Jul 24

Jul 24 Tips on Hosting a Housewarming Party

How to Host a Housewarming Party

What is a Housewarming Party?

Whether you’ve upgraded from a studio apartment to a one-bedroom or closed on your dream house, there’s nothing like a housewarming party to warm up your new place with love. From tiny walk-up apartments in NYC to 6-bedroom mansions in the Hollywood Hills, every new home needs a welcome. Here’s a step-by-step plan to make sure that the good vibes keep coming:

Step 1: How to Host a Housewarming Party

Maybe you’re throwing a housewarming party for yourself or maybe you’re doing it for a friend – either way is correct in celebrating the purchase of a new home. The most important rule of throwing a housewarming is to make it your own. If your style is big and flashy, feel free to throw an affair the neighborhood will remember. If your style is low-key and intimate, invite a few friends and call it a day. The same goes for food and drinks. From wine and cheese on the kitchen table to tuxedoed servers with canapés – whatever reflects your taste is the right way to go.

Should I be unpacked before I throw a housewarming party?
Not necessarily. If sitting on boxes and sipping scotch sounds like a fun night to you, then do it. On the other hand, if the idea of not having every picture frame hung and every pillow fluffed fills you with dread, then wait awhile. There’s no timeframe for a housewarming party. Again, do what feels the most enjoyable to you.

Step 2: Sending Out the Notices, Sending Out the Invitations

Notices that you’ve moved should be sent out immediately. This not only helps with mail, but also gives people a chance to drop by if they’re in the area.

Housewarming invitations can be sent out whenever you decide to throw your housewarming party. Keep in mind that your guests might need at least a month’s notice if they have a busy social calendar. It’s important to note that registries are not appropriate for a housewarming. If guests bring something, that’s your good luck (and they need a thank you card afterward!), but asking for a gift is tacky.

Mixbook offers some really great moving announcements to make that first step easy. The last thing you need while unpacking boxes is another stressor. For those who like the lighter side of life, Mixbook’s Home Sweet Home and Shipping Label announcements will be a pleasure to open in the mail.

"Who should I invite to my housewarming party?"
Again, this depends on you. If the more the merrier is your middle name you can invite everyone: your realtor, the neighbors up the street, your dentist who introduced you to your realtor, your realtor’s dentist…you get the picture. For small, intimate gatherings, invite friends with whom you want to share your good fortune. However you picture “warming” your new home is the best choice. Just remember, you never know who’s going to become that friendly neighbor who gets your mail when you go to the beach – so your next-door neighbors might appreciate an invitation.

A written housewarming invitation is a nice way to go when celebrating a special occasion like this. Luckily, when it comes to making an invitation, almost any of Mixbook’s designs can be altered to suit your needs.

Here are some other examples of invitations that can be styled to reflect the vibe of your housewarming fete. Mixbook literally has hundreds of party invitations that can be designed to create your perfect housewarming invitation.

Step 3: Saying Thank You

Clearly, if a new neighbor drops by with coffee and donuts one Saturday morning or your boss has a plant delivered via Exotic Plants Express, a thank you note is in order. Thank you notes are also appropriate for guests who may bring a little something to your housewarming party as well as to anyone who has helped you secure your new home. Even writing a little thank you to the painters who got your new home fresh and clean in 1 week rather than 2 would not go unnoticed. Mixbook offers a wide array of thank you cards that can be personalized for just these sorts of occasions. In my opinion, having a few extra boxes of thank you cards around the house is a no-brainer. You just never know when you’re going to need one.