Congratulations, Graduates

Now that those Memorial Day cookouts are safely under their belts, many parents are already planning another seasonal celebration: the graduation party. It’s a final rite of passage among the many that high school offers, and a great chance to celebrate one’s child’s accomplishment.

Graduation parties tend to take the form of open houses, and many families schedule them on weekend days. Collaborate with your graduate on the guest list, and consider dedicating specific hours of the afternoon to family and friends, since, as the Huffington Post points out, they will likely enjoy different kinds of activities.

Party and craft stores will have plenty of ready-made decorations available; you may wish to go with a simple graduation year theme or emphasize school spirit based on the high school attended or the college that awaits. If you want to go beyond the typical themes, HGTV offers plenty of ways to put one’s own creative spin on the event.

Remember that thrift stores can be a valuable resource in preparing for a graduation party. They often stock lots of lightly used apparel from area schools, as well as extra party gear that people just didn’t get the chance to use. And since many thrifts are supplied by donations to ClothingDonations.org, buying from them helps fund valuable veterans’ programs.

For a good graduation nosh, pick items that can sit on a buffet table for a few hours; with an open house, they should be ready whenever the guests drop in. And don’t forget the congratulatory sheet cake! It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it’s almost as much of an expectation as a wedding cake is at a wedding.

If your graduate is going off to college, this is an excellent time to prepare them (and your home) for the next stages in life. After the party is over and the graduation gifts are opened, sit your teen down and discuss an action plan to organize their space for that time in the not-too-distant future when they no longer use it on a day-to-day basis.

They have just 10 to 12 weeks to declutter that space and pick out what they want to keep and/or take with them as they move into campus life, adulthood and ultimately, their own homes. Donate whatever doesn’t make the cut by scheduling a pickup with ClothingDonations.org, and you’ll be able to reclaim some square footage in your home.