Your neighborhood is full of people who have varied lifestyles and cultures. Building a connection with your neighbors is essential to your social health and the comfort you have in your neighborhood. One of the best ways to become acquainted with your neighbors and welcome them into your new house is by throwing a housewarming party. In this guide, we’ll discuss how to throw a housewarming party that’s fun and stress-free.
What Is a Housewarming Party?
Fun, social, and inviting are all equal parts to a housewarming party. When you want to gather your close friends and new neighbors together while showing off your new home, you can throw a big housewarming party and invite the entire block over for some finger foods, games, and fun. This welcoming act is an act of a good neighbor. Also, it allows you to meet those smiling faces waving at you across the street.
Pro Tip for How to Throw a Housewarming Party That’s More Inviting:
If you are in a residential neighborhood with several families, you may want to invite the kids over, too. More neighbors are inclined to come if their kids are invited.
How to Throw a Housewarming Party
Before the Housewarming Party Starts
When you start planning how to throw a housewarming party, follow these steps to make sure that you cover every aspect of your party ahead of time.
1. Schedule Your Housewarming Party’s Date
When should you schedule your housewarming party?
You should schedule your housewarming party within the first month of moving into your new digs unless you have a major delay. While you want to get started on your process of how to throw a housewarming party soon after moving into the new space, you do not have to do it the first week into your new home.
Give yourself a few weeks or a month to get yourself settled into your home before having it filled with guests. You want to have your furniture placed around your home so that guests have adequate seating.
You will also want to consider what part of the day you would like to host your party. If you are looking for a stress-free drop-in rather than a full dinner party, offering an afternoon on the weekend may be the best option. If you are looking for something a little more upscale and party-style, an evening party may be the right call.
2. Invite Guests to Your Housewarming Party
Who are you planning to invite to your housewarming party?
Of course, you will want to invite your friends to your housewarming party. They have been with you through the house buying and unpacking process, so they should be a part of the welcome committee. Once you put them on the guest list, it is time to invite the folks waving to you in the mornings and walking by with smiling faces — your neighbors!
If your community is on the larger side, feel free to only invite those living on your street. If you happened to meet someone a street or two over that you hit it off with, invite them over, as well. Just be sure to make it easy for attendees to RSVP so you can continue planning.
3. Make a Registry for Your Housewarming Gifts
Do you have a favorite retailer for home goods?
Most of your guests may try to reach out to you and see what housewarming gifts you’d like. So create a gift registry. All you have to do is choose your favorite store of home decor and kitchenware for your housewarming registry. Select a variety of things that your home needs. It is also a good idea to add a gift card option for the guests who want to give you a little something extra. When you send out your invitations, include your housewarming registry name and store so that they can access your wish list.
Preparing For Your Housewarming Party
Once you have established the main details of the when and where for your party, it is time to start preparing.
4. Plan Your Housewarming Party Theme
How would you like your home featured to your guests?
Which part of the day are you planning to host your housewarming party? Are you looking to enjoy a beautiful afternoon with the barbeque on the back lawn or have a party inside your home in the evening?
The answer to these questions will determine which themes are in your wheelhouse for your housewarming party. You can also add some DIY party decorations to your home and lawn to match your theme, making it a more inviting space for your guests.
Remember, the weather and the season will also be a factor in what you can do. If you’re planning a garden party, make sure you can bring it inside if it’s too cold or there’s a sudden storm.
Choose Your Housewarming Party Theme
With home sizes varying in neighborhoods, it may be ideal for you to offer the open house theme for your guests. This gives them a window of time to swing in at their leisure, visiting with you, and viewing your new home. For new homeowners and smaller properties, this is an ideal option so that they can spread out their visits, keeping the number of guests in your home low throughout the party’s duration. This allows you as the host to mingle with guests and entertain comfortably.
Keep Your Housewarming Party Menu Short And Sweet
Since you will be spending the afternoon or evening entertaining guests, you will want to offer light and easy housewarming party food. If you want to have a fruit or veggie tray out for your guests to munch on while they tour your home, keep them available in a designated area in your kitchen or dining room. You can grab a sandwich tray from your local sandwich shop or appetizers from a local bakery and show your support for your neighborhood business.
Also, you can add a few grab ‘n go party favors like cookies or brownies for your guests to grab on their way out the door.
If dinner is on the menu, consider doing a potluck. It will be easier on your budget and can help keep the conversation going.
Pro Tip for How to Throw a Housewarming Party That’s Easy: Paper Products Are the Way to Go
Choose paper products for your housewarming party food and beverages. With guests coming in and out of your home, you want to make clean up and accessibility as easy as possible. Especially with housewarming parties being more casual, paper plates can fit any theme. Uncoated paper plates and biodegradable products are also easier on the environment than plastic ones.
5. Send Out Your Housewarming Party Invitations
Do you have everyone on your list?
Even if you are hosting a casual housewarming party, you want to give your guests enough time to purchase your gift and make plans to attend your housewarming party. Start sending out your housewarming party invitations at least two weeks before your housewarming party to your loved ones, friends, and all of your neighbors that you are inviting.
While you will have to mail those to your friends and family, go an extra neighborly step and hand-deliver as many of your invites as you can to your neighbors. If you have a few you just can’t catch at home, leave it on their door or try reaching out through social media.
During The Housewarming Party Steps
Now that you have planned and prepared for how to throw a housewarming party, you have a few final steps to take care of when your guests start arriving.
6. Set The Mood For Your Housewarming Party
Do you want a casual or elegant get-together?
While you should have your living area and main space for the party presentable, you do not need to stress about having all of your rooms unpacked. If the spare bedroom down the hallway is currently housing those unpacked boxes, leave them there. Your guests will understand, as they have all been there before.
Offer some light music in the living room to set the mood of the party. If you are planning for lots of games and fun in the back, plan out your music playlist to fit your theme. A little music will keep your guests comfortable and able to relax.
7. Host A Few Games Between Neighbors
What types of games should you offer?
A little neighborly competition can be good for the group. Offer a few of your favorite trivia games to keep the party going. Instead of the traditional tour, offer your guests a scavenger hunt that lets them tour the house themselves and have a little fun while they do it. If your back lawn is set up for guests, bring out your corn hole game or horseshoes stuffed in the garage. You will have a great time getting to know a lot about your neighbors and their different personalities.
Now that you know how to throw a housewarming party, you can customize it to fit your personality. After all, it is your home and your chance to invite old friends, new friends and co-workers, and neighbors over. As long as you keep a few simple steps in mind about invitations and planning, you can throw the perfect housewarming party for your tastes.
