Last time we moved, Chris spent almost two weeks stopping by grocery stores to beg for boxes. Finding enough boxes is one of the most annoying parts of moving, and we’re not too keen on buying boxes when so many places are willing to give them away (if you catch them at the right time). That’s why we decided to hold a raffle. Basically, we gave our guests 1 raffle ticket (we picked up a roll at Walmart for $5) for every usable box they brought, and then raffled off a bunch of stuff we weren’t bringing with us. We ended up collecting between 50 and 60 boxes and gave away lots of large mirrors, floor lamps, pans, table linens, curtains, quilts, decorative pillows, art, frames, planters–just lots of things that we have used and loved but were ready to pass on–it was fun for everyone to see who ended up with what, and was a total win/win for everyone involved.

We kept the food simple on our end, and just picked up some fruit, veggies, chips, pitas and hummus, and drinks–no prep at all. We also passed around our guest book for our friends to sign, since this would be the last time many of them would be in our home.

One of the reasons we continuously worked so hard on this house (besides the fact that it’s a favorite hobby of ours) was because we love having people over. Coupled with Chris’s love of cooking, social gatherings kinda became our “thing.” And while it is sad to think that this was the last party we’ll ever throw in this home we’ve loved, we’re grateful for the many friendships we’ve made here–they’ve made it home.