party in your apartment

When you throw a Halloween party (or any party for that matter) in a small apartment, there are a couple of minor challenges. But, where most people see limits, the true party planning expert sees possibilities. Like, Frankenstein-sized possibilities.

Here are some helpful tips on how to throw a Halloween party in an apartment. No doubt you want the guests to get a treat, rather than a rotten egg-like trick.

1. Choose between a chilling or chill theme

There are two main types of Halloween to celebrate, so it’s a good idea to choose your party’s motif before landing the old broomstick on anything else. The first type of Halloween is the kid-friendly sort, filled with décor featuring pumpkins, whimsical fake tombstones and not-so-spooky ghosts.

The other type of Halloween aims to terrify, with realistically gruesome zombies, jump-scares galore and probably more than one Stephen King character on site (Pennywise, we’re looking at you). Whichever route you take, it pays to choose one and see it through. Continuity is key! The cast of “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” doesn’t really belong side by side with “The Walking Dead,” you know?

2. Get some ghoulish guests

To that end, make sure to iron out exactly what sort of audience you want. If families are coming, dial down the scary. But, if it’s adults only, feel free to go all out.

Most apartment-based events are also best kept to a limited number of attendees. Although it might be terrifyingly tempting to invite everyone you ever met, there’s only so much space to go around, which could cause the party to crash and burn prematurely. Shoot for around 30 attendees (not everyone will come, so invite a few more than that).

Also, strongly consider including nearby neighbors on the guest list. Otherwise, you might wind up with a flaming bag of poo on your doorstep. No one likes excessive noise without warning or being left out of the fun, for that matter. At the very least, a heads up on the upcoming event, plus saying “you’re welcome to stop by” goes a long way.

3. Set a not-so-dangerous date

Choose the date and time to suit your guest list, as well. Nothing petrifies parents of toddlers quite like a late evening party because that’s when the real monsters might threaten to come out. So, if kids are coming, opt for earlier in the day, and definitely not on actual Halloween night when they’ll be out trolling for candy. Otherwise, adults tend to prefer spooky soirees in the evening hours.

4. Clear the place out

If you’re tight with the next-door neighbors, ask them if you can store some extraneous furniture in their unit during the party. Or, choose a room that you don’t want people going in anyway (like the bedroom) and relocate some bits and pieces in there temporarily. Most parties need only be standing-room only, with maybe a couch or some chairs pushed up against the wall.

5. Set up a haunted micro-house

Lucky enough to have an extra bedroom or office? Transform that space into a miniature haunted “house” of sorts. It doesn’t have to go too over the top, either. Scary music, strobe light and a friend or two jumping out of the closet in zombie gear go a long way toward adding ambiance to an event.

6. Curate a creepy playlist

Nothing sets the tone for a party like a playlist. There are a ton of seasonal songs out there, but don’t feel like you have to limit the playlist to Halloween-specific tunes. Mix those in with other songs that lend the appropriate vibe, be it creepy, mysterious or scary.

Consider tunes from well-known horror flicks, like the theme from “Psycho,” pretty much anything from “The Shining” soundtrack or even classical music often featured in scary movies, such as Bach’s “Toccata & Fugue in D Minor” (you’ll know it when you hear it). Then, branch out into other pop culture favorites, like songs from the “Stranger Things,” “Us” or “Twilight” soundtracks, or even bands that lend themselves ever so slightly to the dark side, such as Marilyn Manson, Metallica, KISS, Black Sabbath and more.

At any point, you can pop in “A Nightmare on My Street” by DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince for brevity.

7. Decorate safely and sparingly

Nothing says Halloween quite like flickering candles, but for the sake of safety, opt instead for battery-powered candlelight. With a lot of people rubbing elbows in a small space the real deal is far too dangerous.

Also, don’t clutter the space with too many decorations. Focus on high-impact areas, like the front door, the balcony or the previously mentioned haunted house. Otherwise, dim lights, string lights, battery-operated candles and maybe a cobweb or two are plenty. You don’t want anyone tripping over life-sized mummies, or whatever.

8. Choose space-appropriate games

An apartment is not the place to bob for apples. Leave that to the outdoor festivities. Instead, plan some activities to keep guests engaged that aren’t too space-consuming. Halloween costume contests are popular, and really encourage guests to step up their game if you give prizes. A Halloween-themed scavenger hunt, Halloween trivia or even a full-blown murder mystery are all easy to pull off with minimal extra stuff required.

9. Serve foods that won’t scare people away

Throwing a Halloween party in an apartment is not the time to serve sticky ribs or bowls of pumpkin soup, no matter how appropriate they might be for the motif. Such options are simply too messy and uncomfortable to eat standing up. Instead, offer a smattering of finger foods for guests to graze on. That way, utensils and other extra pieces aren’t necessary for people to get their nosh on. This will minimize the upfront cost and the back-end mess, both of which are good things.

Feel free to whip up a themed app or two, like meatballs that look like eyeballs or strawberry ghosts, but don’t feel obligated to get too cutesy. Instead, put a little extra effort into a signature drink or two, like Frankenpunch or Black Magic Jell-O shots. Also, don’t put all of the food and beverages in the exact same spot, unless you enjoy a logjam. Instead, designate a sideboard in the living room for certain apps, a kitchen counter for more and yet another spot for drinks.

10. Make the party literally chilling

A regular party can easily ramp the temperature way up in an apartment, but a party with people wearing costumes, makeup and even masks will really do some damage. Keep your guests from sweating their zombie faces off by cranking up the air conditioning and providing plenty of cold beverages.

Time to eat, drink and be scary

You can have a lot of fun in a small space if you know how to throw a Halloween party in an apartment. So, don’t be a scaredy-cat — start planning a ghostly event today!

A freelance writer based out of the Atlanta area, Alia has penned articles during her decade+ career for such sites as HowStuffWorks, TLC, Animal Planet, Zillow and many more. Her favorite things to write about include fitness, nutrition, travel, healthcare and general lifestyle topics. A graduate of the University of Georgia, Alia’s an avid Dawg, but she also loves reading, sewing, eating all things chocolate and playing sports with her husband, three boys and beloved border collie, Flash.