How to Throw a Great House Party

Member

By averycoleman
User-Submitted Article

Article Rating: (4 Ratings)

Throw a Great House Party

A few guidelines to make your next house party a hit

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Step 1

Keep the music only slightly louder than it needs to be. Your guests will be self-conscious if there isn't something to fill the conversational lull.
Step 2

Keep the music eclectic. Shuffle it so that you have a little of this and a little of that. Try to appeal to as many different tastes and sensibilities as possible.
Step 3

Bright lighting is a no-no. People are more apt to mingle when the light is lower and more subdued. Go a step further and upgrade to mood lighting, picking a color that suits the vibe in the room
Step 4

Get creative with the furniture. Strew some cushions or bean bags on the floor for a relaxed setting.
Step 5

Save the cleanup for after the party. Your guests will think you're being a buzz-kill if you start doing dishes mid-party.
Step 6

Have a "party concept". Will there be Halloween costumes? An "Arabian Nights" theme? Some unique quirk? Come up with a concept that will set your soiree apart from ordinary parties.
Step 7

Start spontaneously. Have your setting ready to go ahead of time, but instead of inviting everyone to arrive at a specific time, go out will a few of your friends and bring people back to your place. This way you won't have to wait around for it to get crowded.
Step 8

Lock away anything fragile or valuable. Anything that could get broken or stolen needs to be out of harm's way.
Step 9

Have a varied crowd. Mix a few artistic types with your mostly business crowd. Have hip-hoppers mingling with metal-heads. You guests should all bring something to the table.