Planning a Party the Easy Way

It's time to have a party! The first reaction is excitement, but then the reality sets in and you think "how will I make this all work?!" Everyone has such a busy schedule these days that it's often hard to fit party planning into your daily routine. I myself am a planner (almost to a fault), but I try to always think it out ahead of time when I know party planning time is coming. There are the obvious times when you know a party is coming your way to plan and execute, such as the holidays, birthday, or special milestones--and then there are those parties that seem to creep up on you. As I sit here I think that in just two weeks I'm having a big group of our high school friends over..and I need to do some planning and shopping. I'm a big list person and I always suggest that as a starting point.

Okay so you have your pen and paper, now what?!

*Are you having a theme? If this is a child's birthday party, is there any beloved character that you can fashion the whole birthday party after? If you're having a Holiday party, that's easy--just hit one of the big party stores (such as Party City) and buy all the fixings for the occassion of your choice. (Valentine's Day, Christmas, Thanksgiving) They make some really cute accessories now to go along with your motif and match your plates and napkins. You can capture the entire theme in the plates and a few accessories--people will feel like they are living in the very theme you've created!

*Plan ahead with the non-perishable items: I always keep an eye out for wine and pop on sale, chips, crackers, and dry soup mix for dips. Anything that I know I could use for an upcoming party or in a pinch--with all the special offers and coupons out there now, you can easily find some great deals and plan ahead. That way you won't be hit with a huge grocery bill all at once. Some specialty stores even sell inexpensive discounted cases of wine, so you are sure to never disappoint your guests.

*Make it a potluck: I used to hate the idea of having everyone bring a dish to my party, but I've learned to make it fun. When someone asks what to bring, tell them the theme and assign them an actual items such as an appetizer or side dish. (that will assure you don't end up with 20 taco dips!) This way people feel involved, it helps to take some of the burden off of you, and you end up with a nice spread of food.

*If you have the budget, hire someone to help with the set up and clean up: I heard of a local woman who would come help me to get everything in the oven as the party was starting and then do all the clean up for me. This allowed me to enjoy my party and converse with all of my guests, and find a clean kitchen at the end of the night. You might be surprised at how cheap you can find someone to help you with this huge task.

Most of all, enjoy your party! Nobody expects to come to a Hollywood style blowout, so just keep it simple and enjoy time with friends and family!