How To Throw A Memorable Summer Apartment Party In A Small Space

2 days ago
5 min read

Colorful "Summer Party" image with cocktail glasses, a beach ball, and festive bunting on a white background, creating a cheerful vibe.

Why I'm Writing About Apartment Parties

I was recently asked to submit a few sentences for the ApartmentGuide (a division of Redfin) Apartment Summer guide. Other than being honored to be asked to submit (I am just a small blog, after all), it reminded me of all the fun parties I used to host in my apartment and the parties I've thrown in my garage and small home.

My apartment parties were SO fun. They were summer apartment parties, and I hosted parties in any season. Mostly, they were themed wine parties - simple and easy for everyone.

Continue reading to learn how to host a party in any small space - apartments, garages, small homes - you can make these tips work for your small space!

How to Maximize Space for Your Summer Apartment Party

When I hosted summer apartment parties, I would use my entire kitchen & dining area. I had a small microwave stand where I kept glasses, the stove became an extra counter - snacks or drinks could sit there. The kitchen table was a place for all the food to go.

Look around and declutter your space.

Luckily, my washer/dryer was a stacked model and located right next to the kitchen. What a perfect spot to place cups & plates!

As far as my garage parties go, I utilize my husband's workbench (cleared and added a plastic tablecloth), 2-3 foldable tables, and even the top of his toolbox! Look around, declutter your space, and I'm sure you will find room.

These are some examples of maximizing space in my small apartment.

Easy Summer Recipes That Don’t Heat The Kitchen

In more recent times, I've hosted a garden party in my garage. I let my guests know the theme, and they brought along hummus, a charcuterie board, and burrata! These are very simple to put together and don't require any additional ways to keep cool, which is important when trying to save space.

Utilize a crockpot/ninja/instantpot if you have one - great for any hot appetizer you may want. Though these do tend to take up a lot of space so keep that in mind.

My absolute favorite thing for a summer apartment party is onion dip - it's just 2 ingredients. It does require keeping the dip in a bowl of ice, but small bowls are easy to find.

If you are looking for more ideas for food that doesn't heat the kitchen, check out my garden party series. You can find recipes like edible compost, ladybugs, and decoration ideas!

Colorful snacks on a floral plate: chips with guacamole, vegetable sticks in dip, corn salad, and cracker with a ladybug design.

Decorating Ideas That Make a Big Impact in Small Spaces

Whether it's a sheet that you spray paint the theme on or the cutest on-theme cups you can find, your guests are sure to have a fun time when you include on-theme decor.

I hosted a hillbilly wind party where I decorated solo cups with tractors, hung clothes around my apartment and guests wore straw hats & flannel shirts.

More recently, I hosted a garage garden party where I found cute flower pot cups and fake clover was added to an upcycled box for my guests' gift bags!

To keep on theme, look for stickers or other props (in my case, fake plastic fruits) that can be easily placed around the party space.

Below are a few Summer Apartment Party themes that are easy to find decor for:

Garden Party - think flower plates & napkins, pink cups, flower/veggie stickers & use plastic table clothes as needed. Guests can bring any cold dish from finger sandwiches to charcuterie. Read all about my Garden Party here!
Wine Party - using wine bottles as your decor! Make it fancy by having guests bring a cheese or chocolate to pair with different types of wines. Keep the decor simple & light colored so the wine is the main focus.
Art Party - go "decor-less" by crafting on-theme cocktails instead. My friend let me host a paint & sip party at her house. Everyone brought a snackable dish, I had art-themed stickers so guests could decorate their cups, and 3 art-themed cocktails.
Specific color/food party - for example, a pink party where everyone brings/wears pink (or whatever color you choose). Or, a blueberry party where everything contains blueberries and people wear blue/purple. You can also decorate using shades of those colors.
Other themes that are more generic - pool party, picnic party, and many more, if you search social media for "party theme ideas"

Now that you've learned about maximizing space, what to make, and have a theme picked out, you'll want to keep reading to learn what you can do ahead of party day!

What to Prep Ahead to Stay Chill on Party Day

For me, I do pretty much everything a day or two ahead of the party. Typically, I shop 4 days before the party to ensure I have everything I need. Then I decide how many things I am making and what parts I can make ahead of time.

For example, onion dip needs a day or two in the fridge & it's super simple. I can make that on lunch 2 days ahead of the party. I would think almost any dip can be made at least a day in advance.

Things that could get soggy - like finger sandwiches - I will make the filling and prep the ingredients ahead of time. Assembly & cutting of bread will be about an hour before the party starts.

Keep it simple - if you want to serve charcuterie or a veggie tray, but don't want the hassle of putting it together, buy that from the store. Place it on a tray at home or keep it in the container from the store. Your guests will not mind either way.

Small Space, Big Vibes—You’ve Got This!

The most important thing to remember is that guests are honored to be invited to your party. They will not remember the pile of stuff you had to shove in the corner so you could make the small space work. I read a quote online once, "no one is looking at your baseboards", and it's true! No one is coming in with a white glove and checking for dust. What they will check is for smiles and laughter.

No one is looking at your baseboards

Just because you have a small space doesn't mean you can't host a party. Get creative with your space. Also, while themes are fun, sometimes it's just as fun (and way less stressful!) to not have a theme.

Will you be hosting a small space party? What will your theme be? Let me know in the comments below or continue the conversation on social media!