Howdy y'all!  Today my friend Bri over from Halfpint Design is going to be sharing some advice on hosting a party at home.  I know you are going to love her and her site!

Why Host a Party at Home?

Hi all! I’m super excited to be here with Jordan to share my passion for party design with all of you at Jordan's Easy Entertaining. But I’m warning you, it’s contagious…so proceed with caution! At Halfpint Design, we bring you children’s birthday party themes, holiday décor, and family event ideas. Do you like having a party at home? I used to be a hater, but not anymore. Today I’m going to take you through how to love hosting a party at home. Party hosting in your own home comes with inherent drawbacks like available space and having to clean, but I love having parties at my house over nearly any other venue. WHY on earth would I do that to myself?!?

Why I love hosting a party at home:

Why Host a Party at Home? | Halfpint Design - This Alice in Wonderland Mantel decor plays double duty for Valentine’s. Choose a theme that you can build off what you will ALREADY have it your home. It’ll save you time and money.
I designed this mantel in early February to enjoy for Valentine's nearly a MONTH before my daughter's February 27th Alice in Wonderland Tea Party. It saved me so much time to piggy back a holiday and much of the "Queen of Hearts" decor was on sale.
  • Budget: Ummmm, hate to point out the obvious but it’s FREE! Available all day, all night, and the day before at no extra charge.
  • Set-up:You can get the space set up a day or even TWO days ahead of time. That has saved my sanity more than once. Anything that doesn't affect daily life or have the potential to get destroyed should be set up as early as possible. This can be as early as the week prior or in cases of coordinating holiday themes even a month early.
  • No Travel: When you travel to a venue you have to touch EVERYTHING 4-5 extra times before its final placement. You have to pack it, take it to the vehicle, take it into the venue, unpack it, and finally place it. Add in travel time and it SERIOUSLY cuts into your prep time. Not to mention damage potential for floral arrangements or centerpieces during transport.
  • Level of Decor: If you care about hosting a nice party, you probably have a cute home décor. Your styled space is way more inviting than a hotel banquet room, and less party decorations are necessary. Choose 2 or 3 focal points to decorate all out with the party theme. Critical focal points are the food table and eating tables. Optional areas include fireplace mantels, entryways, or porches.
  • Indoor/Outdoor: An outdoor party has an emergency indoor option in case of inclement weather. Again, no extra charge.
  • Did I mention it’s free?

Downsides of a house party:

Why Host a Party at Home? | Halfpint Design - Cleaning is the biggest drawback when people think of hosting a party at their house. There are a lot of positives that come from sticking close to home, and you just might save enough money to hire a cleaner!
  • Cleaning: You have to clean before and after – but you can wait until waaaay after to clean up!
  • Life: You live there and items can get mussed pre-party, especially if you have children “helping” you. {wink}
  • Available Space: Your guest list is limited to the size and layout of your living space.
  • Entertainment: You have to entertain guests.

How to rock this party no matter what!

Why Host a Party at Home? | Halfpint Design - Entertainment doesn’t have to be lavish to keep children occupied. Having a couple simple activities that are age appropriate are all that it takes. Don’t over plan or over schedule. Let them play and do their thing!
During my son's Construction Party for his 3rd birthday I was able to keep the activities easy and age appropriate. It's amazing how much smoother it went by keeping it simple!
  • Cleaning Crew: Hire a house cleaner before or after the party {you will be tired!}
  • Babysitter: The day of your party, get the kids OUT! Ideally they can also hang out somewhere else the day before, to reduce collateral damage by your little “helpers.” Plus it’s amazing how much work you can get done in 6 hours without interruptions every 10 minutes.
  • Open House: Keeping your guest list trim is a blessing as it keeps the activities, party favors, and food-prep manageable. Which also keeps your budget in check. If you absolutely HAVE to invite more people, try an open house format to stagger guest arrival times.
  • Simple Entertainment: There is a misconception that hosting a party means providing lavish entertainment. For adults, you need great food and ample seating. People just want to talk. For children, simple is better when it comes to activities! I’ve wasted hours {and dollars} planning failed activities because kids spent all their time digging in the sand pit or kicking the balloons.
Do you feel better about planning and hosting a party at home now that you're through the list? Are you ready to tackle a baby shower, holiday party, or children’s birthday party? I hope so. Give it a try and let us know how it goes. We’d love to share in your successes and support you in any party fails. Alas, they do happen, and we’d like to know about your pitfalls to create a plan of attack for next time. If you still don't think that hosting a party at home is for you, check out this post on Choosing the Perfect Venue. Jordan, thank you so much for introducing me to your lovely readers! Happy hosting.   Until next time my new friends,   Bri        

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