Did you know that the average US party host spends around $1422 a year on party planning? Luckily, parties do not need to be this costly. If you know-how, they do not even have to be hard to plan.

All you need is our easy-to-follow checklist. Read on as we discuss seven essential tips for any party planner.

1. Budget

The first step you need to take is to set out a budget, followed by budgeting some more. The temptation to overspend when planning a party is almost unbearable. However, if you do, costs can quickly spiral out of control.

Start by setting an overall budget for the party. After this, divide it into subcategories. These could include decorations, food and drinks, and entertainment.

From here, you can adjust accordingly if one needs priority over the other. Use an app to plan so you can easily stay on track.

Other than money, you should also consider budgeting your time. Do you have hours in your schedule to make food and decorations? If not, then you may need to hire people in, pushing up the monetary cost.

2. Decide on a Theme

You don't have to include a theme for your party. In fact, some people may find it refreshing not to have one. However, it can be a whole lot of fun to include some loose ideas and can be a springboard for choosing fun games and foods.

You don't want to exclude people by being too niche and specific. Countries, continents, events, places, and time periods are great ones. From beachwear to eighties chic, choose something that is easy for everyone to get involved in.

If you are organizing a children's party, try to themes that are easily relatable to them. Farm animals, dinosaurs, pirates, and space are some easy options.

3. Set a Date

The next step in your party organization is to set a date and time for the party. This all depends on the type of party you choose to have.

Children's parties should generally be late afternoon, so children can be tired out for bed when they get home. Your adult parties may start in the night or could be daytime, afternoon affairs.

Don't try to adjust the date because people can not make it. While getting general consensus is a good idea, you will always have some people who can not attend no matter how far in advance you book.

If you are using an outside venue and need to book, part of this may be dictated by their availability. You should also have a backup venue, just in case anything goes wrong with the primary location and your booking is canceled.

Finally, send out the invitations. Do this as far in advance as possible to facilitate stress-free party planning, and send a reminder two weeks before the date.

4. Create a Guest List

The guest list will have a direct impact on your budget. The main consideration is if you are inviting individuals, telling people they can bring a plus one, or inviting families.

All of these need adjustment as you will have to cater to the increased numbers. If you are having an informal get-together, such as a BBQ, you could ask people to bring some food such as salads and desserts they have made. This keeps down some of the work and budget.

One of the hardest to cater for is a traditional sit-down dinner party. In these instances, unless you have catering, it helps to keep numbers to a minimum.

5. Choose the Entertainment

If you have a theme for your party, then it makes sense to theme some of the entertainment to match it. The easiest and cheapest method is to take time creating a great music playlist. For example, an eighties party could include some smash hits from the decade.

If you want to go further, you could hire live bands. However, entertainment just not just have to involve music. If you have a children's party then magicians, petting zoos, and party games you organize yourself can always be included.

6. To Do List

Your to-do list should start the day before the event. By starting then, you can cross off a lot of tasks so you will not be trying to do everything on the day of the event. This is party planning made easy.

One of the easiest tasks to do the day before is to decorate and arrange the party. Unless it is a surprise, you may be able to get all of this done. You may also have some food and drink preparation that could be done the night before.

On the morning of the event, you should only have menial tasks to complete. They could include final food preparation and putting it out, and picking up items like cakes, balloons, and flowers. This gives you plenty of time to greet the guests and keeps you out of the kitchen.

7. Clean Up List

Finally, it is the one no one really wants to think about but everyone has to do. By making a clean-up list, you can cut down the time drastically when you are tired after the big event. If you have been drinking, it is also much better to do the bulk of the cleaning now than with a hangover the next day.

As the party winds down, you may find some people lingering around who are willing to help. Get them to deal with some of the smaller tasks on the list. Make sure you have plenty of space for trash, recycling, and a place to house the uneaten food and drink.

Be a Social Party Planner

On the big day, make sure you don't run around organizing. People want the party planner to be social. Come out of the kitchen, get a drink and be with your guests at the big event.

If you enjoyed our article, then visit the rest of our blog. We have everything to manage your home and social life, from finance to leisure tips.