How to Throw a Party and Hide It from Your Parents

Co-authored by Amber Crain

Last Updated: May 17, 2022 References

Hosting a party in your home can be stressful, especially if you are planning a secret get-together while your parents are away. While you should consider asking your parents for permission to throw a party in their absence, there are some ways to successfully hide the planned event from them. Isolating the party space, keeping the noise level down, and recruiting some friends to help you clean up are just a few of the many measures you can take to ensure you do not get caught.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Organizing the Party

1
Find out when your parents are leaving and how long they will be gone. Casually ask your parents when they will be going away, for how long, and where they will be going. You may not even have to ask these questions directly. Most likely, your parents will offer up the information to keep you in the loop of their schedule. If you need to, write down the information so you won't forget.^{[1]
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- If your parents are only going to be gone for an evening, like to dinner, and will be back in a few hours, you may not want to throw a party. The timing would be too rushed, and if your parents decided to come home early from dinner, you will not have time to clean up.
- If your parents are going away for the weekend or for an overnight trip, this is a perfect time to host a party.
2
Create a list of people you would like to invite to your party. Pick the number of people you would like in your home for the party and try to stick it. Also, consider the size of your party space, like the living room, and only invite as many people as you can comfortably fit in that space. This will help minimize accidents like breaking furniture and will help keep the noise down.^{[2]
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- For example, if you want a small get-together, then consider only inviting 15-20 people to make the setting more intimate. If you want a large party for a large living space, consider increasing the list to 30 people and ask everyone to bring additional friends.
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3
Send out discreet party invitations via text message, social media, or verbally. Choose a single method to distribute the party information, or use a combination of methods. Just remember that you do not want other parents to find out you are hosting a party at your house, so choose a method you think will be the most discreet.^{[3]
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- For example, sending out a quick text message to your close friends or speaking with them in person is an easy way to inform a small or medium group of people for your party.
- Alternatively, you can create a private Facebook event online and invite large groups of people that way.
- Refrain from creating party flyers or paper invitations as these can easily wind up in the hands of a parent and ruin your plans.
4
Make sure your invitations are very specific to avoid any problems. Include the date of the party, the time you want your guests to arrive, and your home address. You should also include an end time for the party if you need guests to be out of your house by a certain time. To avoid an unruly party with too many guests, state clearly on the invitations if your guests can bring people with them and, if so, how many.
- You can also note if you want your guests to bring snacks or drinks.
5
Ask your guests to carpool to reduce the number of vehicles at your house. Refrain from having your guests park in the driveway or on your front lawn, as this could easily lead to property damage that you will not be able to hide from your parents. As you invite people to your party, ask them to carpool.^{[4]
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- Also, consider asking your guests to park away from your house along an adjacent street or a nearby parking lot. This will keep your block clear of cars and reduce the amount of attention drawn to your house.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Setting up the Party Space

1
Create boundaries for the party space to minimize the cleanup. Limit the partying area to the first floor of your home, or to a single large area in your home. Ideally, keep the party within your living room and kitchen, and give your guests access to 1 bathroom. This will speed up your cleaning process after the party, and will also deter any unwanted snooping from your guests.^{[5]
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- If possible, consider locking doors to rooms you don’t want your guests to enter such as your parent’s bedroom or the computer room, or post “Off Limits” signs on the doors. This will help alleviate worry and allow you to enjoy hosting the party.
2
Remove valuables that may get broken or stolen during the event. Those items may include keys, money, jewelry, and wallets. Store them in a safe place, like in a locked cupboard or in a room that will be off-limits to the party. Try to remember or write down where all of the items go, because your parents will notice if things are out of place.^{[6]
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- Take a picture of each room so you have something to look at when you're trying to put the room back together. This will relieve some of the stress of remembering where to put each item.
3
Protect surfaces with tablecloths to prevent damage. Line coffee tables, end tables, dining room tables, and kitchen counters with disposable tablecloths to alleviate any mess created from the snacks and drinks you will be serving at your party. Similarly, consider lining expensive furniture like upholstered couches and chairs with simple, cotton drop cloths. This way, if someone spills a drink, the drop cloth will absorb most of the liquid.^{[7]
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- Disposable tablecloths and drop cloths can be purchased at a local party or department store, or online with major retailers.
- Make sure your bathroom is fully stocked with toilet paper.
4
Fill a cooler with ice and sealed drinks to cut down on messes. Give your guests a variety of drinks options like water, soda, juice, or alcohol if you are over the legal drinking age. Avoid mixing a communal punch bowl as this make a mess of your partying space and may encourage your guests to spike it with alcohol when no one is looking.^{[8]
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- If you do not have a cooler, then fill a large plastic bowl with ice and place the drinks into the bowl to chill.
5
Line the kitchen counter or a central table with easy snacks. Choose simple snacks that will not make a mess of your house as your guests eat them. For example, set out some potato chips, corn chips, or pretzels. This will give your guests something to munch on if they get hungry, but will also be easy for you to clean up after they leave.^{[9]
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- If you have time before your party, consider making some personalized snacks. For example, instead of purchasing a traditional party mix, make your own. Make a sweet party mix with pretzels, brown sugar, and chocolate candies, or make a barbecue flavored party mix by using your favorite cereal and barbecue sauce.
6
Set out disposable dishware so guests won't use glassware. Refrain from using glassware or any of your parent’s kitchenware that might get broken during the party. Instead, opt for serving your drinks and snacks in plastic cups, dishes, and bowls. Make sure to station a large garbage can in the kitchen so your guests can easily dispose of the plastic dishware as needed.^{[10]
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- Also, provide your guests with plenty of paper napkins or even a roll of paper towels in case someone spills a drink or needs to wipe their hands.
7
Create a playlist of music and set up a stereo system. Include popular radio hits, bouncy pop songs or classic dance songs like the “Cha Cha Slide” on your playlist. Then, set up a stereo system in the room you will be hosting the party. Keep the stereo system off to the side of the dancing area where most of the people will be congregating. This way, it won’t get knocked over or broken.^{[11]
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- Don’t worry if you do not have fancy or expensive speakers. You can purchase small and inexpensive speakers at a local department store or online with major retailers, and then hook the speakers up to your cell phone or laptop.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Hosting the Party

1
Greet people as they arrive to keep tabs on the number of guests. Try to answer the door yourself so that you can greet your guests and also keep a mental note of how many people have shown up. That way, you can turn people away at the door if the party starts to get out of hand.^{[12]
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- If you are throwing a large party, try and speak with everyone who arrives and not just your close friends.
- If more people start showing up to your party than you initially invited, don’t be afraid to turn them away. You are responsible for the people you let into your home, so only allow people you are comfortable with to join the party.
2
Close any curtains to reduce the amount of attention drawn to your house. Even if you have the lights dimmed in your home, the number of people inside your house will be on display through an open window. Make sure that all of the curtains and blinds in your home are closed.
- This is especially important if you have flashing lights set up for your party, as strobing or colored lights will quickly draw outside attention.
3
Keep the music volume at a respectable level to avoid alerting your neighbors. Avoid having your neighbors file a noise complaint with the police by keeping the music volume down. If you can hear the music word-for-word outside of your house, then it is too loud. Remember, the louder your music is, the louder your guests will have to be to talk over it.^{[13]
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- This is especially important if you are hosting your party on a weekday. Neighbors will tend to be more forgiving about noise levels on the weekends, like on a Friday or Saturday night. However, since most people work on the weekdays, they might be less tolerable on a Sunday through Thursday night.
4
Initiate group activities to engage everyone during smaller parties. Smaller get-togethers are fun but may require more of your attention to keep everyone engaged. An easy way to keep your friends chatting is through simple team games or activities. Most games, like “Never Have I Ever” and “True American” can be arranged last-minute with household items and will provide hours of laughs and entertainment.^{[14]
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- If you or a friend has a fun card game, like “Apples to Apples” or “Cards Against Humanity,” have that nearby to play with everyone.
5
Keep your house smelling fresh by having your guests smoke outside. If you catch anyone attempting to light up inside of your home, quickly ask them to smoke outside. The smell of cigarettes and other vaping substances will linger long after the party is over.^{[15]
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- After the party, make sure to check outside of your home for cigarette butts and dispose of them. If your parents see them, it may draw unwanted suspicion.
6
Ask guests to leave if you need to end the party at a certain time. If you indicated an end time for the party verbally or on your invitations and your guests aren't leaving when the time comes, you may need to nicely inform them to start filing out. If there are a lot of guests, enlist some of your friends to help you encourage people to leave when you need them to.
- Don't be afraid to tell people to leave! If it makes it easier, you can always say something like, "My parents will be home soon, so I need to clear everyone ASAP."
7
Do not let your friends drive home under the influence. As your guests start to filter out, make sure that anyone who was drinking alcohol has a ride home. Do not let your friends walk home alone in the dark intoxicated, and do not let them get behind the wheel. If needed, arrange a ride home for your intoxicated friend with someone at the party who is sober or through a local shuttle service.^{[16]
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- If you can’t find a ride for your intoxicated guests, allow them to sleep over. Just make sure that you wake them up early enough, so they are gone by the time your parents get home.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Cleaning up after the Party

1
Ask a couple of friends to stay after the party to help you clean up. Not only will this make the cleaning process move quicker, but it is also a good idea to have an extra set of eyes to scan your house for garbage. Just make sure to stay focused while cleaning, and save chatting with your friends until after the house is put back together.^{[17]
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- Avoid having more than 3-4 friends stay to help you because it might make the cleaning process slower rather than quicker.
2
Gather the litter and drop it off at a nearby dumpster. Discard any used or leftover disposable dishware and tablecloths. Make sure to check underneath tables, couches, and chairs. Try to use opaque garbage bags over clear ones to further conceal contents. Then, drop the garbage off at a public dumpster or have a friend with a car do it for you. This will remove the evidence of the party from your property.^{[18]
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- Refrain from putting the bags of garbage in your own trash can, as an overflowing or filled trash can will look suspicious.
3
Clean the floors, carpets, and surfaces thoroughly. Run a vacuum cleaner over the floor to remove any debris that was tracked into your house. If needed, mop any particularly dirty areas where liquids were spilled. Additionally, use an all-purpose liquid cleaner to wipe down any surfaces that were used during the party. This includes tables, countertops, and even the bathroom.^{[19]
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- If needed, open a couple of windows to air out any smells that accumulated in your house. These smells include ones from your party and ones from the cleaning supplies.^{[20]
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- Avoid having your home look too clean. If your house normally has items lying around or dust on the coffee table, try to leave it that way. An overly clean house can raise just as much suspicion as a dirty one.
- Just make sure to put back all of the cleaning supplies where you found them, otherwise your parents may ask why they are missing.
4
Replace any items that you had stored in the exact spot they were before. Once everything is properly cleaned, make sure to reset the party space to how it was when your parents left. This includes putting back any valuables you stored and arranging the furniture to the way your parents had it.^{[21]
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- Refer to any photos you took of the space before the party if you are unsure where a particular item goes.

Community Q&A

Question

What if my parents never leave me home alone?

Community Answer

Ask a friend if you can have a party at their house.
Question

How can I stop people from smoking at my party? My parents will get mad.

Community Answer

Tell them they have to smoke outside and provide a can or something to put the butts in.
Question

How can I hide a party from the neighbors?

Community Answer

You can't be too loud or have too many cars in the driveway, or the party will be obvious. You could have a few friends over and play some music and have some refreshments instead of having a huge party.

Warnings

Know that throwing a party in your home without your parent’s permission can have consequences. Consider being honest with your parents about wanting to throw a party to help alleviate some of the pressure of hiding it from them. You never know, your parents may even agree to let you throw one.^{[23]
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