How to Have a Housewarming Party

Want to celebrate your move?

Having a moving-in party is a great way to relax and meet new people after moving.  It might seem strange to invite people who you barely know into your home, but parties are a great way to immerse yourself in your community. They’re worth the effort.

Here’s what you need to do to have a memorable housewarming party:

Get Settled In

First things first, you will need to unpack, arrange your furniture and decorate your place.  Also, it would be good to, you know, meet some people prior to your party.

So, before you start party planning, give yourself a couple of weeks to get a feel for your new home, the people around the office, and the neighborhood.

Plan the Party

People’s ideas of parties differ wildly.  Really, it’s hard to go wrong.  Want to show the big game?  Go for it.  Want to get a game of bocce going?  Fine.  Indoor vs outdoor?  Whatever is better for the weather.

However, any party needs two essential things: food and drink.

Food – You’ll have to decide whether you want a dinner party or a party-party (aka cocktail party).  Either way you’ll need food.

• If it’s a dinner party, make sure to offer both meat and vegetarian dishes.  You can get more discriminate in the future when you know people.
• If it’s a cocktail party, make sure to have some snacks on hand and even some finger food, like sandwich slices or pizza.
  

Drinks – Soda, juice and water are all necessary, but booze is the lubricant upon which parties roll, even if you don’t drink.

A well-balanced party will offer guests beer and wine.  If you have a nice liquor collection, this could be a good time to start impressing your neighbors.  No matter what, make sure you have something alcoholic on hand for the guests who are looking for it.

Note: Make sure to advertise that you will have food and drink when inviting people.

Invitation List

When creating a guest list for a moving-in party, don’t worry too much.  You won’t know many people, and that’s okay.  People won’t think you’re weird if you randomly invite them to a housewarming party.  Now, if you invite them to your wedding, that might be a different story…

Obviously, you’ll want to invite anyone you know in any meaningful way.  Friends or family who already live in the city or town are a good start.  Here are the rest to consider:

• Co-workers – You might not know them well yet, but you are both aware of each other.  That’s enough.
• Neighbors – Don’t worry about inviting the entire neighborhood, but do at least tell your immediate neighbors.
• Anyone else who you fancy – That guy you met on the bus, your new hairstylist, your kid’s new best friend’s parents… whoever.
• Friends of your guests – Tell all the above to “feel free” to invite a friend or two.

Did you decide to have any outdoor party?  It’s probably time to get your patio ready.