How to host an easy housewarming party

Show off your new home at a stress-free eat-and-greet party

Throwing a housewarming party gives you the chance to proudly show off your new place to family and friends. Once you send the invitations, it also gives you a deadline to get your house in order.

Here’s how to throw a party ever yone — including you — will love:

Plan the party as an open house

A housewarming party is often an informal affair, so an open house makes sense.

“It’s ideal for the couple who is still settling in and doesn’t want extra stress by worrying about things like exact meal timing or a seating chart,” said Jason Mitchell

Kahn, an event planner in New York City.

The style also works if you have a small house that couldn’t hold all of your guests at once. Because there are no planned activities, other than a casual house tour, or a surprise aspect, your friends and family don’t all have to be there at the same time. Be sure to call it an open house on the invites.

Email invitations to everyone

Because it is a casual party, you don’t need to send invitations any earlier than two weeks ahead. Don’t forget to invite the neighbors. What better way to meet the people you’ll be seeing than when you walk the dog down the street ever y day?

Time it right

If you’re serving a cold buffet or finger foods, it’s best to host the

open house between lunch and dinner, said Kahn, so guests aren’t necessarily expecting a full meal. So instead of a noon to 3 p.m. gettogether, you’d plan a party from 2-5 p.m.

Keep the menu simple, safe

“Ser ve food that can sit for a long time and not require lots of maintenance,” Kahn said. His suggestion that’s per fect for a casual gathering: Create a big foraging table with vegetables, cheeses, cured meats, crackers and bread. (If the cold buf fet will be out longer than two hours, put the platters on ice, advises the Food and Drug Administration.)

If you haven’t unpacked your

ser ving platters yet, Kahn says to cover a large table or kitchen island with brown craft paper and place all food directly on it instead.

To keep the food safe, prepare several small platters ahead of time, keep them refrigerated and switch the food out at the twohour mark.

Make cleanup easy

Though it may not be your usual style, it’s per fectly OK to use disposables at a housewarming, especially if your par ty dishes and glasses are still in bubble wrap.

To be kind to Mother Ear th, check out disposable paper goods made from sustainable materials like bamboo. To eliminate cups, Kahn suggests of fering pre-batched craft cocktails and good wines available in individual bottles, cans and boxes that can be recycled.

Get the most visible parts of your house in order

If the date for the housewarming party creeps up on you and there are still a ton of boxes to unpack, don’t panic — prioritize. Concentrate on unpacking boxes in the rooms your guests will spend the most time in, probably the living room, dining room, kitchen and bathroom. Stack any unopened boxes neatly in the bedrooms and wherever else guests will only see for a few moments during the house tour.

GETTY IMAGES Because it is a casual par ty, you don’t need to send invitations any earlier than two weeks ahead. But if the date creeps up on you and there are still a ton of boxes to unpack, don’t panic — prioritize.