Hide valuables, have cleanup supplies ready

Photo Illustrations by Glennis Siegfried | Daily Kent Stater

Credit: DKS Editors

Kent’s Halloween is known for its wild parties and large crowds. If you are planning to host a house party Saturday, here are some tips to “party proof” your house.

&bull Lock any rooms that you don’t want people to be in.

&bull Put objects that you don’t want broken or stolen in the locked rooms.

“Basically anything that is valuable to you, keep somewhere safe,” said Lauren Johnston, senior speech pathology major.

&bull Make sure animals are in a safe place as well, so no one is able to harm them.

“If you have pets, like hamsters, put them up in your room,” Johnston said.

&bull Make sure to have plenty of toilet paper available. Also, with the spread of H1N1, have plenty of soap in the bathroom or near sinks.

&bull Signs like “Bathroom,” “Off limits,” “Do not touch,” and “No smoking” can help guests know your rules and prevent them from wandering around your house.

&bull Have plenty of trash and recycling cans available with extra bags nearby. This way, you can quickly take out the trash and start a new bag.

&bull Have napkins or paper towels handy. Lots of people accidentally spill drinks, and having these available makes for an easy cleanup.

&bull “Make sure you’re prepared to clean up whatever happens,” said Madison Geroski senior fashion design major. “The first time we had people over, we couldn’t believe how much mess there was on the floor and everything.”

&bull Have cleaning supplies, such as carpet spray and Clorox wipes, ready for spills and the most extreme cases, vomit. Put the supplies in an easy-to-access place so you don’t have to run around looking for them.

&bull Use plastic cups and avoid glassware. The fewer items that can be broken in the house, the better.

&bull Put old sheets or a blanket over furniture to avoid stains and spills. This also makes for an easier clean up the next day because you can toss them in a washer.

&bull Supply water and some sort of snack like pretzels, chips or crackers. This will help if a guest has a little too much to drink.

&bull Try to have someone stay by your entrance all night to stop random partiers from coming inside. Someone you don’t know may not be as respectful to your house as a friend would be.

“One of the first weekends we were here, three random guys just came in and took some of our food from our kitchen,” Geroski said. “So ever since then we always make sure that there’s one to two people out on our porch.”

&bull If your house is too warm, put fans around the room to keep everyone cool.

“You have to take in consideration all the body heat,” Geroski said. “When everyone starts moving and the music is going, you get so hot.”

&bull Have emergency phone numbers handy in case something happens. Emergency contact information and safety tips can be found on Kent City Manager Dave Ruller’s blog: www.kent360.com.

Contact features reporter Pamela Crimbchin at [email protected]