You’ve done it: you’re one of the few millennials who’ve actually managed to afford a house. Now that you’ve got a banging new pad, there’s only one thing left to do: throw a killer Halloween bash. Problem: you just moved in. Solution? Keep reading to find out.
Declutter
Any good party needs room for activities. If you’ve just moved in, you’re probably not completely unpacked and ready to go. Instead of rushing to unpack everything and get your home in its final form, unpack only what’s necessary to live and to party. Focus, instead, on decluttering your rooms. Get rid of the packing material, empty boxes, and any trash lying around. Not going to use specific rooms in your party? Move excess boxes there to unpack later. You don’t need all your stuff to be the host with the most; paper plates are easier to clean up anyway.
Clean
Even a spooky party needs to be a clean party. The nice thing about moving into a new home is that you see everything with fresh eyes; chances are, you’ll know what needs cleaning. Make sure your surfaces are wiped down, your sinks clean and your bathroom guest-ready (which includes toilet paper, hand soap and freshly laundered towels). Clean your floors. Empty houses accumulate dust, and the moving process also moves in dirt and debris from outside. Again, focus on the areas where the party will be located. Don’t worry about those closed off rooms stuffed full of boxes that still need to be unpacked.
Take the Party Outside
Fall weather means outside can be a great place to stage your party. Drag out your patio furniture from storage and clean it off. Set up a bonfire, firepit, or some other outdoor fireplace to do a little climate control and add atmosphere (bonus points for marshmallows to toast). If you want to get really fancy, set up an outdoor bar or drink area. Make sure you give the lawn a once-over to make sure it’s had proper maintaining while it’s been up for sale. “Children of the Corn” might be a scary movie, but you don’t want it to be an accurate representation of your lawn’s height.
Set the Mood
Okay, so buying a house is kind of a big deal, and it’s expensive. That doesn’t leave an awful lot of money left to decorate for a party. The good news is you can use what you’ve got lying around to help decorate. Use old sheets to make ghosts and draw faces on orange balloons with a sharpie to make balloon jack-o-lanterns. You can decorate as lazy as you like. Need surface space for tables? Use some of those boxes you’re hiding and throw a blanket over them. Have wide open spaces in your home that you haven’t unpacked or filled with furniture? Set up some kind of activity there, like a dance floor. Get creative. Have fun. And if all else fails, drape everything with fake cobwebs.
Food and Drinks
It’s not a party without snacks and drinks. How adult you want your drinks to be is entirely up to you. Feel free to load your bar with sodas and punch or go nuts and offer up creative, Halloween-themed cocktails. Don’t forget the ice.
When planning out your snack bar, Halloween candy is always appropriate. Running a scary movie marathon? Bring popcorn (after all, your microwave is probably among the first things you unpacked). And don’t forget: you can never go wrong with pizza. If you’d like some help with the food, you can always host a scary snack contest — that way your guests do all the hard work, and you just need to bring the prize.
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