Now that you have your new home and a pool, it is obvious what you have to do next. Party! There is no better way to get to know the neighbors than inviting them over to a housewarming pool party. The fun, family-friendly gathering will entertain children and adults alike as you make new acquaintances that are likely to become friends for life.
This guide will give you a good idea on how to begin planning and setting up for a pool party this summer. After holding the housewarming event, you will be the talk of the block!
Planning the party
Now that you have unpacked and settled in, you can begin to plan the pool party of the season. By following a few steps, your set up will be simple and stress free, since the last thing you need is any angst after moving into your new pad.
- Invitations - You might not know your neighbors names yet--however, you do know their addresses, which is why dropping invitations in their mailboxes is the perfect way to let them know about the party.
- Setting a theme - Decide on a theme and have fun doing it. Though you may want to go for the obvious Hawaiian summer theme, think outside of the box. You are introducing your family to the neighbors so get creative, personalizing the party with your family's favorite sports team or even holiday. How much fun would it be to decorate the backyard with garland and plastic reindeer? Not only would your neighbors love the irony, you will save a significant amount of money on decorations.
- Planning the menu - Though you may want to decorate a bit differently, stick to the same summertime menu of hot dogs, hamburgers, chips and soda. The seasonal fare is universal, enjoyed by adults and children alike on a hot summer day. As for beverages, purchase some light wine and beer to serve with sodas so your neighbors who drink alcohol will be able to enjoy a beverage if they choose.
Preparing the backyard, pool and changing room
The joy of partying outside is there is no dusting or vacuuming involved. However, you still must prepare your backyard, pool and a changing room for your neighbors total comfort. Simply follow some basic steps and you will be set up before you know it.
- Mowing the lawn - Making sure your landscape is lush is mandatory. Since your neighbors will not be getting a tour of the house, you want the backyard to reflect the same order and neatness inside your home. Add a little color to the scene by planting some flowers, which will brighten up your lawn long after the party is over.
- Setting up yard games - Even though it is pool party, not every neighbor may necessarily want to get wet. That is why setting up lawn games like horse shoes, croquet and ring toss is so important for those that do not want to swim and those that are water logged after spending hours in your new gorgeous pool.
- Neutralize the pool- The last thing you want is for your neighbors, especially the children, to leave your party with blood shot eyes. Make sure your chemical composition is perfect, with no more or less chlorine than needed. You will also want to make sure you have plenty of pool toys and games for adults and children alike. Between beach balls, basketball nets, swimmies, goggles, water guns and rafts, the party is sure to be a splash!
- Changing room - Create a changing room in the nearest bedroom closest to the back door. Decorate the room in the same theme you have outside and make sure to have plastic bags for bathing suits, extra towels to dry off, sunscreen, suntan lotion, moisturizer and bug spray available for neighbors to use.
Get to know your neighbors
Now that you have planned the perfect housewarming pool party, it is time to sit back, relax and enjoy your new neighbors--which is the whole point of the gathering. Divvy up the cooking, cleaning and lifeguarding duties between your family members so each of you can spend some time socializing by swimming, playing games or having a drink.
Photo by: David Castillo Dominici (Freedigitalphotos.net)