Housewarming Parties

How long after you moved in did you guys have one. DH wants to wait until September (we moved in April). I'm thinking that's way too much time before our first big party, but he's insisting.

Any thoughts???

Re: Housewarming Parties

I would think that is just fine!

Happy new Home!

Re: Housewarming Parties

Whenever you are ready is fine! We just moved in and we're hoping to have one in August

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We moved in in August and had it scheduled for October. Then it rained and rained and rained and our basement flodded badly, so we postponed it, good thing because while the house was mostly cleaned up, I fell and broke my ankle the day before the party was supposed to happen.

We ended up rescheduling for Feb.

I think anytime you are ready is fine.

Re: Housewarming Parties

We closed on the house on Oct 29, 2005.
Started gutting the next day.
Contractors worked on it every day for four months.
We moved in at the end of Feb when the hardwood floors were done.

Housewarming party was June 25th.

Ours was a pretty big party, about 70 people. We invited many of our neighbors, real estate agent, many of the contractors, and family and friends. All were curious as to all of the work we did.

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I think it's whenever you can get the house to look the way you want it to.

Re: Housewarming Parties

we wanted to have one- but wanted to wait until everything was in and we were settled.. then we decided against it- we didn't want people ruining our new stuff!

Re: Housewarming Parties

Re: Housewarming Parties

It really helped that we have a livingroom and dinngroom with no furniture. We put folding chairs and small snack trays in the livingroom. We have a large entry way and center hall so about 8-10 people could stand around there and talk. We set up the diningroom with two long folding tables with food. some more chairs, about 4 down at the end of the table. A lot of people congregated into the kitchen and the den seats about 8-10 with chairs from the kitchen, two couches and an upholstered chair. At any given time a half a dozen people were touring upstairs too.

My advice:

Drinks- Put out one table of self serve drink. We had a cooler of soda, another with small bottles of water and juice boxes for the kids (do not get grape or cranberry as they can and will stain), and another of beer. We had wine in an ice bucket on a table.

Food-
Appetizers- assorted cheeses, grapes, and crackers. I also put out humus and spinach dip- all bought at Costoc. I also had a cut up veggie platter and put it on ice, same thing with the cheese so it wouldn't go bad.
We got sandwhich platters from Costco. So worth it at $22 and $25 each.
I made a salad.
MIL made sweet potato salad (big hit)
I bought the mini-frozen-pastries from BJ's, a few people broght desserts and I made a fruit salad.

Make as much as possible a head of time. I wouldn't cook burgers or anythign else that you can't just put out and have guests help themselves. You will be exhausted and won't get to enjoy the party.

I started out doing hot appetizers but you can't enjoy the party that way and people wanted a tour of the house with commentary.

Oh, and I also hung up before pics on small posters outside of every room with lists of everything we did so people who never saw it before could truly appreciate the renovations... the teacher in me I guess.