Throwing a party is supposed to be fun. But all too often, the experience is more stressful than enjoyable, especially when you host a large group in a small space. 

Fortunately, there is no need to feel overwhelmed by the prospect of hosting a party in a small apartment. Our team at Country Classics has put together a few must-follow tips for planning apartment parties. We’ve even shared a few seasonal apartment party tips that should help, too!

How to Host an Apartment-Friendly Party

From whom to invite to what to cook, these small apartment party ideas are your roadmap to entertaining success. So keep them in mind when you’re sifting through apartment party ideas and party decoration ideas and learning how to host a party in a small apartment. 

1. Do the Math

Space is an important consideration, whether you want to throw a large birthday party or host an intimate dinner party in a small apartment. So it’s important to do the math. And by doing the math, we mean planning accordingly. 

If you invite all your friends and family to a special birthday or anniversary party, reserve your apartment complex's community room, or host an open house in your apartment and invite guests in shifts. At Country Classics, we have many apartment amenities for hosting in our units. 

For example, community rooms offer all the amenities you need for a crowd, including plenty of seating, large-screen TVs, and kitchen and restroom facilities. Your complex may even have an outdoor community area with a fireplace where guests can exchange stories around the flames and a grill where you can cook up shish kabobs, like in this award-winning apartment building in Bridgewater. 

If you prefer to hold the party in your apartment, decide how many people you can comfortably fit in your home. Allow seven to 10 square feet per guest when making your calculations. If your entertaining space is 200 square feet, you could comfortably accommodate 20 to 29 people. (Since all the guests you invite won't attend, you can inflate those numbers slightly when issuing invitations.)

2. Make a Checklist

Winging it never turns out as well as you think it will. Give your get-together the forethought it deserves by planning out your menu (more on that below), decorations, activities, and what you need to do to get your place in tip-top shape for guests. 

Put your plans into a checklist so you don't forget the small but crucial details that make or break a party in an apartment. Your checklist may include:

• Sending, emailing, or texting invitations a few weeks before the party

• Creating a menu and shopping list

• Buying or borrowing party supplies, such as folding chairs or punch bowls

• Cleaning and setting up before the get-together

• Decorating the public areas of your apartment

• Choosing a playlist for your gathering

3. Ask Yourself: What Should I Cook When I Host a Get-Together at My Apartment?

If you're wondering how to throw a dinner party at home, careful menu planning is one of the key ingredients. The food you serve will depend on your theme and how classy you want your get-together to feel. Start by considering your guests' dietary restrictions, seasonal produce, and what you can easily prepare. 

For an apartment party, we recommend serving easy-to-eat and difficult-to-spill items. Since table space is often a premium at parties, not every guest will have a solid surface on which to eat their food. 

They may end up balancing plates in one hand and drinks in the other; inevitably, someone drops a plate or glass on the floor, spilling lasagna or red wine on your formerly pristine floor. Your guests won't have to test their juggling skills when you offer a selection of portable foods.

Serving sliders, individual quiches, cupcakes, and other self-contained foods reduces spills and stains and makes mealtime more comfortable for guests.

4. Create a Party Schedule

Nothing kills a party's vibe more than a lull in activities. But always keep in mind that nothing kills your neighbors' vibe more than unwanted noise or excessive foot-stomping (for those first-floor dwellers). So, be mindful of your neighbors while having a great time with your friends!

Give your party a loose structure to ensure your guests always have something to do. A dinner party schedule, for example, might look like this:

• 4 - Appetizers and chit chat

• 4:30 - Group games (while you prepare the main course)

• 5:30 - Dinner

• 6:15 - Serve dessert 

• 6:30 - Drinks 

• 6:45 - Conversation and more group fun (have several activities lined up to fill out the rest of the evening)

• 10 - Goodbyes and clean up 

In addition to planning your party's flow, you should create a party-preparation schedule for yourself. Take your checklist from step two and assign each item a timeframe for completion. Do pre-planning, shop for supplies a few weeks out, clean, decorate, and pick up fresh groceries a few days beforehand. 

5. Use Your Space Creatively 

A small apartment party requires you to get creative with the layout of your apartment. So, why not move extraneous furniture to make more floor space for guests to mingle? 

While you're at it, create zones for different activities. Have a large area, like your living room, for group activities and a smaller, tucked-away space for personal conversations (apartments with private balconies are great for this purpose). 

You should also include multiple food stations. Placing all of the party food in one location may impede traffic flow at your party. Put main offerings on the dining table, drinks on the kitchen counter, and desserts on a coffee or side table. 

6. Offer a Designated Drop Zone

Nothing clutters an apartment faster than a pile of coats on your bed and handbags thrown over every available surface. You need to keep things organized from the start with a designated drop zone. 

Luckily, this is easy to do. Simply clear a small space near the entrance – a coat rack, a few wall hooks, or a laundry hamper lined with a clean sheet – for coats and bags. Guests feel more at ease knowing where to stash their stuff, and you won’t end the night fishing through a mountain of coats to find your things.

7. How Do You Host a Great Get-Together? Ask For Help!

Don't be afraid to ask for a bit of help. Pulling off a party is much easier if you divide the work. Bring in a spouse, partner, or friend to be your co-host. 

If you're hosting an informal gathering, you may even ask guests to bring a food or drink offering, making your job much easier! You can also help yourself by buying prepared foods like vegetable trays, sandwiches, pizza, and desserts to take some work off your plate. 

8. Enjoy Yourself & Your Guests Will Too

Have you ever been to a gathering where the host is so stressed about everything being perfect that they bring the party atmosphere down? Holiday family get-togethers, I'm looking at you. 

That's no way to throw a party! Too often, hosts and hostesses spend too much time in the kitchen and not enough time catching up with guests. So, do plenty of preplanning and commit to enjoying the party when the big day comes. You deserve to have a good time, too.

Seasonal Hosting Tips That Make a Big Impact

Different times of the year offer unique opportunities – and challenges – when you're hosting a party in your apartment. Fortunately, we’ve helped you navigate seasonal challenges when you're busy with small space party planning. 

Have a look below to learn a few seasonal hosting tips that will make your life easier when you’re planning a party in your Country Classics apartment. 

Spring and Summer: Take advantage of longer days and warm weather by incorporating indoor-outdoor flow. Prop open the patio door, bring in fresh flowers, and create a breezy vibe with lighter bites and chilled drinks. If your complex has an outdoor community space, this is the perfect time to use it.

Fall: Lean into cozy. Warm lighting (think string lights or candles), a crockpot of chili, and autumn-themed décor go a long way. We also recommend keeping your guest list tighter to maintain warmth and intimacy in your space.

Winter and Holidays: Do you want to add a festive touch without crowding your space? Well, consider vertical decorations like garlands, wall-hung ornaments, or a tabletop tree. You might also want to add a hot chocolate or cider station, which brings comfort and helps avoid overcrowding around a single food table.

Fun-Friendly Apartments Ready For You

Is having an entertaining space a priority in your search for a new apartment? Country Classics offers stunning, spacious apartments with all the amenities you need to host the perfect party. Contact us today to find a home that fits your lifestyle and guest list!