What are your best house preparation tips for quick and cheap decorating, in preparation for a party?

Life is better when you stop giving a shit about what people think.

If I was you I would save the cash and hire a male stripper. Nobody will care about the windows with pipe swinging around.

Real Answer: Maybe not to the extreme of @johnpowell ‘s response but… my initial reaction was close to the same. Don’t worry over making the house perfect..

Of course, it’s your mom and that tends to happen with moms.

Backup Answer: How about a jukebox running on a computer in the house? It can be set up pretty easily.

Do you have a theme @jca? I’d pick a theme. Even if it is my mom’s favorite color or, since it will be in June, her favorite flower. Perhaps her favorite song. Then think of things to go with that. I always have extra chairs set out in various places and a dessert table and a drink table. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just a card table will do. I like the organization of it. I also put a stack of nice hand towels in the guest bathroom with a hamper to put them in when the guest have used them. It seesm fancy.

Candles always make things more festive. Since you have a little one, just be sure to place them up high. I once borrowed all the silver and glass/crystal candlesticks my friends owned, and clustered them all on my fireplace mantel. They were all different heights, and filled with cream colored tapers. It looked beautiful!

Beyond that, I do agree with not obsessing over making things perfect. Clean is good, but people will not be inspecting every little thing. Try to relax. :)

Use a color theme. Make it the dominant or accent color of flowers, tablecloth, napkins, etc. People will notice what goes with it more than what doesn’t.

And they won’t notice what isn’t there.

Get some helium balloons in the same color scheme, in table or floor groupings. (Just don’t park them in the sun.)

Don’t bother painting unless you need this party to motivate the paint job. You don’t want to be hanging “wet paint” signs around the house on the day of the party.

Visit your local Charity thrift shop. Party decorations are available for pennies.

@Jeruba: I was planning on painting before we thought of the party.

Love this kind of question…I’d skip the painting if you can…and agree with another that balloons will add a great deal of festive mood without a lot of cost…particularly if you blow
them up yourself…tape to walls…hang from fixtures with colorful ribbon…also for the deck…luminaria bags are cheap…bought a dozen for a dollar in dollar store…but you will need sand or dirt and a votive candle in each…crepe paper festooning doorways great, and as another mentioned….little candles…Bed, Bath & Beyond has large bags of them for $5 dollars or so….Also, asking people to wear something festive is nice too….Have a great time!