How to Throw a Fun Housewarming Party After the Move

You’ve certainly heard the old clichés that “moving is hard”, “moving is expensive”, “moving is stressful” and who knows how many other negative definitions of the challenging transition period known as “a house move”. You’ve probably also proven them all to be true during your own relocation endeavor.

What you may not have heard, however, is that “moving is fun” – or, at least, can be fun if approached with a positive attitude and a good plan. Even if you find it difficult to believe that all the hectic, laborious, time-consuming, and emotionally draining moving preparations or the dreadful Moving day itself could be fun, you will definitely agree that creating your dream home and celebrating the beginning of your new life must be a truly enjoyable event.

So, once you’ve placed the furniture at their rightful places and unpacked most of the boxes, it’s time to get to the really fun part of moving – wind down and celebrate your new home.

Throwing a housewarming party is the perfect way to do so – have some fun and show off your new place. What’s more, it is the perfect opportunity to gather your friends, meet your new neighbors, and foster new friendships.

Below are some great housewarming party ideas on how to plan, host, and enjoy a fantastic bash after moving to a new home.

Should You Have a Housewarming Party at All?

First of all, why would you want to have a housewarming party, when you have just survived an arduous residential move and feel exhausted and drained (and probably a bit anxious about your new life and a bit sad about everything you left behind, too)?

Well, the answer is simple enough – because housewarming parties are great!

What is a housewarming party?

A housewarming party is a gathering held soon after moving into a new home. Friends and neighbors come over to see the place and wish the host luck and happiness.

The term “housewarming” refers to the actual act of warming a new home – in the past, the guests would bring firewood and build fires in all the fireplaces in the house to literally warm the space, as well as to repel evil spirits by creating a protective atmosphere of warmth.

Traditionally, housewarming parties are informal and casual events that provide newcomers with the opportunity to introduce themselves to the community, get to know their new neighbors, and relax after the arduous moving process.

Why throw a housewarming party?

Even if you’re not exactly in the mood for a party soon after the relocation, you should still consider throwing one. There are many good reasons why:

• You’ll have an occasion to gather your pals (at least those of them who live in the same city);
• You’ll be able to show your new place to your friends;
• You’ll be able to reward your good buddies who helped you move;
• You’ll have a chance to meet new people;
• You’ll have the opportunity to get to know your new neighbors;
• You’ll have a motivation to finish unpacking and decorating your new home faster;
• You’ll be able to relax and have some fun after the tiresome and stressful moving period;
• You’ll have a chance to celebrate your new start in life;
• You will cheer up and overcome any anxieties you may have (it is easy to chase away sadness and fears when surrounded by a joyous, well-wishing crowd);
• A housewarming party will bring good luck to the home and its inhabitants.

Now that you know why a new home party is a very good idea, you need to know how to organize the event, right?

How to Plan a Housewarming Party?

Without a doubt, you have often heard that “less is more”. This is especially true in the event of a housewarming party – people will appreciate a relaxed and merry gathering much more than a fancy banquet. And it will be much easier to plan and much more fun for you and your guests.

So, how to throw the perfect housewarming party? How to organize an enjoyable and fun event? It’s easier than you think – just follow the simple housewarming party tips below:

When to have a housewarming party?

Planning a social event, however informal and simple it may be, right after a big move is likely to add to the stress rather than take away from it. You need to give yourself some time to settle in and put your new place “in shape” – put the furniture in place, unpack most of your belongings, clean and decorate the house, and make it feel like home.

The process may take from a few weeks to a few months, but you don’t need to wait until everything is ready to have your housewarming party – after all, nobody will expect your home to look perfect (the guests will know perfectly well how difficult a residential move is and how long it takes to settle in after the relocation as most of them will have been through such a period at least once in their lives).

Related useful information: Things to do after moving into a new home

A month or so after the relocation is considered to be an appropriate time for a new house party, but there are no set rules – you should schedule yours for when it feels right to you. Just make sure you give people enough advance notice – at least two weeks ahead of time – so that they can put the event in their schedules.

When picking a date for your housewarming party, be careful to choose a day and time that will work well for your friends and neighbors. A Saturday or Sunday may be your best option, as people have more free time on the weekends than on a week night (especially important if you want some of your friends who don’t live in the same city to come). Besides, you’ll have more time to get prepared as well.

In regard to the best time of the day for a housewarming party, it depends on the type of event you want to organize – the afternoon is more appropriate for an open house (where people come and go during a fixed window of time), a barbecue, or an informal gathering with light bites and non-alcoholic drinks, while a fancy dinner, a musical soiree or a dancing party should definitely take place in the evening.

What type of party to throw?

The very first thing to decide when planning a housewarming party is the type of celebration you’d like to have – a casual daytime gathering with light refreshments, a backyard barbecue, or a more formal nighttime dinner party? Anything will do – it’s just an occasion to gather your friends, meet your neighbors, and mark the beginning of your new life, not some grand event – so feel free to choose the format that best suits your time, resources, and personal preferences.

Typically, housewarming parties tend to be on the more casual side as informal gatherings are more appropriate for the occasion – they’re easier to organize, cheaper, and more relaxed. No one will expect anything special, the house won’t need to be in perfect shape, the preparations won’t take long, the guests will feel more at ease, and everyone is likely to have a good time.

If you want something more formal, however, keep in mind that it will require more elaborate preparations – fancier food and drinks, lavish decorations, comfortable seating options, etc. You can have a traditional dinner party, a wine tasting event, a cocktail party, or a musical soiree – whatever you will enjoy the most (and will have the time and resources to prepare).

If you think that there won’t be enough space for all your guests, consider holding an open house where folks will come and go over the entire afternoon – you’ll be able to meet as many people as possible and your guests will have the option to drop by whenever their schedule permits.

If your new property has a backyard or a garden that can accommodate the guests, you may opt for an outside party (just make sure you plan for the weather).

If you’re up to the challenge, you can go one step further and pick a theme for your party – a themed party makes it easier to plan the menu and the decorations and helps guests decide on how to dress and what to bring. Popular housewarming party themes include potluck, stock-the-bar, garden party themes, seasonal themes, holiday-related themes, etc.

Who to invite to your housewarming party?

Without a doubt, you’ll want your good old friends to come over and see your new home. If you moved across town or to a nearby city, this won’t be difficult. If you moved across the country, however, your loyal pals may not be able to come all the way to your new city. (Regardless, make sure you invite the friends who helped you move and tell them once again how much you appreciate everything they did for you.)

Apart from friends and family (be sure to invite any friends and relatives you have in the new city), you want all your new neighbors to come to your housewarming party as well. Inviting the people next door gives you a chance to break the ice and become a part of the community.

It is a good idea to welcome friends of friends too – encourage your pals and neighbors to bring friends if they want to. This is a great way to meet new people and expand your social circle.

When to send housewarming party invitations and how to write them?

If you’ve decided on a casual gathering, a week’s notice will be enough. If you’re planning a more formal event, however, you need to send the invitations at least three weeks in advance, so that people have enough time to prepare.

You can use the social media to let people know about your post-move party, but a personal paper invitation is your better option – it will attract greater attention, make the person feel more welcome, and result in a higher turn-out (it is much easier to overlook or neglect an electronic invitation than a “real” one).

To make a greater impression, you can include a handwritten note on the printed invitations (something short and simple, such as “Hope to see you there!”, will be enough to show that you are truly excited to host your guests). Keep in mind that the wording you use for the invitations will set the tone for the event – they need to reflect the style of the party you’re going to have.

Make sure you include the date and start time of your housewarming party on the invitations, as well as some directions for the people who are not from the neighborhood (such as a simple map – either hand-drawn or printed).

It is advisable to include a “respond by date” too (especially if you’re planning a more formal event), so that you can get a head count of how many people will be attending the party and plan for seating, food, and drinks.

Make a special note if the party is themed or if you’d like the guests to bring something special.

What to serve at a housewarming party?

For a fun housewarming party, you need food that people can munch on as they are walking around, chatting, and having fun. Besides, you also need to be free to mingle with guests and get to know the neighbors.

So, don’t try new recipes or fancy food – stick to a simple housewarming party menu consisting of finger foods and light snacks that can be prepared ahead of time and served buffet-style. Keep in mind though that if you’re throwing your party over a major mealtime, people will be expecting a full dinner.

Typically, housewarming party food consists of fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, chips and breads with refreshing dips of contrasting flavors, sandwich trays, cheese and cracker trays, meats wrapped around vegetables or cheese, meatballs, and other easy-to-prepare goodies. You can also offer pasta, sauté shrimp, grilled chicken dishes, different kinds of skewers and salads, etc.

If you want to serve a hot meal, consider preparing it in a slow cooker, so you don’t spend too much time in the kitchen after your guests have arrived.

Provide a variety of drinking options – several kinds of alcohol, plenty of soft drinks, a homemade punch, etc. Be sure to have bottled water too.

Don’t forget the utensils – prepare adequate plates, bowls, glasses, and serving and eating utensils prior to your guests’ arrival. Unless you’re throwing a formal dinner, disposable plates and utensils will do just fine (and will save you much time and effort when cleaning after the party).

What to do at a housewarming party?

Last but not least, you need to think of some creative ways to keep the guests entertained throughout the event. The main goal of your party is to show off your new home and mingle with people, get to know your neighbors, meet new friends, etc., yet you want it to be as fun as possible.

Home tours

Everyone will expect a home tour, so you can’t skip this major event. Instead of waiting for everyone to gather and give a grand tour, however, it may be better to take small groups through the house. This way, you will be able to have a chat with everyone at your party and they will all get to see your new home (when touring with a large group, people in the back of the crowd may feel left out, while granting every guest a personal tour will keep you too busy).

You can easily tailor the event to highlight the best features of your new property – show off your charming garden, the fabulous patio, the backyard pool, the magnificent fireplace, the granite kitchen island, the elegant living room suite, etc. Feel free to show only the rooms you wish to be seen and close the doors of those that you consider off limits.

Housewarming party games

As with any party, you need some entertaining things to do at a housewarming party.

Playing games is a great way to break the ice with your new neighbors and between family and friends who are meeting for the first time. You can plan a new town/new neighborhood trivia tournament (where everyone describes a spot in the city or a local custom or event and the others try to guess which it is), a scavenger hunt (where you hide clues and treasures throughout the home and split your guests into teams to complete the hunt), a room memory (where you give guests a couple of minutes to look around a room, then ask them to leave it, close the door, and ask them to write down as many details as they can remember about the room), etc.

Classic board games and card games also work well at housewarming parties as they help create a relaxed, casual atmosphere where the conversation flows naturally. You can even set a game night theme for your housewarming party and invite guests to bring along their favorite games.

If there will be children at your post relocation party, you need to provide plenty of gaming options (toys, puzzles, craft supplies, board games, video games, etc.) to keep the kids occupied so the adults are free to chat and have fun.

Keep in mind that the best activities for a housewarming party are short, fun, and don’t require everyone to participate.

How to Have a Great Housewarming Party?

Now that you’ve planned the event, you need to know how to host a housewarming party the right way. Here are some creative housewarming tips for the best party ever:

• It’s ok if you have a few unpacked boxes around the house (it’s part of the “just moved in” charm of your new home), but you need to fully unpack the kitchen, dining room, living room, and guest bathroom before your housewarming party;
• Make sure all the rooms (even “unfinished” ones) look neat and tidy. Your neighbors will be curious to see what you’ve done to the place and first impressions last, you know;
• Provide plenty of toilet paper, hand soap, and paper towels in each restroom;
• Decorate the main party areas to create a festive atmosphere in the home;
• Store valuables and breakables somewhere safe;
• Keep your pets in a safe and quiet room, away from the crowd, so that they don’t get stressed during the event or don’t accidentally escape during all the coming and going;
• Create a charming ambiance – place scented candles, vases with fresh flowers, and colorful balloons throughout the home and dim the lights (if your party takes place in the evening) to make your new place feel cozy and welcoming;
• Put together an amazing playlist – include popular songs and evergreens, rhythmic melodies and cheerful tunes;
• Provide plenty of seating options – pull your dining chairs or an entry hall bench into the main entertaining space, use folding chairs, create makeshift seating by placing cushions on the floor, or drape unpacked sturdy boxes (full of non-breakable items, of course) in pretty fabric so that they can be used as seats, etc.;
• Place food and drinks strategically to show off the best assets of your new home – arrange the refreshments on your splendid marble countertop, put them in front of a window with a great view, etc. Provide two or more locations for foods and drinks to prevent crowding;
• Place mats by the door to ensure that dirt won’t be tracked inside or ask guests to remove their shoes when they enter your place (especially if you have a brand new carpet). In the latter case, however, you need to provide some inside footwear – slippers or new socks;
• Keep the patio (or terrace) doors open to give people more space;
• Greet every guest personally when they arrive and offer them a drink. Ensure that they know where the food and drinks are, where to find the bathroom, and where the smoking area is;
• Mingle with everyone – circulate around and speak with all the guests. Make sure all your guests know each other;
• Encourage people to eat, tell jokes, share stories, dance and play games together;
• Place a guest book by the front door. Ask your guests to sign it before they leave and add their contact information and any tips they may have for you – in regard to your new neighborhood, your new home, your faster adjustment, etc.;
• When you feel that it’s time for the party to end, raise the lights a bit, turn down the music, and serve coffee, tea, or sweet wine. This will let people know that the party is winding down without ruining the mood. Thank your guests for coming as they leave;
• Do not forget to write thank you notes to tell your guests how much you appreciated their visit and let them know that you hope to see them again soon.

All things said, there’s need to worry how to host a housewarming party after you move. It’s just a fun event, an occasion to see your friends and meet your new neighbors.

What matters the most is to enjoy yourself and create some good memories – after all, this will be the first of many special moments you’ll have in your new home.

So, have fun and good luck in your new life!