How to Throw an Amazing Housewarming Party in Your New Home

Once you move into a new home, you might start thinking about whether or not you should throw a housewarming party. This event is a classic celebration for a reason. It's a great time to welcome your favorite people into your newly designed space and have them toast to your new home—whether you bought your first house or you and your partner are moving in together. If you love to host, this can be a wonderful way to kick off many more parties to come at your humble abode. There's no traditional format to this event, so it's also a cool chance to have some fun with your party plans. Read ahead to learn how to throw a housewarming party and get your fill of tips to plan the big event.

In this article:

• What Is a Housewarming Party?
• When to Throw a Housewarming Party
• How to Throw a Great Housewarming Party

What Is a Housewarming Party?

A housewarming party is a celebratory event that "warms" a new house by bringing people together inside. When someone recently moves, hosting a housewarming party is an opportunity to have family, your besties, couple friends and other loved ones come together to see the space and know they are welcome as guests at your abode. Not only is it an excuse to show off your new digs, but it's also a great reason to get together with your favorite people all in one place.

When to Throw a Housewarming Party

A housewarming party doesn't have to be thrown the day after you move into a new home. You can decide to have a housewarming after properly decorating your place, finishing a renovation or whenever you feel ready to play host. Usually, it's best to host a housewarming party within about three to four months of moving into a new home, but the timeline is up to you. As for the time of day, you can have your housewarming in the morning, at noon or at night. If you have a great backyard, you might consider hosting a barbecue or pool party in warmer months.

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How to Throw a Great Housewarming Party

Want to make your housewarming party one your guests will talk about for years to come? Read ahead for some housewarming party tips on how to throw a great soiree.

Send Housewarming Party Invites

While you don't necessarily need to send invitations in the mail, sharing a proper invitation with your guests will help set the tone for the event and have friends mark it down on their calendars. Consider sending a housewarming party invite through a platform like Paperless Post. This allows you to share all the info you need, get RSVPs and send guests reminders. This is also a great time to let guests know if you're registered for any housewarming presents.

Set the Menu

When playing host, it's important to keep your guests fed and happy. Housewarming party food ideas can range from elegant cheese and charcuterie spreads, pizza ordered from a local restaurant or a favorite recipe you like to cook for a group. Worried about blowing your budget on food? You can also ask to make the event a potluck so guests can help with the menu. However, it's a good idea to organize dishes amongst your friends so you don't have everyone bringing the same thing. It's also a good idea to make a main course and have guests bring appetizers and desserts.

Don't forget about supplying drinks, either. Consider making a fun batch specialty cocktail for everyone to enjoy and a wide variety of options from beer to wine to mixed drink supplies. If you're serving alcoholic beverages, make sure to have choices available for guests who don't drink as well.

Decorate Your Home

While you don't exactly need to break out balloons, it's a good idea to have some decorations for a housewarming party. Consider purchasing colorful napkins and plates to pair with food, putting up string lights in the backyard and lighting some candles to set the ambiance. You also want to show off your home looking its best, so be sure to make sure the space is extra clean and tidy before guests arrive.

Create a Playlist

One of the easiest ways to fine-tune the ambiance of your housewarming party is to create a great playlist. Music can set the vibes of your fete, so make sure you have good tunes to play in the background as your guests chat away. Want to turn the party up a notch later in the evening? Consider curating another playlist that might get guests dancing (and make sure you have an open space that's conducive to moving and grooving).

Offer Activities

While your guests will likely mix and mingle with the conversation, you can also set up your space to allow people to engage in activities. Games like Jenga and cornhole are great for breakout moments amongst small groups, while activities like a scavenger hunt can be a fun way for friends to explore your new home. If you have any kids attending the party, make sure to have toys for them to play with as well.