When you move from what was your home, to what is your new home, you leave a piece of you behind. Memories of people and places get stuck in your mind (and heart) for a long time, and sometimes even forever. That is one of the hardest parts of moving for anyone and it is not easy to cope with it. When you come to your new neighborhood, it will surely feel strange to be there. The house looks different, the things are not where they are supposed to be and your neighbors are strangers. It can make you feel really nostalgic and you should prepare yourself for that mentally. We all have different ways of dealing with these kinds of situations. There is one thing, however, that can be really helpful for settling in your new neighborhood and that is to host a neighborhood meet and greet.
Even if you have never been to one, you’ve probably seen these in movies at least. People from the neighborhood gather at one place and socialize with each other. Sometimes, gatherings are organized in someone’s backyard, and there is a barbecue and beer, and music. Sometimes, gatherings are organized in a park, or in some of the local halls.
There are many ways one can host a neighborhood meet and greet and they are all perfectly acceptable. After all, what they all have in common is that people are here to have fun. If your move is not yet complete, you can get some helpful moving tips during the party. So, how do you host a neighborhood meet and greet? As we already stated, there are many ways to do this, but they all have some things in common, so here we go!
Make sure your kitchen is ready for the party
Planning is the key if you want to host a neighborhood meet and greet successfully
Hosting a party for dozens, or a hundred, or more people is not an easy task. It will surely feel overwhelming and you will probably feel at least a little stressed out. Bear in mind that it is actually not that hard, as the legendary tactician Sun Tzu, the author of The Art of War, famously said – “Management of many is the same as management of few. It is a matter of organization.” So, what this means is that you have to start planning well in advance.
The socializing and connecting with your neighbors start weeks or even months before the actual party begins. As you and your family are running errands and making phone calls in order to host a neighborhood meet and greet, you will get in touch with neighbors. Some will probably quickly “click” with you and will lend a helping a hand to you whether in organizing your kitchen or doing the invitations.
There are several key things to be aware of:
- Make sure that you invited everyone in your area of interest
- Plan everything perfectly
- Expect the plan to go off the rails
- Make sure that you have enough provisions to keep people well fed and hydrated
- Pick your music carefully (go for the easy score, i.e. some oldies evergreen hits combined with quality popular music
You need to plan the party successfully
Some important tips:
- Make an inventory list items you will need
- Find a couple of people whose task will be to deliver invites and take care of social networks
- Talk with your neighbors about options for the party’s venue (prepare a reserve option, just in case)
- Check with the authorities are there any permits that you need to get and how much do they cost
- Make sure that everybody knows what they are in charge of
- Think about the menu, and make sure that you have enough cutlery, plates etc (prepare extra, again, just in case)
- See with the neighbors are there among them any local bands or other performers
- Make sure that there are several “zones of entertainment” i.e. that there is a section of the venue where people can drink and talk, another section where they can dance etc.
Planning your budget
For instance, if you have just moved to California with some of the best interstate moving companies California offers, you have probably saved some money. Those are always good news and can give you breathing space. There are though many other solutions to budgeting the party, that can help you a lot. There is a lot of organizations in many neighborhoods that are always ready to assist with hosting a party. They often have a special section of funds that is intended just for that particular cause.
There are always ways for saving money, you just have to be creative
Some of them, however, may not be in a position to help with the funds, but they can give you other things. Many would like to volunteer to help you in organizing the whole thing. That can save you time and money in an indirect way. Also, these community-level organizations can provide things like tables, food, drinks, chairs, and even sports gear if you plan on having these a part of your party. This can lead to you, saving money on a lot of things on your checklist. Local shops and other businesses usually tend to give discounts and even giveaways in exchange for some free marketing. Some may even offer their cookers and waiters at a discounted price, which could be beneficial in many crucial ways.
When planning your move to a new city, like San Francisco, you should take into consideration that you may be host a neighborhood meet and greet after you move. So, putting it on paper while planning this is a good idea. In order to save money and time, make sure that you pick carefully among all those San Francisco long distance movers.
Final tip
Don’t let yourself get stressed out if you decide to host a neighborhood meet and greet! It is a party and should be taken lightly. If you as the host get all stressed out, your guests won’t have as much fun. However, if you keep smiling and having fun, your party will be awesome! Good luck!