Fun Ideas That Will Help You Throw A Memorable Moving Away Party in San Francisco
Whether you are leaving your parents’ place for the first time, you found a more suitable place of residence, or are moving in with a partner or a new roommate, you are closing a chapter of your life and starting the next one. Whatever it might be, a moving away party is in order. Organizing a farewell gathering while preparing for a big move can seem intimidating since you might already be overwhelmed with planning the move as it is.
Don’t worry, there’s no need to stress. With the tips from our planning experts, your celebration is going to be not only super fun but stress-free as well, guaranteeing a blast for both you and your guests. We’ve compiled a list that will help you get great tips for your fiesta (and maybe even your move), all while having a blast.
Should I Throw a Moving Away Party?
So, you’ve scouted all the best places to live in the Bay Area and found your dream house, and now you are asking yourself should you organize a goodbye celebration if the place you’re heading to is practically around the block? The short answer is: yes. If you need more convincing, we have a longer answer too. Honestly, a party is always a great idea. You don’t have to be going across the ocean, to a different continent, state, or even a city. Whether you are relocating to a street down the block or a different neighborhood, you deserve to commemorate the happy changes coming your way. Now that we got this out of the way, let’s plan a celebration to remember, and we have all the tips to help you close this chapter of your life with a bang.

How to Throw a Moving Away Party?
So, where does one begin? How do you throw a moving away party? When it comes to preparing a leaving celebration, first off, you will need to answer three main questions:
- Who am I inviting?
- Where is the soiree taking place?
- When am I going to host it?
Who Should I Invite to My Going Away Party?
As with any fiesta, organizing a moving out party is the easiest once you know how many people you want to invite and how many will come. Since you won’t be relocating out of the Bay Area, you don’t have to organize a colossal soiree hosting everyone you know (although you can, if you feel like it). We recommend that you create a guest list of everyone you would like to invite, starting with those closest to you, and then expand the circle as you go.
Since you will be seeing all these people around, and you don’t have to say goodbye to everyone you know, you are free to organize according to your mood and the type of gathering you want to throw. Are you feeling a more intimate gathering or want to celebrate with a lot of guests? Do you want to spend the night talking or drinking and dancing, or maybe even throw a classic BBQ? Try to envision the celebration and think about the number of guests you would like to be surrounded by.
Where Should I Make My Farewell Gathering?
Once you know how many people you want around for the farewell, you can think about the appropriate venue more easily. Here are some of our top picks when it comes to relocation festivity venues:
- Hosting might be nice, but it has pros and cons. On the one hand, you might have some local Bay Area movers circulating, or your apartment might be packed with dishes you are struggling to pack into all those boxes that now populate your floor. Because of the relocation stress, you might not feel like making festive decorations and hosting the celebration. On the other hand, hosting the leaving fiesta will have beautiful energy to it. Additionally, you might get your friends to help you figure out how to pack those plates you are so scared about breaking. If you decide on hosting, be considerate of your soon-to-be former neighbors, and don’t throw a raging rave. Be aware of the obligations and your San Francisco tenants’ rights when it comes to noise, even if you won’t be seeing your neighbors as often in the near future.
- If your current place can’t host as many guests as you would like to invite, we propose you think about alternative ideas such as outdoor places. Parks and backyards (your own or maybe a friend’s) can be an excellent option for a gathering with many guests. If the weather is not serving you currently, think about indoor places other than your place. A bar, a restaurant, or a friend’s place can all work well as substitutes.
- If you can afford it, you might even think about renting a place specifically for the occasion. In this case, you could remove yourself from the mess while your San Francisco movers are taking your things back and forth. This way, you could direct your focus on planning the goodbye gathering and have a tiny San Francisco staycation if you decide to go there. You might even want to check out some nearby Bay Area towns and turn your fiesta into an actual holiday.
When Should the Moving Out Fiesta Take Place?
Generally, farewell gatherings take place a few days before the move. Of course, you don’t need to follow this rule and can choose any date for your soiree. Keep in mind that the closer you are to the relocation date, the more time you will have to be spending on things like making numerous to-do lists and finding the right moving companies in the Bay area. That being said, you could throw the celebration (maybe even multiple parties, why not) as soon as you book your next place of residence – since then, you will be the most excited and the least stressed.

Necessities and Ideas for a Going Away Event You Should Keep in Mind
When it comes to organizing an event, some things should not be forgotten. Here are a few tips on what you want to be sure you won’t miss while you host the soiree:
- Food is a necessity at every soiree. Whether you are organizing a packing soiree or a BBQ, don’t forget to feed your guests! Check out these easy recipes that can feed a crowd and not break the bank.
- You can’t have a celebration without music. This might be the perfect opportunity to have that one friend with a DJ past take out their mixing console. If you are organizing a smaller gathering, check out this up-beat playlist that will get you packing and happy dancing at the same time!
- Surprise your guests with gift bags. Your guests will probably bring you gifts, but you might want to return the favor and amaze your guests with small gifts too! You can gift them small ornaments they always admired at your place, or do something crafty, like create origami pieces for your loved ones. You could give them little letters on which you’ve written your favorite memories from your apartment with them as gifts and put them in a special box you made yourself.

What About Moving Away Party Ideas for Invitations?
Once you have your main questions answered, you can get to making and sending your moving away party invitations. You want to send out the invitations as soon as possible. Try to make sure every guest has at least two weeks’ notice, so all of them are in the loop, have enough time to clear their schedule, pick gifts and choose what to wear. Invitations should have all crucial information about the occasion – when and where it’s happening, and any special requests such as festive themes or special activities you have planned.
Don’t Forget About the RSVP Status
RSVP is an abbreviation for the French expression répondez s’il vous plaît, which translates as: ”Please Respond”, and that is what you want your guests to do. We all know how parties can get, and there is always at least one person more than you planned, so don’t forget to tell your guests to RSVP, as well as to emphasize if they are bringing a plus one with them. If you want to avoid confusion, mark your invitations with ”regrets only” – meaning that your guests should inform you only if they are unable to come to your event. While relocating, you don’t want to stress the number of chairs, plates, or bottles of wine, so RSVP is a must.
Creating Invitations When On a Budget
If you are trying to save some money, create a Facebook event or e-mail your friends some crafty digital invites you made on your own. Keep in mind that relocating always entails some extra expenses, such as the San Francisco rental application. Try to make a list of all relocation expenses before the occasion, so you don’t have to worry about your budget and can enjoy planning the celebration of your dreams. If you are struggling with making affordable but original invitations, check out this video with great DIY invitation ideas:
What Do You Do at a Farewell Party?
When you need party ideas for someone moving away, especially if you are the one changing their address, your mind can go completely blank, but we are here to help and get your brain juices flowing. Such an event is the perfect occasion to plan soiree activities according to a theme.
What Are the Best Theme Ideas for Going Away Parties?
If you’ve always wanted to organize a themed festivity but never had the opportunity, leaving parties are the perfect occasion for a theme. Here are some of our top picks when it comes to themes:
- Packing parties – Maybe you are not sold on the whole idea of making the gathering at your place and are asking yourself: Can you throw your own going away party? Well, with a packing soiree, you can have a blast and turn your friends into the best movers in San Francisco simultaneously! With this theme, you can get help with tricky things such as cushioning fragile items, as well as getting help with bulkier items, such as preparing your piano for the big move. However, don’t forget to get drinks and food for your helpers. With some snacks and music, you’ll be able to collect first-hand boxing up, and relocation hacks from your loved ones and have a blast while you do it! Oh, and by the way, you might want to think of a name for your celebration. What do you call a going away party, you might ask? Well, you will want to name your soiree according to its theme or main activities.
- Decluttering parties – Decluttering is a perfect theme for a host that’s relocating. If you plan on hiring your local Bay Area movers, double-check which items movers won’t move. This is a good starting point for a declutter fiesta – anything you might not be able to take with you, you can gift to a friend or family member. These small things can be the most unique gifts your loved ones could get since they will be filled with meaning. If you want to move efficiently, decluttering clothes, food, and even some decorations is a handy idea. While it’s a smart move to gift anything you won’t need, it might be even more important to pack all those commonly forgotten things to pack.
- Outdoor activities parties – If a Bay Area moving company occupies your home, you might opt-out for an outdoor gathering. This can be an excellent way to avoid spending money on moving away party decorations if your relocation expenses checklist doesn’t allow for them. Outdoor activities might include some activity classics like making a BBQ, playing frisbee, or taking your friends on a hike. However, if you plan on going somewhere more distant, keep in mind that all of your guests (especially those who don’t drive) might have to get around San Francisco without a car. Remember to prepare some food and refreshments for the hike. If you have a pet, this can also be a nice activity for them. Even more importantly, on a hike, your friends can fall in love with your fluffy companion, and you can talk to a guest to host your pet while you move – and trust us, this will be life-saving since relocating with a pet can be a real nightmare sometimes.
- A DIY soiree – If you don’t opt-out for one of the Bay Area moving companies that provide packing services, you’ll need to buy packing supplies such as tape, cartons, and scissors. Packing materials can be used in many creative ways and are perfect DIY necessities. You can get your guests to write their favorite memories from your previous place and collect them in a little goodbye book, or even turn them into party decorations. A DIY gathering can be a helpful one if you and your guests decide to make and decorate boxes that can later be used to pack books.

What to Do if Relocating Is Still Too Much Work to Throw the Event of Your Dreams?
Whatever theme you choose, your soiree is going to be one to remember, as long as both your guests and you are keen on having fun. If you feel like the move is creating too much pressure for you still, think about hiring our professional services. Our professional Bay Area movers from Golden Bay Relocation offer you services that range from packing your belongings to relocating them. We can help you not only with residential relocation but we can also move your office if you need commercial relocation service. We also provide our clients with affordable storage space and even in and out of storage relocation services. By hiring our moving services, you will get the best movers of San Francisco and the peace of mind needed to organize a celebration to remember! Feel free to contact us via phone or email with any questions and needs you might have, and we will be happy to help!