When I discussed sorting through and reorganizing my storage bins the other day, I neglected to tell you about the most important bin, the one that's always kept fully-loaded: the party box..
The party box is crucial. You never know when something will need to be celebrated, or when consolation will need to be offered in the form of confetti. Ideally, someday I'll always have a chilled bottle of bubbly on hand, and LMFAO's Party Rock cued up to the best part, a lá Rashida Jones on Parks and Recreation. For now, my party box contains..
- A bunch of Champagne poppers, left over from this project.
- Make-your-own banner kits, because banner emergencies do arrive. I bought one set from ThinkGeek to make a banner for a friend, then figured having another set around could not hurt.
- A big jar of confetti. I bought the Confetti System-Urban Outfitters confetti years ago when it went on clearance, and still have plenty left. It was a huge bag of confetti!
- A coil of Metallic Twisted Craft Paper- I once used some of this to spruce up some balloons, but it has many other uses. You can use it as garland, wrap presents with it, hang a piñata from it (I think)- basically, it's obnoxiously shiny and gold, and that always comes in handy.
- Some weird metal nest tinsel? I don't really know what this stuff is, but I've used it as packaging in gifts, as well as just strewing it around the place. Again, it's gold, it's shiny, it's fun.
- Miscellaneous confetti is good to have on hand: the pack of gold stars came free with something I ordered on Etsy, and the seed-paper confetti was made by artist Leah Rosenberg.
Other items that have made their way through the party box include glowstick bracelets, a thrift store strobe light, lengths of spangled metallic garland, piñata-appropriate candy, and a tiny disco ball. You always need a tiny disco ball. Do you have a party box, or something even more fabulous?
(Images: Tess Wilson)
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You forgot the birthday cake candles! Mine also has sparklers because I love sparklers. And tiaras, because you need to be able to decorate people, too.
I love it! I need a party box in my life : )
Oh, the party box!! I just call it the party closet!!
Mine is less about decorations and more about party supplies.
I keep a bunch of supplies in one of those tubs used to chill drinks.... BBQ Skewers, checked table cloth, those spikes that go into the ground to hold your wine glasses and a bottle of wine, outdoor silverware --- that sort of thing.
Then along side it on the shelf is my flat of wine glasses from World Market, stacks of dessert plates (I refuse to use paper plates.) and other party-having-supplies!!
My sister used to have one of these. She called it her Porta Party.
pbsteele I'd like to "like" your response! LOL
yes, candles and matches are missing. maybe a silly birthday hat
Ha, this is so smart. Love it.
Oh, please! I just read a sensible column on clutter (control of) and this is about the antithesis. I would never use any of the noted items for any party I'd throw... I'd use my pretty china dessert plates, my Keurig coffee maker for those who prefer, fresh flowers, good food of some kind, music or movies depending on the situation...
In my whole life, I can only remember using "party decorations" once -- for my partner's fiftieth birthday. And that was mostly a joke! Maybe you have to do those things for kids (I wouldn't know) but for adults, "emergency" parties can be handled with the cheesecake in the freezer! ;^) (The one you DO NOT eat any other time!)
Well guess we know a party pooper when we read one ! Great idea everyone, keep up your light hearted posts and suggestions.
^hahahahaha that was way better a response than any that I was thinking :-)
Also, my house is pretty much party-ready at a drop of a hat, which is a good thing, because my house is usually either the go-to party house or the emergency back-up party house because the rain has cancelled the party at the park, due to the relative size of my house and my affinity for decorating with shiny, sparkly "party" items (actually, decorating for parties and then not taking down some/a lot of the decorations). It's also not bad to come home to after a long day of boring, uncreative work.
I have a bag of party supplies hanging in my coat closet. I pick up things here and there at end of season sales. Nothing like bringing out some fun stuff to liven up a dreary February day at work.
I've been doing this for years, but people generally think I'm being miserly because I save and reuse birthday banners and cake top decorations and hats and streamers. Friends and family laugh about it, but they also know that I have all this stuff on hand at a moment's notice!
I agree that a tiara is essential. I used to work in theatre/film, and would work many an overnight build in order to be ready for production. At 2 am, we would declare it to be "tiara time." We all had one. Tiaras make even ridiculous work schedules a party.
tiara time! that is a great idea. i appreciate all the positive responses to this party post! (and i don't think having a small bin of party supplies is over the top unnecessary clutter OR childish. unless you consider joy at happy things childish.)
Neeeeeeed! I need a partybox:D Thanks for all the ideas!
I think everyone has another personal idea for the perfect party, and some people (like me eg) love things like the party box. So don't conclude from your favorite ideas to others and judge them for that!
This could go a yard further with other supplies on hand ICE. I have craft sets for playdates, presents for unexpected invitations, and, very, VERY well hidden two bottles of bubbles. Sometimes I forget, and it's so nice, when preparing the bed for a guest, to find in the comforter some bubbles. And all the decorations I have always on hand are the party hats and a tiara.
Oh wow, this lifted my spirits no end!! What great ideas. I thought I was together by having a birthday banner, candles and (usually) a bottle of bubbly in the fridge. But clearly I am missing several keys ingredients, and the top of the list is a tiara and sparklers. Thanks for this great post and all the creative comments - life is too short not to have fun!!
Half of me agrees with Sherry. Mainly because I consider fresh flowers decor for a party, or trimmings from the yard plants.
But I don't see how this is all that different from the box/closet/room/storage space that Xmas celebrants keep. Or Halloween, or Thanksgiving, or even my set of dessert plates for Pesach.
If impromptu party planning is your thing, this would fall under useful and be worthy of some space in your place.
If, however, you pull one together and throw one party in the next decade...well... Live your real life, not a fantasy life.
Boo on you. I decorate the dining room every year on my son's birthday ... streamers, banners, and balloons if I have them on hand. He wakes up to find a festive spot for his breakfast and I leave it up for about a week. When he went off to college last year I knew I'd miss the tradition and wondered if he would too. We didn't have to find out because to my joyous relief his birthday fell during Spring Break!
My 26 year old is coming home this weekend for her birthday and you can be sure there will be balloons (helium), and plenty of crepe paper streamers. Don't forget the crepe paper! It's cheap, comes in a ton of colors and a little tape at one end, twist, then tape at the other end is what we call "Sorority Decorating!" I still enjoy making my kids feel like "kids" on their birthdays! :)
This is awesome :) I want one!
I have a "birthday drawer" - a couple of generic emergency greeting cards, a shiny Happy Birthday crown from Party City, candles, of course, pretty paper dessert plates, napkins and matching forks. Hit up your local chinatown for paper lanterns and tissue paper garlands. But the BEST thing in the drawer is the plastic pedestal plate that LIGHTS UP AND SINGS "Happy Birthday to You" A tacky/fabulous gift from my MIL that never fails to make us laugh. I think it is this one http://www.amazon.com/Happy-Birthday-Singing-Cake-Plate/dp/B002U0M0RO (Those lotus flower candles are pretty amazing, too) Make room in your life for celebrating! Give it a little forethought, stock your drawer, then you can grab a quick Carvel ice cream cake and make a party out of thin air.
I'm on the extreme end of party readiness. I've got a kids party box with streamers, balloons, mini milk bottles, bamboo plates (as practical as paper but reusable) 4 different coloured paper straws, bunting, bumble bee pegs, mini blackboard labels. it's growing every birthday, because of the focus on reusable things. The grown up version has mismatched silver cutlery and china plates, vintage tablecloths, solar chandalier and 4 sets of extra glasses, and a bottle of gin, just in case :) and a box with handmade cards, and a random assortment of emergency gifts ranging from homemade snow globes to china owl cookie jars. I've also got a sewing and art box..... Honestly, our house isn't cluttered and we don't have a ton of stuff, these things are tucked away till needed, and are mostly reusable, it works for us!
And candles..
We have a twenty pound bag of Mardi Gras beads. Great for dressing up, decorating and party favors!
Two cases of cheap champagne glasses from a restaurant supply store are also one of the best investments I made towards 24/7 party readiness. Glad to see the missing tiara was #1 on the comments. Mine gets a lot of use-have always been glad I splurged on the $22 rhinestone version instead of a cheap one.
I need a party box! I have most of these things in various places throughout the house - great idea to compile them into one 'go-to' for those party emergencies!