Guest post- How to plan a perfect party at your apartment!

This article is provided by Jake.

Planning a party can be stressful, especially if you live in an apartment. It can be difficult to find apartments that are affordable and still have enough space to host a get-together. You may wonder to yourself, will I have enough room for everyone? Will the party cause any issues with the neighbors? Don’t worry. With a few pointers you can throw a fantastic party that even you as the host can enjoy.

Keep it Simple

One of the most important party planning tips is to keep it simple. This does not mean you can not have plenty of fun touches, but do not let it spin out of control. Remind yourself why you are having the party in the first place. Is it a house warming party, birthday or holiday celebration? Either way, you are probably inviting family and friends over to hang out and have a good time. You can make it special without going overboard.

Planning the Party

The first step is to make a list. Start with your guest list and send out the invites. The sooner everyone knows about the party, the more people will be able to come. Next, determine whether or not you will have a theme. Obviously if the party is for a specific occasion (holiday, birthday, baptism, sporting event) the theme will take care of itself. If you are just having friends over, you may want to consider a fun theme such as 70s or 80s costumes, Hawaiian luau or Mardi Gras.

A theme can help set the stage for the decorations and maybe even the food. Make a list of the decorations you will need and the food you plan to serve. A detailed list will help minimize multiple trips to the store.

Setting Up the Party in an Apartment

Parties hosted in rental properties require creative uses of space. You want to make sure you have enough room for just about everyone to sit or at least stand. Consider moving furniture around or even out of the room on the day of the party. Make sure to organize the seating in a way that will encourage conversation and mingling. A semi-circle is much better than a line of chairs along the wall.

Also consider where the food and beverages will be placed. People tend to hang out around the food (especially appetizers), so place munchies on tables that are easily accessible. When it comes to the main course, some people find apartments to be too small for sit-down dinners, but you can serve food buffet style. If you are doing this, make sure it will be easy enough to move through the line and put things in a logical order with plates/napkins at the beginning and condiments at the end.

It is also a good idea to remember to put a trash can where everyone can see it and toss some coasters out to help protect your furniture.