Have you ever gotten to the day of your party and just freaked out? You stand there thinking: How will I ever get everything done? What if I forget something? It’s a downward spiral that takes the fun and enjoyment of party planning and hosting right out the window! Not to worry, through my many years of experience planning parties at home, I’ve come up with a system. And now I’m sharing it with you! I’ll walk you through the quick and easy steps to have a stress-free day of your party…..and I’ll give you a party checklist. So, you can’t mess it up!
Before the Day of the Party
To the procrastinators out there, I want to start by saying, don’t. There are certain things that need to be completed before the day of your party to set you up for success. And by success, I mean no stress. That is our goal. But, in order to have the easiest day of your party, you need to plan ahead. Before your party day, you should have already:
- Created your playlist & figured out how you’re going to play music
- Purchased and prepped your party favors
- Printed, cut and prepped any printables: decorations, games, food tags
- Clean your house (definitely don’t leave this to the day of) and don’t forget the bathroom
- Decided what food & drink you’re having and purchased groceries if you’re DIYing
- Purchase any party decorations you need (bonus points for getting them prepped)
When you’re prepping ahead of time, having these things ready will not only save you time the day of your party, but allow for things to go wrong.
For example, what if you go to Staples to print your party decorations (banner, photo props, etc) and they have a broken printer. Then you have to drive to another store. These things unfortunately happen. (Literally last weekend for me – that exact situation). But, by working it out ahead of time, you’ll be ok.
Also, having a general plan for the day of your party will help you stay on track. You don’t want to waste the first hour or two trying to figure out what you need to do, while watching the clock and worrying about running out of time. Trust me. Been there, done that! Lol. Hence our checklist for the day of your party. Let’s go through a few points and you can get the checklist at the bottom of this post.
The Day of Your Party Checklist
The day of your party shouldn’t be stressful. So, I’m going to share with you the order that I prep a party. You can add or subtract anything, but I’ve found that this particular order works for me! I specifically leave things towards the end that you could possibly still be doing when your guests arrive, like prepping your drinks. So, no worries if you end up running late. Let’s check out the individual items on the party checklist!
Turn Your Phone On Audible
Maybe it’s just me, but I keep my phone on silent all the time. I pretty much only have sound when I’m watching a video or hearing an alarm in the morning. But, the day of your party, wake up and turn your ringer on. That way you don’t miss any texts or phone calls from people and/or vendors.
Inevitably, someone will have a question about directions, bringing something or what to wear. Last thing you want to do is look at your phone and have three missed calls and six texts to answer late in the day. You want it to be a good experience for your guests too.
Check Your Room Layout
Before you start your set up, take ten to fifteen minutes to walk through your party room and decide where everything is going to go. Where will the food be? Where will people sit? The drinks should go where? Taking a few minutes to really figure this out will save you time when you set up your party.
Go Get Balloons, Ice, or Anything that Has to Be Picked Up Day Of
There are some things you can’t do ahead of time, like balloons or ice (unless you have somewhere to store the ice). But, first thing in the morning (when stores are open) go get these things. Knocking this out of the way will be an easy thing to check off your party checklist and put less pressure on the rest of the day.
Set Up Your Decorations
Start with decorations because you don’t have to worry about them after they’re set! Take those party printables and set them up. Go get balloons if you’re having them filled. Take care of the table settings or centerpieces. This is one of the more time consuming tasks for the day. So, let’s knock it out early! This part includes setting up a photo backdrop, if you’re doing a photo props activity at your party.
Place Your Party Favors
If you have party favors, make sure those are together and set out on whatever table or piece of furniture they’re going to sit on. It’s another set it and forget it! But, this one is a quick step.
Prep the Bathroom & Open Windows
Now is the time to make sure your house feels fresh! Open up some windows or light a candle if it’s too hot/cold. Just do something to make your house feel fresh and not too stuffy. Take a run through the bathroom. You should’ve already cleaned it, but make sure you have a hand towel, full toilet paper, and soap ready for your guests.
Prepare Your Food
If you’re making your own food, then try to cook what you can the night before. That way for this step you can just reheat. That will help keep the heat out of your house from extended time cooking and save you time. If it doesn’t require cooking (like sandwiches), go ahead and get those made and on serving trays. Put the chips in their bowls, cut the veggies – get all the food prep done. Then clean our kitchen.
If you’re doing a pot luck party, just prep the serving trays/plates and utensils. Make sure those are ready for your guests. Have a variety of serverware available too, since you don’t know what kind of food your guests are bringing. Good items are large plates, trays, bowls, cake stand (if you have one).
Set Up Food Table & Glassware
This part largely depends on what type of party you’re having. If you’re doing a plated dinner, you’ll want to set up your table settings and centerpiece and leave it at that. If you’re doing a more traditional party where people eat at their leisure, then you can set up a table with all the food/snacks ahead of time.
Also set up your glassware. Whether you’re using martini glasses or plastic cups, make sure the glasses are out, available and clean. (Don’t you hate those pesky water spots on glasses? Get rid of those!)
Prep Your Party Games & Activities
Whatever activity you may be doing, make sure you have all the necessary materials. Do guests need pens for the game? Do you need to gather props for a photobooth? Get all the materials together and put them aside if you want, or in the area of the room where the activity will happen. If you’re providing prizes, make sure those are ready to go and close by as well.
We’re getting close now…..
Get Music Playing
Go figure out your tech. Because you know, that it will happen: the internet connection isn’t working, the battery is dead, the Pandora app needs an update, etc. All kinds of things go wrong with technology. So, get this going before your party goers arrive. Plus, you’ll have some tunes to get you in the mood to party!
Go Get Dressed & Ready to Attend
The last thing you want is to be finishing getting ready while guests are arriving. Then they are left fending for themselves and it doesn’t make for a good experience. You want to be ready to greet, mingle, and welcome your guests. I promise there is no labor after this step that will cause you to sweat, so you’re in the clear!
Check Your Lighting
Go around and turn lights on. This may sound silly if it’s a daytime party, but trust me. Having adequate lighting provides a subtle difference in the party vibe. Light helps keep everyone energized and welcomed. You want the guests to WANT to come into your party and enjoy themselves.
Walk Your Party
This is a trick that I bring to you from double digit years of retail experience. Start at the door where your guests will enter. Walk into the party as if you were a customer, I mean party guest! Make sure it looks visually appealing, that there’s nothing obstructing the walking path. You want to be sure they know how to get to where they need to go! Plus, you’ll notice if your banner is crooked if you’re walking into the room, versus close up!
Prep Your Drinks
There are a few reasons that I do this one last. First, if you have a drink in a dispenser, it will start to “sweat” after a while. You don’t want your guests to walk into a party with a drink holder full of condensation. Second, it is one of the few things that you can do as your guests arrive. You can be prepping punch/cocktails and welcome guests. You can even offer them one as they come from the front door to the party room. One last thing to check off your party checklist.
Wrap Up
That’s it! Now it’s party time! If you follow these simple steps, the day of your party is bound to be a breeze! And that’s what we like, no stress. I’ve made a party checklist for your day of party procedure. You can download and print it by signing up below. You’ll also get awesome party tips periodically from the blog! If you want some more awesome party planning tips, check out EventOTB’s Pinterest! Now, go get your party on!
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