20 Housewarming Party Ideas to Make Yourself Feel at Home

Now that you've said yes to the address, it's time to throw a housewarming party. While settling into your new home takes time, celebrating your new space with friends and neighbors is a first step.

If you're unsure of how to start planning for your housewarming party, check out these housewarming party ideas for themes, party decor, activities, and more that will make your house feel more like a home.

Have a Houseplant Party

Celebrate planting new roots by throwing a plant party. Houseplants make the perfect housewarming gift and can really bring a new home to life. Invite your guests to bring a plant of their choosing. For an activity, you can prepare a repotting table with an assortment of planters and potting soil.

Take It Outside

If the weather is cooperative, host your housewarming party in your new backyard. You can keep it casual with a table of small appetizers, or elevate the party with a more formal sit-down meal. Get the backyard games out while you're at it.

New Home Scavenger Hunt

A great way to introduce your guests to all the nooks and crannies in your new home is to invite them to play a scavenger hunt. Provide each guest with a list of items from various rooms in the house. Whoever finds the most items wins the game.

Throw a Themed Cocktail Party

Raise a glass to your new home with a themed cocktail party. Invite guests to bring a cocktail inspired by their favorite color, movie, or an era like the Roaring '20s or the Radical '80s.

Bake a "Home Sweet Home" Cake

Nothing makes a house feel more homey than a baking project. Treat your guests—and yourself—with a cake decorated with "Home Sweet Home" written in icing.

Throw a Family Recipes Potluck

Bring your friends, family, and new neighbors together over a potluck party. Invite your guests to bring a dish of their favorite family recipe, and you'll be basking in that homey feeling in no time.

Stock the Home Bar

Invite everyone to bring a bottle of their favorite spirit, liqueur, wine, or mixer to your housewarming party. It's one smart way to stock your home bar cart without having to move a ton of heavy bottles yourself.

Host a Board Game Night

For a simple but fun housewarming party, get out your board game collection. This is better for a small gathering, as most boardgames are made for groups of four to six people.

Play a Trivia Game

Playing a trivia game is a fun activity for a group that doesn't involve a lot of supplies. Customize your housewarming trivia game with questions like:

• Is there a doormat at the front door?

• What color is the roof?

• How many windows are there?

• Is the stove electric or gas?

• How many closets are there?

The guest that gets the most answers right gets bragging rights—and possibly a prize.

Ask for Donations to Your New Home Library

If you are a bookworm eager to fill in the bookshelves in your new home, consider throwing a book-themed housewarming party. Encourage your guests to bring a physical book to add to your collection.

Spice Things Up

Anybody who has moved a fully stocked kitchen knows how tedious it can be to relocate pantry items. To help you restock your spice rack, encourage your guests to bring over a container of their favorite dried spice or herb.

Drink Local Night

Support local wineries, breweries, and distilleries with a "Drink Local" housewarming party, featuring beverages made in or near your new hometown.

Cookie Decorating Night

For a sweet activity, get your guests involved with a cookie-decorating activity. Cut out cookies in the shape of a house, key, or a rectangle that they can decorate into an edible welcome mat.

Have a Painting Party

Do you have a group of hands-on friends ready and willing to help you make your new home your own? Get out the paint cans and rollers and tackle painting a room together.

Have a Guestbook for People to Sign

If you want to always remember your home's first visitors, pass around a guestbook for guests to sign and leave messages in. At the end of the night, you'll have a heartwarming keepsake to cherish.

Throw a Picnic Party

Haven't unpacked all your boxes yet? You don't need dishware or silverware to have a good time. For a low-stress party idea, throw a housewarming picnic—indoors or outdoors.

Host a Charming Tea Party

Tea parties are an excellent idea for all kinds of gatherings, including housewarming parties. A tea party doesn't always have to be formal. Keep your housewarming tea party low-key and charming with an assortment of mugs—mismatching ones are more than okay.

Crowdsource the Playlist

What's a celebration without music? To build your housewarming party playlist, have your guests RSVP with their favorite song to dance to.

Have a Backyard Bonfire

If you're worried about the state of the unpacked boxes in your home, invite everyone to the backyard for a casual bonfire party. Make sure you have enough seating and s'mores ingredients for your guests.

Host a Movie Night

If your new home has a home movie theater room or a living room made for entertaining, use your housewarming party as a way to show off your new set-up. Pick a movie that's new or that no one has seen before, and get the popcorn popping.

Before Your Guests Arrive

No matter what theme or activities you choose to include in your housewarming party, remember to factor in plenty of time for setting up before your guests arrive. You don't want to feel frazzled when you hear that first knock on the door.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who usually gives a housewarming party?

A housewarming party is typically organized by the person who recently moved into a new house or apartment. The purpose of a housewarming party is to celebrate a new home and meet your new neighbors.

How do you throw a small housewarming party?

A housewarming party doesn't have to be a big bash. You can keep it quaint and casual by inviting close friends and family and keeping the guest list small.

How long is a typical housewarming party?

Housewarming parties usually last between two and four hours, depending on the theme and types of activities involved. In your invitation, select a clear start and end time to ensure your guests know when to arrive—and how long to stay.

Read Next: 60 Unique Party Theme Ideas for Your Next Celebration

Read the original article on The Spruce.