Moving Party posted by Linny on 12/11/07
Actually, this is more of a House Cooling Party. If you are about to move have one last bash to invite all your friends.
Use cardboard boxes and moving supplies to decorate. Since your good dishes are packed make sure you get plenty of plastic ware that can be tossed.
You can give away old or unwanted items as gag door prizes. Just make sure if it was a gift the giver isn't attending. Wrap the gifts in paper grocery sacks (same brown as moving boxes) and seal with packing tape. You can ask trivia about your new town.
This is actually an excellent way to get rid of the food in the refrigerator, freezer and cabinets. Look for recipes with the ingredients you have on hand. Use any wine or opened bottles of liquor you have on hand.
If people would like to bring things have them bring serving platters you can borrow for the party and they can take home. You can leave yours packed. Have guest bring a dish or beverage so you don't have to buy more or deal with the leftovers.
If people have borrowed items or if you have borrowed from them this party is a great chance to return items.
Set out cards with your new contact information and pictures of your new home. Include your new email if it will change.
Have an address book handy where people can write their contact information (name, mailing address, birthdays, phone numbers and email addresses). Quite often we move and realize we don't have that information for people we've known for years.
You can also ask people to bring a picture for the moving party scrap book. It can be a picture of them or with you. Include the pictures of your new place, old place and your home in various stages of packing.
Some advantages: they will expect the house to be a mess so minimal prep is required, low budget, since the theme of the food is purging your cabinets you can serve almost anything, you can get rid of stuff and perhaps have some items returned, the breakables have already been packed.
Disadvantages: Only invite friends who won't be put off by the house being a mess,
make sure you have seating available (move chairs from other rooms), make sure you move the clutter out of the rooms (boxes and bubble wrap). Don't buy a lot if you can help it or unless you will be at the house long enough to live off the leftovers.
The party is an excellent time to recruit help on moving day.
