3 Creative Moving Away Party Ideas

Posted on 13/09/2016

Moving away to a different city or country is a huge milestone in most people’s lives and it should be properly celebrated. Throwing a farewell party before the man and van come to pack is a great way to say goodbye to your friends and your old place. Like birthdays and anniversaries, such event takes a bit of preparation. Whether you’re planning a “Bon Voyage” party for a friend or you’re organising your own farewell gathering, you can find inspiration with these ingenious and easy to pull off party ideas.

Pick a Theme!

Every party starts with choosing a proper theme. Of course you can always go with a casual get-together and regular decoration. If you want to make it truly special and memorable event, try more unconventional approach. Here are a couple of suggestions:

1. International themed party – if you or your friend is moving house to a different country, this is a great opportunity to get in the spirit of the new place. From a Spanish fiesta, to a French soiree or an Italian pizza night, you have plenty of options and readily made decorations.

2. World traveller party – hang a world map on the wall, put an old-fashioned globe on the table and make passport-like invitations.

3. Popular culture theme – Use your friend’s favourite book or movie as an inspiration for cool themes. Are they obsessed with Star Wars? Before the removal van comes to pick their stuff, send them on a trip to a galaxy far far away. Decorate with action figures and have fun with a little Star Wars trivia game.

Create Personalised Invitations

Once you come up with a theme, you can start thinking of complementing invitations. Ideally, it should be something memorable and thoughtful. You can pick prints with air balloons, planes and even a moving van. If you are organising a party for a friend, send card or an email with a little twist. You can ask each guest to write down in the invitation why this person will be missed and include short and funny story. They will bring the cards with them and read them on the party. Then you can collect the cards and put them in the scrapbook with a picture of each friend or family member to create a perfect goodbye gift.

Set Up the Right Atmosphere

A good party cannot go without the right decoration, food and drinks.

• Decorations – Work around your theme. The decoration shouldn’t be complicated or fancy. A simple banner that says “good luck” or “farewell” at the entrance or near the food can serve as a centrepiece. Get napkins and tablecloths with the same colour scheme and pattern.

• Food – Pick simple bites and snacks to keep the focus on the guests, not on the food. Also have some comfort food like pizza, ice cream or other desserts at hand for the sad goodbyes. If your friend is going to a place where their favourite food is not easily available, you can serve this stuff. Your guest of honour will be chuffed.

Going Away Party Activities

Make the party fun with a couple of cool and entertaining games.

• Set a challenge – Ask each guest to find some interesting and unconventional activity or place in the country or city the guest of honour is moving house to. Write down all the ideas and challenge your friend to complete each task once they arrive.

• Traveller’s treasure hunt – Gather some old suitcases, fill them with clothing and hide a prize in one of them. Let your guest choose a suitcase and see if they win a prize.

Going Away Gifts

It’s always great to give your guest of honour something that will remind them of home. If you are moving house, you may want to thank your friends and family for the support with small party favours.

• Gifts for the house movers – You can pick a gift related to their destination like a guidebook or get a custom photo book.

• Gifts for the guests – When you are in the middle of a house relocation, you may not have a lot of time to think about party favours. Go for something easy to make and practical like magnets with your new contact details. In this way everyone will stay in touch after the house removal.

Before the man with a van team come to load your belongings, throw a farewell party to remember.