Ottomans, chests, bookshelves and other unnecessary furniture for your party should be moved into your bedroom for extra room to help create more space for your guests to mingle comfortably without feeling likes sardines smooshed into a can. Yes you might have these pieces to aid in decoration or functionality for storage but these two things aren’t important when you're making space to throw a party. Move the unnecessary furniture and our guests will be thankful.
Any great party, big or small, must have a nice flow to the physical space where you're hosting the party along with the flow of the events of the evening. It's common for hosts to focus on what the event will look like in the sense of time and when food is going to be served. It's just as important to focus on the flow of what people should do and where they should be doing it. Let’s break this down.
First when your guests walk in, they should have a clear understanding of where to put their jackets and purses such as in your hall closet or on a coat rack. From there you should have an area where they can pour themselves a drink or an appetizer for them to eat. Then they either should go to the seating area or find a place to comfortably stand where it's out of the way but still makes them feel a part of the party.
You see? Create a play-by-play on what you would like your guests to do and then set up your space accordingly. This is how you will find out if you need to empty your hall closet or buy a coat rack. You'll also know if you will need to remove your barstools that sit at your breakfast bar area for drinks; or if you will need to purchase or borrow a small card table to place towards the entry way. Simply thinking about what movement you would like your guests to have is crucial.
This one might seem weird considering the fact that you have to watch the ball drop, but making the TV the center of your party will make people gravitate towards it during the whole party. Instead, turn the TV off, turn on some music and people will naturally mingle throughout your apartment without feeling like everybody needs to cram into the living room to watch the TV. You can set an alarm to ensure that you don’t miss the ball drop or any other performance that you wish to watch during the NYE broadcast. If you want to have the whole NYE broadcast on the TV while your guests are over, then consider moving your television to a spot where more people can see the TV even if they aren’t sitting on the couch in the living room.
Need other ideas on how to throw your party? Click here to read a blog on other tips that will help you take things to the next level with parties in your rental.