffet ideas in this link.

Keep drinks simple – Beer, wine and soft drinks should cover most people’s tastes, and if you are having a homewarming party on a budget, it is kinder to your purse too. Have the drinks and food available in different areas of the room to avoid overcrowding in one spot. Have enough tea and coffee available for the end of the night for those guests who would like it.

Use disposable plates and utensils – In the interest of keeping things simple, and extra work for you to a minimum, consider using disposable plates and utensils. There are some quite decorative ones available online, so they can still be stylish but functional. Don’t forget plenty of napkins too. And at the end of the party it is a simple case of throwing them all in the bin – just make sure you have a good supply of rubbish bags available.

Housewarming Party Games – This could be a great way to get to know your new neighbours and get everyone interacting with each other. You can find some great ideas for home-warming party games here.

Your playlist – Prepare a playlist before your party and download it all onto one device. That way you will not be constantly changing CD’s, not only will this ensure there are no breaks in the ambience your music creates, but you will not have to keep constantly breaking off conversations to sort out more music. Ensure your playlist is far longer than you anticipate the length of your party to be, you can then start the music early to get you in the party mood, and there will be no embarrassing silence come the end of the night (or early morning).

There is plenty of free home warming party music available online, here is one such site.

Enjoy this article: 5 Best Things to Do When You Move to a New City

Prepare Your Home

Unpack your moving boxes – Nobody is expecting your home to be perfectly organized, but equally you cannot host a party in cardboard city either. People will want to tour your new home, so each room should at least be presentable. If you really cannot unpack all your boxes, assign a room or perhaps the garage to store them in until the party is finished.

Not sure what to do with all your empty moving boxes? Click here for some great ideas.

Keep it clean – First impressions last, and your new neighbours will be looking to see what type of people have moved into the neighbourhood.

Stock the bathroom – Make sure that there are enough toiletries and toilet paper in your bathroom, with nice fresh hand towels available for your guests.

Accessorise – A few pictures hung on the walls will make your house a home. There is no need to have your fragile and expensive ornaments on display, they may get broken, but a few knick knacks here and there will make all the difference.

Have space to sit – Even if your new settee has not been delivered yet, or you have not had time to assemble all your furniture, no problem. Perhaps assign one room for those who want to lounge in chairs and keep the other rooms more spartan so that people can mingle freely. Having the food and drinks on the work surface in the kitchen will free up floor space, rather than on coffee tables, if that is an issue. If you have wallpaper pasting tables, they make great buffet tables and are quick and easy to erect.

Open up more space – Keep the patio or terrace doors open to give you more space. People can then travel freely into the garden or onto the balcony if the weather allows.

Keep your pets safe – Your pets have been subject to a lot of distress during the house move, and a house full of new people will not help. You may want to consider putting your pets in the kennels for the night. Some people may be allergic to pets or just dislike animals, equally your pet may escape with the comings and goings, so it is better to be safe than sorry.

Some great advice: 10 Tips on Cleaning Services after Removals or After Renovation

How to be the Perfect House Warming Party Host

Make an effort with your appearance – There is no need to wear your tiara or top hat and tails, but taking the time to be presentable will make you feel better after weeks in your working clothes, and will give a good impression to your new friends.

Meet and greet – Make yourself and your family available when new guests arrive. Offer your new guests a welcoming drink and ensure they know where they can refill their glasses. If you do not want people smoking in your home designate an outdoor area for smokers, and politely inform your guests where that area is. Make sure there are enough ashtrays available, and a metal container to empty the ashtrays into.

Read these fire safety tips to keep your family and guests safe.

Point out the essentials – Take a quick detour from the fun to show your guests where the bathroom, food and drink is. Also, ensure they know where their coats will be kept if the weather dictates that they wore one.

Mingle – The advantage of a buffet style party is that you can freely move around to chat with your guests. Take the time to talk to everyone and make them all feel that you are pleased that they could attend.

Group Tours – Most of the guests will be itching to snoop around your new home. Take groups of guests on the grand tour rather than individuals, it will take you away from your other guests for too long doing individual tours. Use the tours to gain some local knowledge from your new neighbours – reliable tradesmen, local DIY stores and even some fresh ideas on home layout or design.

Share the night – How about taking some photos, or streaming a video, and posting them live online so that friends who could not make the party can share the fun? It will also be a reminder of what a great time everybody had in your new home.

Say goodbye – Make yourself available to thank your guests for coming as they leave.

Having trouble getting your guests to leave or want to astound them? Bore, or transfix them, with your knowledge of cardboard box trivia.

Tips for Cleaning up After a Housewarming Party

Make a start on the big clear-up – Cleaning up after a party is never fun. No matter how late the party ends, clear at least one room before going to bed, there is nothing worse than waking up to a room full of half eaten food, and empty plates strewn everywhere. Having at least one room cleared will give you somewhere clean for your post party breakfast before you tackle cleaning the rest of your home.

Stock up on cleaning products – Have a supply of bin bags, wet wipes, kitchen towels and multi-purpose sprays available for the big clean up.

Be safe – Make sure that any ashtrays are safely outside your home and have been emptied into a metal container to prevent a fire before going to bed.

Say thanks for coming – Take the time to thank everyone for attending once again via social media or a thank you note through their door the next day.

Some more great tips: How to Make Friends in Your New Neighbourhood

Chill out – Then sit back, relax, review your photos from the night, and take some time to bask in the warm glow that a great evening will have given you.

This will be the first of many special memories in your new home, enjoy every moment.

And why not tell us how your home warming party went, your housewarming party ideas, and any housewarming event tips for other new home movers in the comments box below.

Not moved home yet? Click here to get a free home removal cost estimate.

Also Read

How to Complain about Your Removal Company

Pin your hopes on a successful resolution. Table of Contents[Open][Close]Tips To Make a Complaint EasierInsure... Read More

De-Stressing After the Stress of Moving Day

Learn to manage your stress so that you can enjoy your new home and new life Table of... Read More

Help – I Can’t Settle in My New Home!

Moving home is a life-changing event that can be very unsettling. But give it time and your new place will feel... Read More