5 Things You Must Have at Every Party

Will you be planning a party soon? Wondering how to make your party amazing and your guests happy? I can help you throw the perfect party while still keeping your sanity in the process! Check out my 5 Things You Must Have at Every Party and don't forget to grab your free printable checklist before you leave. #partyplanning #party #lakelifestateofmind It’s no secret that I love throwing parties. From Pinterest Parties to Baby Sprinkles to Birthday Day Parties or just a simple Girl’s Night In, I’m constantly thinking of ways to celebrate and have a good time with my family and friends!

With our yearly Super Bowl party coming up in a few weeks, my mind is going into “party mode” once again. I sat down to start the planning process today and I got to thinking, “What makes an AMAZING party?” In my opinion, here are 5 things you must have at every party.

A well-stocked beverage station.

You’re freaking out. It’s ten minutes before your guests are supposed to arrive and your doorbell rings. Oh my goodness! What are you going to do?

I wish I could tell you that this will never happen at one of your parties, but the reality is it’s more likely that it won’t. You’ll have guests who arrive early, fashionably late ones, and even some who are obnoxiously late. That’s just how the cookie crumbles, folks.

What have I learned from being in this situation all too many times? Make sure that you have your beverage station stocked and ready to go at least 30 minutes before your party starts. Why is this so important? Everyone is always a little happier with a glass of wine or a bottle of beer in hand. Make sure there are options for the kiddos and non-alcoholic drinkers as well!

Point your guests in the direction of the drinks and let them help themselves while you continue putting together the last minute touches.

Another bonus, once your guests know where the drinks are you can encourage them to “help themselves” throughout the night which in turn frees up some of your responsibilities. Don’t completely neglect it though. Make sure to check on the beverage station from time to time and restock anything that’s low.

A variety of appetizers.

Using the same reasoning as above, I like to have a variety of appetizers out and ready for guests to snack on when they arrive. Again, it’s important to have these out before your guests start piling in. I tend to pull out my appetizers closer to 15 minutes before guests arrive. I do this to ensure cold dishes stay cold and hot dishes stay hot.

With a beer in one hand and a chip dipped in guacamole in the other, you’re starting your party off on the right foot.

Have multiple garbage cans around. And recycling bins too.

Where’s your garbage? Do you recycle? You’ll probably hear these questions about a zillion times if you don’t prepare ahead of time. How do I know? Been there, done that.

But I got smart. I started placing extra garbage cans and recycling bins in all the areas where I knew my party guests would be: inside, outside and additional ones in high traffic areas.

I found some really great pop-up garbage cans at Party City a few months back. I love them because they fold completely flat so I can store them easily. Plus they’re only $4.99. A free way to achieve the same concept is to use a large brown box, preferably a longer narrower one, and place your garbage bag inside it. Easy, peasy!

Entertainment

Of course, your guests are coming to your house to socialize and have a good time but a good host/hostess should have just a little something special to add to the ambiance. This can be as simple as a fun playlist going on in the background or a photo station set up with some really cute props.

Having a diverse group of guests? Try a game to break the ice. For an adult party, I highly recommend That’s What She Said or Cards Against Humanity. If kids are present, try Giant Jenga or the Heads Up app. Some guests might be hesitant at joining in at first but once they see all the fun going on around them they will be more likely to jump in.

Have extras.

I’m a firm believer in having too much rather than not enough. One of my biggest fears when throwing any party is running out of food. Seriously, it terrifies me! Until the very last minute before the party begins, I’m driving Patrick crazy asking him if he thinks I have enough food, ice, drinks, ugh.

Know how many guests you are expecting and then add a couple more just in case your friend’s mother-in-law is in town and they want to bring her. It happens, people!

The worst that will happen is you’ll have leftovers. Truth be told, leftovers are my favorite part anyway. Why? Well, I don’t have to cook for the next couple of days!

Well, there you have it! Wondering how you will remember the 5 Things You Must Have at Every Party? It’s easy. Print off this fancy checklist I created just for you. I’m all for staying organized and this party checklist is just what I need to keep myself on top of my planning. I promise it will do the same for you. Cheers to throwing your next amazing party!