Three more days until your party: what to order now and what to skip
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by Verpakkingdeals.nl
6 min reading time
Your party is in three days and your list is half done. This is the order in which you decide: what you still order now, what you pick up around the corner, and what you cut without regret.
It's Wednesday evening, your party is on Saturday, and your to-do list is only half-checked. The streamers are ready, but you have no candles, not enough glasses, and nothing to make ice with. This is rarely a disaster. Most parties succeed or fail based on five things being right; no one notices the rest. The tricky part is deciding which five, when you only have a few days left.
This guide walks you through those last few days in the order you'll make decisions: first what's absolutely essential, then what you can still order, then what's better picked up locally.
First, the question that dictates everything: what will your guests drink from?
Drinkware is the only element you can't do without. You can improvise snacks, cut decorations in half, but twenty people with five glasses just won't work. Count your guests, count your glasses, and see if the gap is large enough to order something extra.
For a drinks party, assume one and a half to two clean drinks per guest. If you're short, there are two routes: supplement with something you'll reuse later, or supplement with something disposable that you can clean up all at once. A Shot Glass Set 6 pieces - 60 ml (€ 3.00) fills the gap for spirits and shots; for coffee, tea, and soup, a stock of Coffee Cups 150ml 100 Pieces (€ 14.95) works well, which you can just leave in the cupboard for next time after the party.
With only a few days left, it's best to order items that meet three conditions. They are small and flat, so a package won't take a detour. They are durable, so they won't be worthless if the party moves a week later. And they are reusable or at least re-deployable, so any leftover isn't wasted money.
Candles. A cake without a candle stands out. Name Candles Birthday - 100 Names costs €1.00 and is immediately the cheapest part of your entire party.
Ice. If you still have three days, you still have time to freeze. An Ice Ball Maker for Round Ice Balls (€1.95) is the cheapest way to make drinks look presentable.
Presenting snacks. A Popcorn Bin (€7.95) turns a bag of chips into a table centerpiece.
What you should NOT order at this stage: anything that needs to be custom-sized. Clothes, shoes, costumes, and items where you have to guess the size belong at the beginning of your planning, not the end. An order that doesn't fit cannot be exchanged with only three days to go.
What's better to pick up locally
Fresh and heavy are the two keywords. Bags of ice, bread, dips, flowers, and drinks should be bought locally: this saves on weight, cooling, and risk. The same goes for anything you'll only need if more guests arrive than expected — only buy it on the day itself, and buy it from a store where you can return it or simply consume it.
A third category: things you probably already have at home. Before you order a tablecloth, check your cupboard. Before you order cups, count what's in the kitchen. It sounds silly, but most last-minute orders consist of items that are two meters away on a shelf.
Decorations that can be set up in twenty minutes
You don't need to hang decorations everywhere. Choose one spot that stands out—the table, the door, or the corner where people congregate—and keep the rest bare. This looks calmer than a little bit of decoration everywhere.
For that one spot, ribbon works surprisingly well: Barrier Ribbon with Funny Text - 25 meters (from €2.95) can be hung in five minutes, and with 25 meters, you can also mark a route or close off a room where you'd rather not have guests. If you want guests to wear something without having to change clothes, place a small basket with Fancy Dress Nose Masks (€4.95) or a few Venetian Masks Black (€5.95). This is cheaper than a theme and works better than a dress code that half the guests forget.
Quantities without calculations
If you want to make quick decisions, use fixed quantities per ten guests and round up, never down.
Item
Per 10 guests
Why
Glasses or cups
15 to 20
People grab a second glass if they lose the first one
Straws
15
Go with the glass, not the guest
Napkins
30
Disappear faster than anything else
Candles
1 set
Needed once, but at the right moment
Games
2
More won't be played
The last half hour before the first guest
Check three things. Is music ready and does the sound work? A Stereo Speaker with Phone Holder - USB and AUX (€14.95) needs a cable you don't want to search for at the last minute. Is there an empty bin or box for trash and empty bottles, in a place where people will pass by? And do you know where the reserves are—extra glasses, extra straws, extra ice—so you don't have to search for them during the party?
Finally, put everything leftover immediately into one box instead of five cupboards. The next time you make a list with three days to spare, start by looking in that box. That will save you half your order.
What to order now
For decorations and small items, check Party Supplies; for drinkware, see Glasses and Straws; for something to do, browse Games; and for accessories that allow guests to participate without hassle, visit Fancy Dress Accessories. If you're unsure if something will arrive on time or want to know what's still in stock, feel free to email info@verpakkingdeals.nl—we'll check with you before you order.
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