Stacy Laskowski

In the process of moving into a new home? Well, don’t forget to christen your new space with a housewarming party! We know, we know, the last thing you may feel like doing when you’re in the middle of unpacking boxes and setting up your new home is entertaining. But you may be pleasantly surprised by how it feels to take a minute, welcome a few friends, meet a few neighbors, and gaze at your new purchase.

And, trust us, when you throw a housewarming party, your friends and neighbors are not expecting your new home to look perfect, but you can bet they are excited to get a first look at your new space! Need some motivation to get your boxes put away and at least a bit of décor up on your walls? Here are five tips for throwing an awesome housewarming party:

1. Get Planning
Decide on a date and time for your party. Once you set the date, determine your guest list and send out your invites. Use regular mail, email, or social media to get the word out. Remember, it is customary for guests to bring a gift to a housewarming party, so if you prefer that your guests just come to have fun, be sure to indicate that in your invite.

2. Choose a Theme
Here is where you can have a little fun before your party even starts. When it comes to housewarming parties, you can host anything from a casual backyard BBQ to a fancy dinner to an unpacking party—yes, you could put your guests to work when they come to the party!

3. Include a Tour
Just as guests pretty much plan to bring a gift to a housewarming party, they also plan on receiving a tour while they’re there. Of course, you can keep it traditional and simply parade guests through your home to show off the new space. But you also have a unique opportunity to add to the fun of your event. Offer up a non-traditional tour by creating a scavenger hunt through your new home. Deciding between a few colors in certain rooms? Let guests weigh in while they’re on tour!

4. Let Guests Help
In addition to asking guests to weigh in on paint colors or décor while they’re in your new home, you also can rely on them to help with the night’s menu. Plan to provide the main course, but let guests bring their favorites when it comes to appetizers, desserts, or drinks. This is a great way to beef up your recipe collection or stock your bar, too!

5. Invite Guests Back
The best way to end an awesome housewarming party? Don’t let the memory-making stop. You can ensure your new home is always full of fun and friends by giving your guests a way to remember how to find you. Send your housewarming party guests home with a memento that includes your new address. Anything from personalized post-its to custom-wrapped candy bars can include your address. Get creative when thinking about how to send your guests home after your party.

6. Don’t stress yourself.
A final tip for hosting a great housewarming party? Don’t stress. House cleaning and care are all a part of being a homeowner. If those tasks don’t get perfectly done before your party, it is OK. Remember, your guests are interested in seeing your home, but above all, they’re there to support you in your new venture!

How exciting! The home has been purchased; inspection is done, and the closing date is set. Now what? It can be overwhelming to think about the packing and moving, especially when there are some things to consider at the new home. Here is a list of 8 items to take care of before moving to make it a little easier.

1. Turn on your utilities
In order to make any repairs, clean, or really do anything in the new home before you move in, utilities need to be turned on. While you may not need cable TV or internet, you’ll want to at least make sure you have water, electricity, and gas working.

2. Take care of any necessary repairs from the inspection
Your inspector may have found some items worth taking care of right away during the home inspection and depending on what the agreement is, you may need to fix them after closing on the house. Prior to moving in, try and fix as many of the big-ticket items as possible. This will be one less thing to deal with after you move in. This is especially true if the repairs have anything to do with plumbing, electrical, or roofing.

3. Deep clean the entire house
The sellers may have hired cleaners or attempted to clean the home themselves, but it is always best to deep clean the house. Some people may opt to do this themselves, but there’s nothing wrong with hiring a professional cleaning service. This will ultimately save a lot of time. Some areas of the home to pay close attention to are cabinets and closets, flooring, appliances, and bathrooms. Make sure that the floors inside of closets are thoroughly cleaned and that any shelving in closets, pantries, or cabinets is wiped down. When it comes to flooring, you’ll want to hire a professional carpet cleaning service and evaluate hardwood, laminate, or tile flooring to see if it needs any extra TLC. In addition to that, consider changing the toilet seats.

4. Add any additional storage, shelving, or built-in features you want
If you purchased the home knowing that you were going to want additional shelving, cabinets, or storage, it’s best to get all of these items added and built out before you move in. This means that when you do move, you’ll be able to put away all of your things instead of leaving boxes to get unpacked after your new shelves are complete. It’s much easier to have this type of construction handled before you move in and have to worry about convenient scheduling and potentially moving your personal belongings.
This particular point is also true for new home buyers. If you purchased a new home build but knew that there were custom design options the builder would not include, the best time to add them is before you move into your new home. This is also true of any flooring changes.

5. Complete all interior paint if necessary
If you are planning on changing or even just touching up the existing paint in your new home, it’s best to get this done prior to moving in all your furniture and possessions. It will make the process significantly easier for both you and the painters if they do not need to worry about moving and covering furniture. Make sure you do this after any additional construction, but before you put in new flooring or have the existing flooring cleaned.

6. Call in the exterminator
If you’re already aware of some type of pest problem it’s an especially good idea to call these guys before you move in, but even if you’re not, it’s never a bad idea to have pest control come out and spray your yard and home. If you have pets, it will be significantly easier to have them come before you move in, plus it gives their extermination methods a little time to start working before you move in.

7. Reset your garage door code
More than likely the previous owners of the house gave you all the garage door openers, but in my opinion, it never hurts to reset the code just to be extra sure that no unwanted visitors will be coming in through the garage.
This is also a good idea for new home build owners. Even if you’re putting a brand-new garage door opener in your garage, make sure to reset or change the code. Often the codes are not changed after the opener is installed and having the manufacturer default code is never the best security practice.

Finally (and probably the most important step):

8. Change your locks and keys
This is probably one of the most important things to do before you move into your new house, and it should be taken care of last on this list. During the home selling process, keys are given to many different people like handymen, inspectors, and real estate agents to name a few, and in addition, homeowners typically provide backup keys to either close friends and family or even neighbors or house sitters. So even though you were provided “all” copies of your new keys at closing, you never know who might still have an extra copy. After you have finished all necessary repairs, cleaning, and construction, hire a locksmith to change your locks to ensure that only you have a copy of your new house keys.

In some locations, it might even make sense to install artificial grass over natural grass. For example, if you live in a city that has a hot and dry climate, having turf can prevent your lawn from wilting and dying due to the amount of sun those cities get annually. However, if you’re set on using natural grass for your lawn, there are still many creative and aesthetically pleasing ways to incorporate artificial grass into your lawn. Here are 8 ideas on how you can work with a synthetic turf company to beautify your yard.

1. Install a synthetic turf golf green
Your short game is just as important as your long, so installing an artificial grass putting green is the perfect way to get some practice without leaving your home. Golf greens are easy to install and can be customizable. Typically, they are around 1,000-1,500 square feet. For best results, source out an area that is flat, has minimal bumps and extrusions, and gets just the right amount of sunlight. A local turf company can then help excavate, cut, and install the artificial grass and holes. Finished with the proper landscaping, golf greens can serve as a stunning backyard feature that is both aesthetic and fun for the whole family.

2. Build a dog area for play and potty time
If you own a dog and live in a small place like an apartment, having a synthetic turf potty pad for your dog can be a great solution. Typically, they are built with short bristles for cleaning and a drainage system to catch urine. Turf doggy mats are versatile in size and can fit on a sunroom, patio, terrace, or balcony. They are especially great for training puppies or older dogs with bad bladder control. When not in use, synthetic turf potty pads blend in to look like a patch of grass. Not to mention, it saves your real grass from developing brown spots.
If you have the outdoor space, you can use turf to create a play area for your pet. Pet-friendly synthetic turf is a great option if you are trying to keep your dog away from natural grass chemicals. Installing artificial grass for pets also helps prevent fleas and ticks, worrying about patches and brown spots, and digging unwanted holes. Give your dog the ability to roll around in the grass without the worry of getting sick.

3. Use synthetic turf walls and dividers for privacy
Fences can be an eyesore. However, they are critical for privacy and to keep intruders out. Installing artificial grass fences or hedges is a great way to maintain privacy, while also elevating the look of your backyard by adding greenery. If you are looking for flexibility, some individual paneled artificial grass fences come on rollers that can be used to section certain parts of your yard if you are hosting a garden party or small get together.

4. Make an entertainment area for backyard hangouts
Do you love to have people over for bonfires, casual wine nights, or backyard parties? Maybe you want to kick your feet up by the fire while you sip on a glass of wine. If you are worried about your feet suffering from uncomfortable surfaces, installing artificial grass around your bonfire pits and patio is a comfortable and stylish solution. Section off a small area, place patio furniture on top, and enjoy a relaxing hangout area on the turf.

5. Create an elegant driveway
For a touch of added elegance, use synthetic turf in between your driveway to bring in patterns and color to the exterior of your home. Real grass can become compact due to the weight of a car. Installing artificial grass between flagstones or concrete can make your driveway pop and always looks fresh.

6. Cover your outdoor furniture with synthetic turf
If you’re tired of boring patio furniture, a fun and unique way to include synthetic turf in your backyard is by purchasing turf-covered furniture. These pieces are designed for outdoor living, are low maintenance, and can be left outside year-round. They are a great way to blend nature with your home and can be designed to look good under a deck, gazebo, fire pit, or play area.

7. Design a multipurpose sports field
For the athlete looking for a way to get some practice in, installing an artificial grass sports field in a larger backyard can get you the training you need without having to go to the local park. Multipurpose sports fields can be used for soccer, lacrosse, or even spikeball whether you want to increase your skills or just get a friendly game in.

8. Construct a playground
When constructing your playground, safety will likely be top of mind. In that case, you’ll want to choose a surface that has some cushion to it and is free of chemicals. Synthetic turf is a great alternative to wood chips or gravel, as it has a soft texture and natural aesthetic feel. You can even include a shock pad underneath turf to reduce fall injuries.