Holidays are a great excuse to hold parties. If you’ve planned a move around the holidays, it’s an even greater excuse to hold a packing party. We generally underestimate how much stuff we’ve accumulate over the years. Just when we start packing our stuff one box at a time, it seems as if the room comes alive and more of our stuff appears out of nowhere. This unexplained phenomenon drains us out and our stress level sky rockets. For those who have moved, you know full well that packing is overwhelming. A packing party is a great way to spend time with your family and friends before your move while having them help with basic packing chores.
Here are steps on how you can plan your holiday packing party:
Create a guest list. The people you invite to the packing party should know you pretty well. I mean, they ‘ll be doing you a favour. They will be the people you trust and you can rely on to show up. You would not want people complaining on the sidelines.
Schedule the packing party a few weeks before move day. Two weeks before move day is more than enough time for the party. Just in case the pack will not be completed during the packing party you will have time to finish packing.
Invite your guests. Send out an email or better yet if all your friends and family are on Facebook, create an Event page. Follow up by sending out an invitation card and lastly give them a call few days before the party.
Prepare food and drinks. Remember it is a party and what is a party without food? Food is a force field that will attract people to not only show up but motivates them to get the job done. Reward your guests by cooking your signature dishes if you are a great cook or order in some delicious take out.
Plan what you want packed. Pick which rooms or things you want packed and label rooms which you want to pack on your own for instance your bedroom. Have assignments ready for each guests before they arrive. Let your guests start packing in the garage, storage rooms or the bookshelves. Have a sample box on how you want your boxes labeled in each room your guests are packing. Pack for an hour or so and enjoy the company.
Have sufficient packing supplies and replenishments. Prepare more than enough packing supplies such as different sizes of boxes, packing tape, bubble wrap, packing paper and pairs of scissors. Have food and water stations in each room so they don’t have to waste time walking in and out of the room to grab something to eat or drink.
Enjoy the party. Have pumped up music playing in the background to get them in the mood of packing. Entertain and welcome your guests. Take pictures to share afterwards.