When you move into a new home, your friends and family are likely going to be dying to see it. They might constantly ask you when you plan on having a housewarming party, or at the very least, when you’re going to invite them over. The thing is, you’re still in the midst of unpacking, painting, or simply planning your new home’s design, and you don’t really want anyone to see it yet. Here are a few ways to get your new Philadelphia home ready for guests, even if it’s not quite perfect.
Focus on the Entryway
The first thing your guests will see when they visit your new home is the entryway. So, in advance of a housewarming, it makes sense to focus a lot of your energy on sprucing up your home’s entrance. You might not have time to completely landscape the front of your house, but you probably have time to put a potted plant or flower pot out there. It’s also a good idea to make sure the street number of your house is clearly visible, or that your apartment buzzer is clearly labeled with your name, if you live in a multi-family building.
Once inside the house, make sure there’s an area for guests to stash their coats, bags, and even shoes. A boot tray is ideal if you want to protect your new carpeting or hardwood if it’s snowy or raining out. Have a few hooks by the door or make space in the hall closet, or designate a bedroom as the coat room.
Stock Up the Bathroom
The great thing about having people over soon after you’ve moved in is that certain rooms won’t yet have that lived in look. One of those rooms is the bathroom. Make sure there’s plenty of toilet paper in there, and that a guest can easily find it if the current roll runs out. Set out hand soap and a few hand towels in easy-to-access areas, too.
If you have plans to redecorate the room, but it still has some hot pink tile from the 1950s or walls that are a questionable color, one way to keep guests from noticing is to rely on candles for lighting. Have a few lit, to give the room an inviting glow, and to make the fact that the walls are a bright shade of blue or green a little less noticeable.
Make a Stash Room
It might be that your friends come over for a housewarming before you’ve had a chance to fully unpack. That’s okay — just designate one room of your new place as the stash room and store any unpacked boxes in there. The basement can be ideal, or an extra bedroom or even a large closet.
Rely on Disposable Dishes
Depending on how long it takes you to adjust and unpack, your good dishes might still be in boxes by the time people come over. Make things easier on yourself by turning to disposable plates, cups, and silverware. The IKEA in South Philadelphia is one place to find inexpensive and cute paper tableware. Going the disposable route might not be so great for the environment, but it can save you a good amount of stress. Plus, you won’t have to worry about a clumsy friend breaking a glass or plate.
Although you might want to wait until your new place is perfect before you have people over, your loved ones might not agree. Remember that they are excited for your new home, even if it’s still a work in progress.
Image Source: Flickr/Pawel Loj
[cf]skyword_tracking_tag[/cf]
