How to Plan a Family New Year's Eve Party

Are you ready for New Year's? I am not, but it's time to get started on it. I put away all my Christmas decorations and followed some great organization tips for next year.

As usual, we did end up with even more decorations after collecting some as Christmas presents so I had to scrounge up a few more bins for them. The teens got the bins to storage and the tree to the curb for me.

I didn't feel ready to plan New Year's until I organized some issues that were weighing heavily on my mind. The main one was the massive amount of toys that youngest has acquired, mostly as hand-me-downs but some on his own. The playroom was full and over half of them he never plays with because they are buried in toy bins.

Today he and I went to work. We donated three full bins to our local thrift store that supports a recovery network and we are carefully organizing the rest. The room will be fully clean and organized tomorrow and I can't wait for that moment. It's a good feeling and even youngest feels better. Plus, he is finding toys that he hasn't seen in months!

Now with an almost-clean house and a resolve to get rid of even more and not collect so much STUFF this next year, I am ready to plan for a New Year's Eve event. Here are some tips to help you plan too:

1. Consider teaming up. I discovered that my neighbor is going to have a movie night for New Year's. So instead of planning yet another event and making the other neighbors choose, we are teaming up. We will have it at her house, but I will take care of the menu. This will lessen the stress on both of us and hopefully let us both have more fun.
2. Consider a family-friendly event. Consider family-friendly time and you won't have to worry about getting a babysitter. Get movies like we are doing, or plan a Wii Sports night or board game night. Let the teens gather with supervision or hold a dance. The whole family can have fun on New Year's eve.
3. Over-plan the activity. You can never have enough games and activity. There is usually a reason (not enough people, resistance from participants etc) that at least one activity gets ditched. It's normal-but plan some back-up fun events to hold instead.
4. Keep the menu simple. On the other hand, you will save time, money and stress by keeping the menu simple. Plan on snacks, appetizers and drinks. Do not try to plan a four-course meal so soon after the holidays. Give yourself a break, and permission to have fun. It's a whole another year until you have to do it all again!

Happy New Year to all of you from the team at Rich's for the Home!