So your new home is finally finished and you’re ready to move in. The boxes have been unpacked and everything is ready for you and your family. The next logical step is to throw a housewarming party. After all, you want to show your new digs to your friends and neighbors. It’s also a great way to cap off the long construction process and finally relax after months of waiting.
Even if your home isn’t ready yet or you’re still looking for house and land packages, it pays to properly know how to throw a banging party. Of course, you just spent a lot of money building your new home, so it makes sense to limit any nonessential expenses in the meantime. Lucky for you, you can throw a great party without breaking the bank.
1. Set a budget
Before you hire anyone or buy anything for your housewarming party, the first thing you need to do is to figure out how much you’re willing to spend. You might be thinking, “I need a big budget.” But you don’t need to spend a small fortune for a party that will last only a few hours. Just pick a number that you’re comfortable with and won’t put a dent on your finances and work around that.
2. Pick a date
There’s no right time to organize a housewarming party. Some homeowners wait a few weeks or even months before sending the invitations. On the other hand, others throw a big bash just a few days after moving it. It all depends on what you want.
Planning a party is as much about the timing as it is about the budget. You shouldn’t feel obligated to throw a party right away. The important thing is you want to have a good time with your friends and family. If you think it will take you at least six months to recover from the move, then you can put off the party until then.
3. Don’t go overboard
People tend to go overboard when planning anything, especially parties. We float all these grand ideas that sound fun in theory but are very difficult to pull off in real life. And there’s nothing wrong with that. Plans get edited all the time and most of your guests are going to expect something simple. Go for something sensible and manageable.
4. Avoid extra costs
Unlike birthday or Halloween parties which are centered around a theme, the star attraction of a housewarming party is your new home. You don’t need to buy anything you’re never going to use again.
For instance, instead of spending money on decorations, you could buy comfortable pillows for your living room instead. Or you could splurge on scented candles or a good scent diffuser. If you’re really dead set on getting party decor, buy something that you can reuse in the future such as string lights or serveware.
To throw a successful budget housewarming party, you need to make your budget work for you and refuse to let other people dictate what you need or want. The goal is to celebrate and welcome guests to your new home and you don’t need to go beyond that.