Housewarming checklist
How to invite people over without waiting for the perfect renovation: seats, crockery, the bathroom, food and drinks, neighbours and a priority clean.

[ ] Decide on the date and the number of guests
    Everything else follows: crockery, food, chairs, format. Ask straight away who is bringing children or a partner.
[ ] Choose the format: buffet or seated
    A buffet needs fewer seats and less crockery; a dinner needs more chairs and more time. In a new flat a buffet is usually easier.
[ ] Count the seats and borrow chairs
    Stools, folding chairs, poufs, cushions on the floor. Borrowing from neighbours and friends is part of the tradition.
[ ] Check the crockery and top it up
    Count by servings rather than guests: plates and glasses run out first. Disposables are a sensible choice, not a disgrace.
[ ] Clear space for coats and shoes
    A rail or a spare bedroom, plus somewhere for shoes by the door. That is the first thirty seconds of every guest's visit.
[ ] Get the bathroom ready
    Clean, a fresh towel, soap, a spare roll in plain sight. Move personal items out of view.
[ ] Plan the food, allowing for restrictions
    Ask about allergies and what people do not eat. Cook some of it the day before: on the day the kitchen will be busy.
[ ] Buy the drinks, including non-alcoholic ones
    Water, juice and something interesting without alcohol are always needed: drivers, pregnancy, or simply not drinking. It is about respect, not volume.
[ ] Prepare ice and space for chilled drinks
    You always need more ice than you think. If the fridge is full, use a basin, the balcony or a bucket of ice.
[ ] Warn the neighbours
    A short message or a word in the lift. A warned neighbour is almost always more tolerant — and this is a relationship for years.
[ ] Plan what the children will do
    A corner of their own, simple games, safe sockets and stairs. Parents relax exactly as much as the children are occupied.
[ ] Set up the lighting and music in advance
    Warm, diffused light and background volume. Test the speaker and playlist before people arrive, not in front of them.
[ ] Answer specifically if people ask about gifts
    A short list of what you need saves everyone money and spares you a fourth vase. That is polite, not grasping.
[ ] Do a quick priority clean
    Bathroom, hallway, walkways, clear surfaces and smell. A full clean before a party is not necessary.
[ ] Get bin bags ready and space for empties
    A separate bag for bottles and cans saves the next morning. Put it out now, not once everything is lined up on the windowsills.
[ ] Be ready to give the tour
    Guests will ask. Move personal things out of the bedrooms and close the door of any room you would rather not show — that is fine.
[ ] Leave a plan for the next morning
    Bin bag ready, dishes soaking, windows open. Fifteen minutes in the evening saves half of Sunday.

Checklist from Unload: https://unloads.me/c/housewarming