How to Have a Good House Party

Co-authored by Tracy Carver, PhD

Last Updated: April 12, 2024 References

Having a house party is a fun way to celebrate with your friends and meet new people. To have a good house party, you need to plan it out and make sure you prepare your home before guests arrive. There are many things that need to be done to make a house party fun for your guests and have them thinking your party was epic.

Part 1

Part 1 of 6:

Deciding What Type of Party to Have

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An easy way to throw a great party is to have a themed party. By creating a theme for your party, you can easily make the decorations, food, music, and activities match each other making the party cohesive. Themes can be anything from a certain time period like the fifties to colors like a red and black party. You can also theme a party on a certain holiday like Valentine’s Day or The 4th of July.
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Invite friends over for a specific event. Another great type of house party is a party focused on a specific event. Invite your friends over to watch a television event, or throw a house party for someone’s birthday or a holiday. When you throw a house party focused on a specific event it’s easy to base the theme off of this as well.^{[1]
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- Have a Superbowl party for everyone to watch this year’s Superbowl game. Theme your decorations and food on football or the teams playing in the Superbowl.
- Throw a house party for a friend’s birthday or for a holiday like New Year’s Eve.
- Invite a group of friends over to watch an award show like the Oscars. Create an elegant feel by using the colors black, white, and gold for your party.
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You can throw a house party that’s based on a specific activity to let all of your guests have fun as a group. Activities like karaoke and dancing are great to focus a party on. Another fun activity focused party is a murder mystery party where each guest is given a role to play and gets to try and figure out the answer to a mystery.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Tracy Carver, PhD
Licensed Psychologist

Expert Interview. 12 January 2021.}

Part 2

Part 2 of 6:

Inviting the Guests

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Decide on how many people to invite. The amount of people you have at your party will determine the feel of your party. If you only have a few guests the party will be much more intimate and lend itself to more in depth conversations. However, if you have lots of guests the party will have a different vibe. A party with a lot of people is a great way for people to make new friends and tends to have lighter conversations. The amount of space you have in your home will also determine how many guests to invite. You don’t want a house that is so crowded that people can’t move around easily.^{[3]
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- You need about 8-12 square feet per person for a comfortable cocktail party, and about 5-8 square feet per person for a comfortable larger party. To figure out how many people you should invite, divide the number of square feet in the part of your house the party will take place by the number of square feet per person you want to use.
- If you're hosting a really large party, pick a date that works well for you. Chances are, you won't find a date that works for everyone.^{[4]
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- If you're inviting 20 people or less, poll your guests to see which date works best.^{[5]
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Pick how you will send the invitation. There are several different ways to invite people to a house party. You can send out invitations in the mail, email an invitation, or invite your friends over social media. You should send your invitation out several weeks in advance so your friends can plan to attend the party.
- There are many different online companies that let you pick an invitation and send it to your friends’ email addresses. Many of these invitations are designed to look just like paper invitations so they can match your theme. They also let you track your invitation and give guests an easy way to R.S.V.P.
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Include important information on the invitation. You should include the date, time, and address of the party on your invitation to let guests know when and where your party is taking place. You should also include other important details like your contact information for people to R.S.V.P. or get in touch with you if they have a question. Anything that you want your guest to bring should also be included on the invitation.
- If you want your guests to leave at a certain time, you should include an end time on the invitation.
- Another important detail to include is if there is a dress code. If you want your guests to dress in a certain attire make sure you indicate this on the invitation. An example of this would be if you want your guests to dress in a costume matching the theme of your party.
- If you don't have all the party details ironed out yet, create an event website and include the link on your invitation.^{[6]
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- Reader Poll: We asked 119 wikiHow readers who've hosted parties, and 59% of them agreed that having a specific end time is helpful for people to know what to expect. [Take Poll]

Part 3

Part 3 of 6:

Setting up the Party

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Use the right lighting to set the mood. The lights you use can create a certain ambiance at a party, so choosing the right lighting is very important. You should have adequate lighting in the entrance to welcome guests as they arrive. The main area the guests will be in should have lower lighting to create an intimate environment. A space where party guests will be dancing should have very low lighting or lit with party lights like black lights and glow sticks.
- Different kinds of lights can create a different vibe so think about the type of party you want when picking your lighting. Candles and fancy lamps can create an intimate, upscale feel. Tiki torches and christmas lights create a festive environment for a party.
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Set up decorations. Consider making a few friends the V.I.P. of the party and invite them to come over early to help set everything up. Set up your lighting in all of the rooms the party will be happening in. Put tablecloths down where the food will be served. Try hanging balloons or streamers that match the colors of your theme. You can hang posters and banners to decorate for the party.^{[7]
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- Have centerpieces on all of your tables the reflect the parties theme or vibe.
- Use items you already have as decorations. For example, for a woodland themed party, you can fill a vase with pinecones to use as a centerpiece.
It’s important to create a flow within your house to get guests to naturally go where you want them to. You should have the lights off and doors closed in rooms you don’t want the guests being in. There should be a natural pathway from the entrance to the room with the food and the room you want your guests to be in. You should keep the bar, food, and music in separate areas with space in between them. There should also be separate spaces for guests to have intimate conversations or dance in.^{[8]
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Part 4

Part 4 of 6:

Choosing the Music

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Make a playlist or CD. You want enough music to have music playing during your entire party so it’s important to think about the length of the party when you make a playlist. The music should start with mellow songs that give a relaxed feel as guests arrive. As the night goes on, the music should start to pick up with faster music to encourage dancing. You can end the night with music that’s a bit slower and more calming.^{[9]
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- Try using an online radio to create your own station and play music all night long.
- You can also tell your guests to create their own playlist and take turns playing them at the party.
It’s important to think about the type of party you’re having when you consider what music to play. If you want people to be dancing, you should play fun, upbeat music and include songs that have their own dance like the Silento’s “Watch Me”. For a smaller more intimate party, have the music playing softly in the background.
When you’re having a larger house party, it’s a good idea to hire a DJ or have a live band perform. A DJ will play continuous music to keep the fun going during your party. A live band is a great addition to a house party and makes guests feel like they’re at a private concert. This will help achieve a lively party vibe where everyone is having fun.

Part 5

Part 5 of 6:

Coordinating Activities

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You can add fun to your house party by having party games for your guests to play. Lawn games like cornhole, croquet, and volleyball are great games to have available for party guests to play. Having a ping pong, foosball, or pool table are also great additions to a house party. There are many party card games you can buy as well to have out for your guests to enjoy playing.
A great activity to have at your house party is karaoke. Party guests will have fun singing songs and dancing to the music. The great thing about karaoke is it provides music as well as fun! You can rent a karaoke machine at a party rental company or you can use an app on your phone for karaoke.^{[10]
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If you’re going to have multiple activities you need to make sure there is a separate space for each. You want enough space for your guests to easily participate in the activity. You can have some activities outside on a porch or in a yard, and others can be inside in the living room or a basement.

Part 6

Part 6 of 6:

Planning the Food and Drinks

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Set up a DIY drink making station. An easy way to have drinks available for your guests and not have to be the bartender is to set up a drink station. You can use a side table or drink cart to place alcohol, mixers, ice, glasses, and stirrers on for guests to create their own fun party drinks. ^{[11]
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- It’s a good idea to have a small recipe books of drink ideas for your guests. They can flip through the book to find their favorite drink and then be their own bartender mixing it to perfection. Make sure you have all of the necessary ingredients for every drink in your book.
- Always offer non-alcoholic drink options, since some of your guests might not want to drink at the party.^{[12]
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Have finger foods out for guests to snack on. Having appetizers or finger foods set out for your guests to eat at leisure is a great way to serve food at a house party. Guests will be able to eat as they get hungry throughout the night, so they will stay happy. Make the appetizers ahead of time so that you don’t spend the whole night in the kitchen cooking. Cook enough food so that you can replenish items that get eaten quickly.^{[13]
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- Make sure you have plenty of finger foods that are like main dishes in addition to snack foods. You want to make sure your party guests stay satiated. Appetizers like meatballs, pigs in a blanket, bean dip, or chicken wings are a good idea to serve.
- You can make the finger food fun by serving it in a unique way. For example, serve cupcakes in plastic martini glasses or use mini pretzel sticks instead of toothpicks for appetizers.
- Serve plenty of hors d'oeuvres if you're hosting a big party, especially if you're serving alcohol.^{[14]
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If you don’t want to worry about the food so you can enjoy your own party, you can hire a caterer to prepare and serve the food. Although this is a costly option, it will allow you to be able to join in the fun more. Another great idea is to hire a bartender to mix and serve your drinks. Having a professional bartender to serve your guests will make them feel special and allow them the opportunity to order whatever drinks they desire.
If you’re having a themed party, you can match the food and drinks to the theme. You can use specific colors for your theme and only serve food and drinks that match those colors. If you’re having a time period party, consider serving food and drinks that were available and popular during that time period.

Party Food, Drinks, and Playlist

Food to Serve at a House Party

Drinks to Serve at a House Party

House Party Playlist Ideas

Expert Q&A

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Question

What do you recommend people do with their dog when you are hosting a house party?

Sophie Amphlett
Professional Dog Trainer
Sophie Amphlett is a Professional Dog Trainer and Service Dog Coach with over five years of experience. Sophie graduated from CATCH Canine Trainers Academy’s Master Course with Distinction in 2016. She is also a Certified Trick Dog Instructor (CTDI) and a Certified Fun Scent Games Instructor (DN-FSG1). Sophie serves as a volunteer adoption counselor and dog walker for Adopt-A-Pet as well.

Sophie Amphlett

Professional Dog Trainer

Expert Answer

It depends on whether the dog is a social animal or not. It might be too stressful for the dog. If the dog's more content in another room chewing on a bone or something, I think that would be great. Some dogs don't have a fear of people. So they might feel more comfortable being part of the party. Also, if the dog is unfamiliar with some people, when they come, the dog should be sitting and staying on a mat, not jumping on them. They can offer the dog a treat. So, the dog has a positive association with them.

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Tips

Inform your neighbours that you’ll be having a party so that they know there might be a little bit more noise than usual.

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Put away all of your valuables and breakables somewhere the guests won’t be partying. This way there’s no chance of a guest accidentally knocking into your favourite glass statue.

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Have a place where your guests can store their coats and purses. Make sure it is somewhere that is safe so that you’re the only one that goes into the room where they’re stored.

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Warnings

Invitations on social media can easily be circulated. Make sure you specifically tell people not to invite others if you want to keep your party to a certain number of people.

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Many areas have noise ordinances after a certain time that require you to keep party noises under a certain decibel. If your party gets too loud, the police may be called to make you quiet down.

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If you’re serving alcohol, you need to make sure everyone at your party that’s drinking is of the legal drinking age. It’s your responsibility to ensure no underage drinking takes place. You can be charged with a crime if someone who’s underage is caught drinking at your party.^{[15]
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Expert Source

Tracy Carver, PhD
Licensed Psychologist

Expert Interview. 12 January 2021.}

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