10 Tips and Tricks To Throw An Awesome Housewarming Party
Recently two friends of mine have begun the process of buying their first homes. This inspired me to write a post about throwing a housewarming party for you and your guests that everyone will enjoy! Read on for my recommendations and tips on throwing a successful housewarming as well as an easy and delicious recipe to try out in your new kitchen! (Hint: it involves bacon!)
10 Housewarming Tips:
Candles. I am an advocate for candles and I will preach till the day I die how they really make a house a home! It's crucial to have a scented candle by the entryway so your guests are greeted by the welcoming smell of your new home. When picking out a candle, think of a more calming scent like vanilla or even pumpkin spice. Floral-y scents might not be the most welcoming since they can sometimes be overbearing or aggravate allergies. And besides, do you know anyone that doesn't love a good vanilla scented candle? I sure don't! I also recommend a smaller candle in the powder room for guests as well in a similar or the same scent. Bath and Body Works sells mini candles for cheap that give off the perfect amount of fragrance without overpowering the small space of bathroom. And if candles aren't you thing, you can always buy scent plugins for the same welcoming feel without the fire hazard. lol
Stock the bathroom. This one seems like a no brainer, but sometimes during the frenzy of cleaning and preparing for your guests, we can forget about the bathroom essentials. Make sure to have plenty of extra toilet paper for your guests to avoid any awkwardness. Same goes for the towels and soap. Be sure to have a fresh hand towel and some nicer hand soap readily available at the sink for your guests to use. It's little details like this that your guests will really appreciate and make them feel right at home!
Before Pictures. This one is optional since not everyone may be moving into a renovated home. If you did renovate your house before moving in like we did, it's a fun idea to share some of the before pictures with your guests to show them all of the hard work that went into your new home. At our housewarming we used a vintage frame with chicken wire, and mini clothespins to hang before pictures that we had printed for the party. It's a great conversation starter and a fun way to engage your guests.
Games. This is another optional one and personally I am not a fan of games at a housewarming party because I'd rather socialize and enjoy the food and drink but if games are your thing, I have a couple to suggest. An idea my mother-in-law had for our party was to have a game where people had to guess how many knobs were on our kitchen cabinets and whoever guessed the number or closest to it, wins a small prize like a bottle of wine, or a picture frame, think something home related. I think this would be a fun game because it really doesn't require a lot of time or energy and it gives a little suspense and excitement to the party! Another game idea would be something trivia related. Whether its a questions about the home itself or the couple living in it, trivia is a fun way for guests to engage as well as learn a little bit more about the couple and their new home.
Group Tours. You want to show off your new house so scheduling group tours as guests arrive is a way to ensure everyone sees your new home while still maintaining the party and without trying to cram a whole group into single rooms at a time. Depending on the size of your party, group sizes of about four people allow you to show off your home to your closest friends and family without being overwhelming. And while you are doing the tours, your roommate, significant other or whoever else you designate to co-host, can help with entertaining the other guests until the next group goes!
Food & Drink. Depending on the size of your party, you'll want to make sure you get enough food and drink for everyone. Even if you don't planing on serving a real meal and would rather just serve appetizers and finger foods, you'll still want to make sure there is enough for everyone. Especially if people are drinking, you'll want the extra snacks! Be sure to have plenty of foods that can be eaten at room temperature. I am a big fan of cheese boards and crackers, summer sausage, chips and dips/salsa, Chex mix, etc. Click here to find out how much alcohol you should have for your party.
Your Outfit. When you're hosting a party you obviously want to dress for the occasion but with a housewarming party, you'll be giving people tours of your home which might mean you'll be walking up and down flights of stairs multiple times so it's important to dress nice but also in something you are comfortable in like skinny jeans and a nice top. A tight cocktail dress might not be the best choice. As long as you feel comfortable it will show and your guests will take notice, so dress accordingly.
Invitations. For our housewarming we chose to order invitations from Zazzle and I think they were worth the extra money. They are a great reminder for your guests and they know it's a a special occasion since you had invitations made. Plus it's a fun little keepsake for yourself if you're into scrap booking or memory boxes. If invitations aren't in the budget, sites like Paperless Post and Evite allow you to send invitations online that are just as cute, environmentally friendly, some are even free. Your guests can even RSVP online making it easier than ever! Either way you go, definitely take the time to have invitations made and you won't regret it.
Music. Whenever I have a party I always like to make sure that there is some music playing in the background. I think it helps with the ambience and depending on the mood of the party, may even start a dance party in your new kitchen! Consider the atmosphere you want and the guests you are inviting. You know your guests better than anyone else and you will know the right type of music to choose for your housewarming party.
Enjoy!!! This one is for sure the most important! This is your party with your friends and family celebrating you and your new home so don't forget to enjoy yourself and let loose in your new home. It's quite the accomplishment and you deserve it! :)
Best Appetizer Ever: Bacon-Wrapped Potato Bites with Spicy Sour Cream Dipping Sauce
This is a recipe I found on Pinterest a couple years ago when I was planning our housewarming party. The recipe is from a website called TheKitchnn.com. They have TONS of awesome recipes you can try but this one has proved time and again to be a favorite among guests! You can click on the link to get the official recipe as well as browse their site for more ideas! This recipe makes about 3 dozen bites.
Ingredients:
1 pound small or medium red potatoes
2 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon olive oil
Freshly ground pepper
12 ounces to 1 pound thick-cut bacon
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 to 3 teaspoons hot sauce
Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 400°F.
Wash and dry the potatoes. Chop them into 1-inch pieces, keeping the chunks roughly the same size even if they aren't the exact same shape. Put the potatoes in a medium pot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Season the water with 2 teaspoons of salt. Once the water begins to boil, cook the potatoes for 3 to 4 minutes, until you can stick a fork into them without too much resistance. You want the potatoes to be almost, but not fully, cooked through so they won't fall apart during the next steps.
Drain the potatoes and put them in a large bowl. Add the rosemary, olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds of pepper, and toss until the potatoes are evenly coated.
Cut the strips of bacon into thirds. Wrap each potato bite in a piece of bacon, securing it with a toothpick. Put the potatoes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil spaced an inch or two apart. You may need to cook the potatoes in two batches.
Cook the potatoes for 15 minutes, then flip each piece. Cook for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the bacon is cooked through and as crisp as you like it. Mix the sour cream and hot sauce in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pile the potato bites on a plate and serve alongside the dip.