Easy Party Planning Tips Part 2

We know that summer is a fantastic time to plan a party! We have compiled our favorite tips to plan and prepare for the perfect party.

Arrange for a Party Helper!

If your party is going to be a little more involved than just having a few friends over for drinks and conversation or a simple family-only birthday party, you should consider asking a close friend or relative to be your Party Helper.

No matter how prepared you think you are going to be, as the party day gets closer, you are likely to feel as though things are “out of control” and that you’re running around in circles and not accomplishing anything. A Party Helper can keep you “sane” during those last few wild days before the party, even if only to remind you that everything really is going according to plan!

Ask your Party Helper to be available the day before the party or the day of the party to help you with all the last minute things that are going to come up. Don’t be bashful about asking for help—but do remember that you might be asked to repay the favor someday!

Share the Party Plan List with your Party Helper, and make a special point to go over everything with him or her.

Work the List!

Now that you have a Party Plan List, you might want to review it on a regular basis. As things begin to get done, check off things that no longer need your attention, or mark done what you’ve done so far for any one thing on the list—and then forget about it! If you “hid” something that is going to be a surprise, then make a note of where you hid it so that you don’t spend a hour on party day trying to find it!

Once you have the basic list done, review each item on the list. Make your time line of what things need to be done and when. You can either color-code things (that is, everything that needs to be done on Monday before the party you can mark in blue, Tuesday mark in yellow, etc.), or you can number the list (that is, the thing that can be done now gets marked 1 and the thing that can only be done right before the party gets marked 999, or whatever numbering sequence you want to use).

No matter what scheme you use, make sure that your list will make sense to you, help you do what can be done sooner, and remind you of what will need to be done later.

Coordinate With Your Party Helper!

As the party day gets closer, stay in touch with your Party Helper and other friends and family who have offered to help with the party (by providing party items or taking care of errands) to make sure that everything is on track. Review your Party Plan List one last time with your Party Helper and discuss any final arrangements that need to be made. By this time both you and your Party Helper need to have a very clear idea of who is taking care of what.