Rental Report: Holiday Entertaining, Apartment Style

Editor’s Note: This biweekly sponsored column is written by Rick Gersten, founder and CEO of Urban Igloo, a rental real estate firm that matches up renters with their ideal apartments, condos or houses. Please submit any questions in the comments section or via email.

You have a great new apartment, and now it is time to deck those halls. Here are some tips to pull off a great holiday party in your new digs.

Location – Sure you want to show off your apartment, but what if the guest list is longer than a 6 year old’s letter to Santa? You might be in luck. Remember that party room they walked you through on the building tour? It could be the perfect location. Most party rooms can be reserved for free for residents. You might have to put down a small cleaning deposit, which you will get back as long as you return the room in the same condition. If your building doesn’t have a party room, then you may have to consider trimming that guest list.

Invite the neighbors – Still planning to have everyone in your apartment? Think about including your neighbors. If you don’t know them, it is a perfect time to introduce yourself. It is a nice way to let them know there may be some noise and extra traffic that evening, and even if they don’t show up, they will appreciate the gesture. If you don’t want to add anyone to the guest list, maybe you can take over a nice tin of cookies (skip the fruitcake), and let them know your plans. They will likely excuse the extra noise for the evening. Just keep it to a respectful time.

Notify the front desk – If your building has controlled access with a concierge be sure to let them know even if your guests can call you to let them in. It is their job to observe people coming in and out of the building, and it is nice to give them a heads up so they can help direct people where to go. If your guests can’t call up, then coordinate with the desk as to whether they need a guest list, or guests should show their invite to the desk as they arrive. Be sure to let your guests know what they will need to do, and maybe drop off some of those yummy holiday treats to the front desk as a thank you for helping out.

Drop-in Party – Another way to have a larger guest list, but save the guests from a shoulder-to-shoulder soiree, is have a “Drop-In” party.  Say something like, “Drop in anytime from 7-10 p.m. for a holiday treat and a glass of egg nog.” This can help keep the party moving, and guests don’t feel obligated to stay for a long time.

Living in close quarters doesn’t mean you have to skimp on the holiday festivities. Just be sure to share the cheer with the neighbors and folks working in the building. Now that you have the logistics figured out, you can head on over to Pinterest to figure out how to make some delicious goodies for the party.

~Happy Holidays!

The views and opinions expressed in the column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ARLnow.com.

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