by Rose Morrison
Rose is the managing editor of Renovated, a home living site where she strives to help people live their best DIY lives.
After a stressful move, you want nothing more than to kick back with your loved ones as you all celebrate your new home together. You might have endless plans for your new place, but before you start decorating and DIYing, you should invite your loved ones over for the first time. Follow these tips to plan the perfect housewarming party in your new Chicago home.
1. Don’t Sweat the Unpacking
The first thing you need to know about your housewarming party is that you don’t need to be fully unpacked. As long as your boxes aren’t taking up all the valuable space you could use for the party, it’s okay if you only have the essentials unpacked. Your first mission should be moving into your kitchen so you’ll be able to cook your own food — and give your guests a place to sit when you set up a table and chairs!
After setting up your kitchen, you should unpack your bedroom and bathroom. These three rooms are essential for your home’s functionality. People will understand if you haven’t quite unpacked everything, but you should do what you can before your party arrives.
2. Choose the Right Date for Your Housewarming Party
Try to host your party within the first three months of moving into your new place. That way, the home is still new to you, but you’ve had enough time to get settled in and mostly unpacked. Ensure you send out your invitations in advance, so people know to block off time on their calendars.
3. Offer a Delicious Menu
If you plan to have your guests over for a while, plan a menu to appease their tastebuds. You don’t have to have a whole dinner laid out for your guests, but you do want to make a good impression. Focus on pairing rich wines with fatty, creamy foods if you want to show off an air of decadence. Something more casual can work well, too. It all depends on you and your guests.
4. Invite Your Neighbors
Community is important, especially if you’re moving to a new place where you may not know many people. If you live communally, like in an apartment complex, you may have several opportunities to build bonds with other people and share skills.
No matter where you live, you can invite your neighbors over to your housewarming party to get to know them better. You never know — they could become your new best friends!
5. Consider a Registry
Registries aren’t necessary for housewarming parties, and some people may consider it against etiquette. However, if it helps you build the home of your dreams, your loved ones may want to help out. A housewarming registry is a growing trend for people who buy their homes before other significant milestones that call for a registry, such as getting married or having a baby.
Furthermore, around 70% of people want to have a wishlist to go off of when buying gifts for someone else. That way, they know that the recipient will enjoy the gift. Since people are likely to bring a gift to your housewarming party anyway, you may find it most effective to create a registry for them to choose a gift with no pressure added.
6. Pick Some Entertainment
You’re hosting a party for a reason! Beyond food and music, you’ll also need something to keep your guests occupied. Get ready to take your guests on multiple tours of your new space. They’ll want to see how the unpacking is coming along and hear any ideas you have for your home that will help you make it your own. You might also pull out some board games to keep them entertained after the tours and food.
You may have some guests coming in from out of town to welcome you to your new home. In that case, you’ll need to find something fun for them to do during their stay. Depending on the season, Chicago should have a lot to offer. Every neighborhood hosts outdoor festivals throughout the summertime, so it could be an excellent opportunity to throw your party and show your loved ones some of what makes the city so important to you.
7. Offer a Formal Thank You
People took time out of their day to visit your home, and some may have even brought gifts with them. While you can thank people through a message, the best way to convey your sincerity for their presence at your party is to deliver a handwritten letter to them. Handwritten notes carry so much sentiment, and it’s something your loved ones can keep forever as a memento of the fun party you hosted.
Make Your Move An Easy One
Moving can be a stressful experience, but thinking of the amazing housewarming party you’ll throw can make all the work feel worth it. Even better, you’ll have a beautiful place to call home. Move-tastic! can help you through the entire moving process, from the free estimate to the heavy lifting itself. Contact us today — we’d love to chat with you as you start your new Chicago adventure!