Throwing a party can be a stressful experience, but it doesn’t have to be! We want to help you make your next party-planning experience as enjoyable as possible. Follow our 10 stress-free birthday party tips and learn to look forward to your next big event!
1. Start planning early.
Look ahead at your calendar and plan your events as early as possible. If your child has a birthday party next month, ask him what he wants his theme to be NOW so that you can start gathering supplies before the week of the big day. This will help there not be such a sense of urgency that you end up being very stressed the day of the party. Allow the planning to gradually build by starting all your party prep early!
2. Keep it simple.
It’s easy to get in the mindset that a party has to be extravagant. We have social media and Pinterest to compare ourselves to after all. But there are so many ways to keep your party planning simple and still make an amazing impression on your guests. Choose the top thing you want to focus on. Is it decorations, food, or guests? Once you decide, then get to work and keep the rest as simple as possible.
3. Choose a theme.
After you pick a theme, then buy your supplies to coordinate everything together. When a theme is chosen, it saves time and energy trying to find the perfect supplies. A few examples of popular themes are Unicorn, Fortnite, and Mermaid. Purchase tableware and decor that are centered around your theme and it will look like you spent hours preparing the perfect celebration.
4. Send out pre-made invites.
Sometimes the invitations can be the most stressful part of the party. We think that we have to design them with online programs and then have them printed — hoping that they are formatted and designed correctly. The thought of this immediately welcomes the stress. But if you are looking to plan a stress-free party, look no further than Discount Party Supplies for the best pre-made invites to send to your guests! Now all you have to worry about is gathering their addresses!
5. Use paper products.
Paper products have come a long way and are the best way to ensure a stress-free party. Why? Well, it makes clean-up a breeze! No one wants hours of clean-up following the party. In fact, I can remember wanting to hurry along a party simply because I knew clean-up was going to take such a long time following the event. If you want to be present and enjoy the moment, then purchase paper products for your guests. At Discount Party Supplies, our sturdy party plates and cups are better quality than other party brands, making them perfect to reuse again and again to save on waste. That way, your guests won’t have to get a new plate or cup each time they want more food or drink. But they are still able to clean up after themselves and throw their tableware away after the party.
6. Set-up a kid’s table.
If the party you are planning is for kids, then you should be set on things to entertain them. However, if the party is more adult-focused but there will be kids present, then you need a game plan!
When kids aren’t offered something to entertain them, chaos will ensue! Plan ahead and minimize stress by creating a designated place for kids to be at the party. Cover the kid’s area table with some kind of butcher paper and provide craft supplies (no glue recommended and ONLY washable markers). Let the kids have a place to let their creativity shine! The only rules are to keep the art on the table.
A few other fun things to include at a kid’s table are busy bags, PlayDoh, and a box of legos. The busy bags can include things like velcro dot craft sticks for building, lace cards, or printable flashcards to do matching. If you happen to have Magnatiles, bring those out to the table too! These supplies will occupy the kids for long periods of time and create a more stress-free environment for the adults!
Include snacks at the kid’s table that you don’t mind them eating excessively since they won’t be monitored as much in this space. A few great snack options could be the squeezable applesauce pouches or baggies filled with popcorn! Bottom line: the kid’s table is NOT the place to house the cake or cupcakes.
Spend time planning activities for the kids so that you aren’t doing that during the party when you should be spending time with your guests.
7. Skip the place settings.
It’s perfectly acceptable to have a self-serve party. Have the cups, plates, flatware, and napkins stacked at a table in front of the food, and allow guests to serve themselves. Sure, you can still make the party tables beautiful with table covers, centerpieces, and cupcake stands, but you don’t have to put the pressure on yourself to have place settings for every guest. Any time you can make something easier on yourself while still “Wowing” your guests, go for it! No one will mind not having a plate in front of them at the table as long as everything still looks great and they leave with full bellies!
8. Relax before the guests arrive.
Don’t procrastinate and wait until the last minute to get everything ready for the party. If you have to tell yourself the party is starting an hour or two before it does just so that you have everything ready in time to get into the right head space before the party, then do it!
An hour before the party starts, sit down and run through a checklist in your mind of everything you accomplished. Once you’ve mentally checked everything off, spend the remainder of this hour relaxing. Visualize the party at it’s best instead of worrying about what it might be lacking.
Remember, you’ve already mentally assured yourself that everything is ready to go! Think about the smiles on the guest’s faces. Picture everyone enjoying themselves. And then give yourself a pep talk to be fully present at the party. Don’t forget, you are in charge of the party and your demeanor will set the tone for all of your guests. Getting into the right head space before the party begins will be just what you need to ensure a stress-free event!
9. Stick to a budget.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve planned parties and the majority of the stress came from thinking about all the money I spent on the party. The last thing you want to do is end up in debt due to an event you planned. You shouldn’t have to feel stressed about the money spent for a good time. And the good news is that you can have an equally fun time at a budget-friendly event.
That’s why we created Discount Party Supplies. Go ahead and shop around — you’ll find that almost all our inexpensive party supplies are priced at or below our competitors. We also have a gigantic selection of clearance items at even lower prices! You will see big savings on your event when you shop Discount Party Supplies, and you’ll be sure to stick to your budget!
10. Thank your guests.
You don’t have to create anything extravagant to thank your guests for coming. But it is important to offer a thank you of some sort. A few simple ways to thank your guests is by giving them party favors or thank you cards. Some party favor examples could be wrist bands, stickers, or bubbles. You can combine a few party favors into a treat bag. But again, no need to be fancy, just a simple gesture is better than no gesture at all.
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