What Do I Need for a Party? The Things Everyone Forgets

This isn't a step-by-step timeline - see our checklist for that. This is the list of small, specific things that catch out most first-time hosts, grouped by where they usually get forgotten.

Money and admin

A float of cash for last-minute costs on the day - ice, a forgotten item, a tip for a supplier
A clear way to split costs if anyone else is contributing, agreed before the day, not after
Insurance if you are hiring a marquee or a bouncy castle - most hire companies offer it, but check it is included rather than assumed
A plan for what happens if it rains, decided in advance rather than worked out in a panic

On the day

Extension cables and a multi-plug socket - venues never have enough sockets in the right places
Bin bags and kitchen roll - parties generate mess fast
A bottle opener and corkscrew, kept somewhere obvious
More ice than you think you need
A basic first aid kit, if the venue does not already have one
A charger for whatever is playing the music

For the guests

A clear end time on the invite, so people know when the party finishes
Dietary requirements asked for in advance, not guessed on the day
Somewhere to sit for anyone who cannot stand for two hours
A non-alcoholic option that is not just tap water

If children are coming

A quiet space they can retreat to if the party gets overwhelming
Something to occupy younger siblings who are not the birthday child
Wipes - always more useful than you expect

Write it down, not just in your head

Most of this list is obvious once someone says it, and completely forgettable at 11pm the night before. A short written checklist, even just in your phone's notes app, is the difference between remembering it and finding out on the day. If you would rather not start it from a blank page, describing your event in a paragraph will build most of one for you.

Don't want to track all this yourself?

Tell Plan My Do what you're planning and we'll help you keep track of the details, not just the big-ticket items.

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