As someone who lived in a residence for the first two years of university, moving into my first apartment was an interesting experience. Especially since I was also moving to a new city. To make Madrid feel like our new home, my roommate and I hosted a housewarming party. Given that the gathering was a great success, I now feel 110% qualified to give you a crash course on how to host a successful housewarming party.
Let’s break it down:
To Theme or Not to Theme
Firstly, you should decide if you want your party to have a theme. Some might argue that “housewarming” is already theme enough. But you can decide to take it further by establishing a fun/personal theme. For example, since Madrid is a blank slate for us and our friends, my roommate and I settled for “white canvas” as the theme. We established an all-white dress code. You can opt for on-theme decorations, activities, and much more! YouTube and Pinterest are great places to find inspiration for themes and dynamics.
Keep in Mind the budget
When you’re excited to plan, decorate, and host, it is very easy to get carried away and spend more money than you should. Once you have a set idea of what to do, create a budget and break it down. Some questions to consider when creating your budget could be:
- Food: Am I cooking? For how many people? Will it be a sit-down dinner or more of a finger-food setting? Are we ordering in?
- Drinks: Will this serve as a pre? Can I count on my attendees to bring drinks? Will I serve alcohol, soft drinks, or both?
- Decorations: Do I need decorations to sell the theme? Is there a place where I can find decor for cheap? Is it sustainable to buy decorations?
- Experience: Do I want to give out goodie bags? Should I get candles or ambient lighting? Am I doing any activities that require extra supplies?
If you are co-hosting with someone, make sure both of you are on the same page about who pays what and how you will organize yourselves.
Curate your guest list
Decide how many people you are inviting. It could be the people on your close friends, classmates, or the whole block, you decide! Do keep in mind the size and layout of your apartment. Carefully draft a list of the people you want to invite and send out the invites. These could either be a casual text or you can go full out on the design (it can match the theme!)
When adding the information on the invites, add your address, time, and if you want guests to bring anything. If the door to your building is complicated, be sure to include instructions, you’ll save your guests from trying to figure it out. You could send them individually or create a group chat for easier communication.
Pro tip!: If you are making the food, send the invites a week in advance and ask guests to RSVP to know how much food you need to buy.
Pro tip!: Most IE students tend to be late all the time. If most of your guests are of that type, put an earlier time than your intended start time so that they get there in time.
Prep the Prep
Plan out your day(s)! I recommend cleaning your place the day before so that everything looks nice and your guests. Next, decide when to get the elements you’ll need before setting up the place. These are the things that will help you have everything ready and help you after the party. Here is a list to help you get started:
- Food
- Paper plates, cups, and cutlery (if you have enough plates/glasses, use those! Try to be as sustainable as possible)
- Serving bowls/plates
- Napkins
- Drinks
- Mini skewers (for finger food)
- Ice
- Trash bags
- Rags
For food, make a list of the dishes you want to make and the ingredients you’ll need. Once you are set, strategize the best order to prepare them so that you can move in the kitchen as efficiently as possible. Depending on what food you’ll be making, prepping it an hour to 45 minutes before your start time would be ideal.
Lastly, music! A good playlist can really set the mood for your housewarming. Get a speaker and you’re good to go. Do keep in mind that neighbors might find the noise bothersome. Be sure to respect the times set by your landlord and speak to your neighbors beforehand. Maybe even invite them to join!
Pro tip!: Spotify has a great feature where it recommends similar, new songs to the ones you’ve added. Make the playlist collaborative and have your guests add their own songs!
Almost Showtime
The day has come! Take a relaxing shower, get ready, and begin the setup. Have the food laid out in a way that makes sense serving-wise, put some warm ambient lighting (if you have the option to not use the overhead light, don’t use it), queue the playlist, and light some aromatic candles.
Live, Laugh, and Enjoy
You are now set! All that’s left is to wait for your guests to arrive and enjoy your party. Remember to smile, follow the schedule casually if you have one, and make sure your guests and yourself are having a good time. Don’t forget to take pictures!
