I moved into my first Orlando apartment near the end of November of 2016. My 26th birthday was just 2 weeks away and I was in a brand new city without my friends. Thankfully my friends still wanted to make my birthday special and volunteered to come down to Orlando to spend the weekend with me. Although I was ecstatic to not be spending my birthday alone, I looked around my new Orlando apartment and felt a sense of panic set in. At the time, all I had was a couch, an entertainment center and bedroom furniture. I had lots of room but no decor to host a party. Was I really ready to entertain people in my new apartment?
With a tight budget and only 2 weeks to prepare I had to think on my toes and we had a blast! so here are 3 tips for how to creatively host your first guests in your new Orlando apartment:
Cost Conscious Shopping
If you are furnishing your Orlando apartment quickly before hosting guests, buying things second-hand is always a great idea. Second-hand items are usually cost efficient and can be purchased quickly. I've found OfferUp and LetGo to be excellent apps for purchasing quality second-hand items from furniture, to kitchenware. Try it out and your apartment will be ready for guests in no time.
Use Your Apartment's Open Space Wisely
If you are unable to make large purchases such as furniture or apartment décor, use the open spaces in your apartment as features of the party. For instance, I had a very spacious dining area but did not have furniture in it just yet. So instead, I bought a bright colored, plastic table cloth, balloons, streamers and props to make the open area a DIY photo booth. When the party was over, there was also enough space to place air mattresses for my company to sleep for the night without being cramped. That area became my guests' favorite area of the evening. If buying furniture might be difficult you might consider Orlando apartments with furniture optionsinstead.
Be Creative with the Refreshments
Maybe you don't have time or the funds for fancy refreshments at your party. Have no fear! Your apartment kitchen can still be a great source of party fun. For my party, I had typical party foods such as chips, wings, pizza and punch. However, I selected a party theme and gave each food item a creative name pertaining to the theme. I had also bought color coordinated plastic serving dishes to match my theme. Having a wetbar or islandin the kitchen is great for the serving guests. If you're looking for cool party theme ideas Check out this article on Stylecaster.
One extra tip is to be aware of your apartment complex's noise policies. We all know having a good time with friends can sometimes be a little noisy and some communities in Orlando pride themselves on being quiet apartments. Knowing the rules and regulations is important in avoiding noise complaints. Be sure to have fun but always be respectful of your apartment neighbors.
With these few tips your apartment party should be a hit!