Cool Hacks For Throwing An Awesome Party With An Easy Cleanup

Before living on my own, I never hosted any parties. When I did start throwing parties in my apartment, I've learned a lot about what works best when preparing for the party and cleaning up quickly when it's over.

It took some time to find what works best for me, however, I finally found the most effective ways to throw a wonderful party for my friends that leaves little cleanup for me afterward. 

Hacks for Throwing A Fun and Easy to Clean Party

Here are a few convenient ways for throwing a good party that will take little time to tidy up afterward:

1. Make it a Potluck

My roommates and I have made the mistake of hosting a party and preparing all the food for our guests. Although my roommate loves to cook, she felt exhausted from all that cooking when the party began. Now, we have a potluck almost every time we host a party.

A potluck is an event where each guest brings a dish for everyone to eat at the party. It lightens some of the burdens for the hosts and people can bring whatever food they like. I highly recommend turning your next party into a potluck.

2. Have a Smaller Guest List

For Halloween, my roommates and I hosted our largest party yet: a guest list of about 35 people. Though it was a fun time, I over-estimated the size of our apartment and the messes made while all these people were crammed into our small space.

From now on, we decided to cut the guest list in half next time so that we can enjoy the party more intimately. There's less to clean up and people can bond more with each other. 

3. Keep the Party in One Room

If the party is primarily in one room, there will only be one room to clean up later. Choose the largest room in your house or apartment to have the guests hang out in and it will make tidying up a lot easier. I think a living room or basement would work the best to entertain the guests. That way, you won't stumble upon a mess in a different room.

4. Use Biodegradable Plates and Silverware

After a party, there can be loads of dishes to wash, which can take a while to get done. That's why I like to buy inexpensive biodegradable plates and silverware for my guests to use.

These types of disposable serve ware are made of natural decomposing materials, compared to plastic cups and paper plates that aren't healthy for the environment.

Save a lot of time by purchasing some natural, disposable serve ware instead of using up all the fine china that you'll have to hand wash for an hour.

5. Have Guests Take Extra Food Home

I learned this hack from my lovely grandmother. Every year at our family Christmas party, my grandma requests that family members grab a takeout box so we can take leftover food and treats home with us.

That way, all the leftover food doesn't go bad while my grandparents try to eat it all themselves and the family members get an extra meal for the next day or so.

If you choose to host a potluck party, it may be beneficial to ask your guests if any leftover food from the dish they brought may be taken home with them. You won't be left with an excessive amount of food to eat up and your guests will have extra food to eat when they get home!

6. Invest in a Swiffer Mop

I had a Swiffer mop for a long time before I thought to use it. When I used it after a little get-together with my friends, I learned that this cleaning product is magical.

It works as both a broom and a mop simultaneously. The Swiffer mop removes dirt and crumbs from the floor in an instant. You just attach a wet cloth to the base of the mop and you're ready to go.

A Swiffer mop cleans the floor in just minutes and it is the perfect after-party cleaning product to use.

7. Designate a Recycling Bin

One mistake I continuously make when hosting parties is not designating a recycling bin for pop cans and bottles. Usually, I tell people to leave their empty recyclables next to the sink when they're done. Having a recycling bin is so convenient when hosting parties.

If you have a designated recycling bin, people can simply throw their recyclables in that bin and you're good to go. Then, in the morning, you can take the bin to the nearest recycling center or grocery store to return them! It beats walking around the house trying to find all the recyclables that people left.

8. Have Minimal Decorations

I love decorating the house for all kinds of holidays and parties. The place I go to for all my cute and cheap decoration needs is the dollar store. You'd be amazed how much you can get from the dollar store for a small price to transform your house for an event. However, if you use a lot of decorations, you have to eventually take down all of those decorations.

My favorite simple decorations to use when preparing for a party are streamers balloons. They make our apartment look festive yet we're not trying super hard for a one-night party. Additionally, it's easy to take down streamers and pop balloons as soon as the party ends.

9. Focus on Having Fun!

It can be easy to slip into the "I must clean throughout the party" mindset, losing focus on what matters: having fun! Remember it's still a party with your friends. You deserve to have a fantastic time, regardless of how much you may need to clean after the party's done. Focus on having a blast with your friends! Worry later.

I know these hacks have been a significant help for my roommates and me when we occasionally host parties for our friends. I hope that these hacks may aid you as well and you'll have the best (and most convenient) party ever. You can still throw an awesome party while keeping tidiness in mind.