How to Throw an Indoor Glamping Party

In April 2020 when we were really settling into lockdown, Lindzi’s husband’s birthday arrived. Of course, we couldn’t go out or really do much, but she still wanted to create something special for him. He’s a former Eagle Scout (although, I guess you’re always an Eagle Scout) and loves camping and the outdoors. Lindzi? Not so much. Plus Chicago is still pretty cold in April. I’m pretty sure it snowed on his birthday -- not exactly ideal camping weather. Instead, she created him his own fort. Yes, she turned their entire living room into one giant fort. 

Inspired by the pillow forts you create as a kid, with the ingenuity and Prime Day shipping of adulthood. She pulled every pillow she could. Guest bedroom sheets. Tablecloths from XO events (because we certainly weren’t using them) and even a cooler -- because adulthood forts for 29 year old men have beer. She framed the fort around their TV and set up an air mattress inside of the fort up against their sectional creating a mega fort bed. It was awesome -- and he truly loved it. It was just supposed to be up for a weekend, but it stayed up for almost 2 months. There was a lot of comfort in that fort, especially peak pandemic for someone who loves being around other people.

Even with everything starting to open back up, the spirit of the indoor fort lives on in today’s blog post. We have always been more glampers than campers and indoor slumber party folks than people who enjoy time in a tent. And let’s be honest -- slumber parties are timeless. Whether you’re a kid or an adult in your 30s, spending time having sleepovers with your besties is still so much fun! So let’s talk indoor glamping -- how do you throw a fabulous party?

The essentials:

• Lots and lots of pillows
• So many cozy blankets
• Indoor tents if you have them (if not, use those blankets and sheets to make a tent!)
• Your favorite movies to watch with your best friends. We choose Clueless and Troop Beverly Hills
• Plenty of snacks -- our favorites are of course: marshmallows, s’mores, and popcorn
• Your favorite magazines
• Cameras to capture all the fun! Phones are easy, but we love the cuteness of InstaStix

Top Tips:

You’ve got the look. If you’re going for a vibe that’s all about the aesthetics and instagrammable-ness, we recommend sticking to a simple color palette and focusing a lot on texture and layers. The point of glamping is that you’re not “roughing it” outside -- so the items you go with for an indoor party should be focused on comfort and cozy. We love blankets with texture such as a fuzzy blanket or chunky woven blanket. These are great for both laying on and snuggling up with. Don’t forget to invest in pillows. We find that a great glamping party is filled with pillows, pillows everywhere. If you don’t have enough? Simply ask your guests to contribute! Have them bring some of their pillows from home. 

Make Memories. A successful glamping party is way more than the look, it’s about the feeling -- in our humble opinion. There is nothing better than spending the night just vegging, watching trashy movies and spending time with your friends. Sure, having an instagram photo perfect setup is cute, but that’s not really the point of the night. Don’t spend so much time stressing out about making it look “perfect” that you forget to have fun. And capture those memories! Snap pictures and videos. Get candid ones. Don’t just “do it for the gram” but rather do it to remember the moment and how much fun you’re all having -- that's why we love this cute InstaStix!

Snacks are Tres Important. You already know you are all about the snacks. Is it even a party if there aren’t fabulous snacks? We think not. A classic with movies, we are all about a big bowl of popcorn. We like to take it to the next level by cutting up some cotton candy marshmallows to mix in for that savory sweet combo. If you wanted it gooier, you could pop it in the microwave for about 20 seconds. If you’re looking for that full glamping and interactive experience, we recommend snagging one of our s’mores kits. The glamping kit also comes with roasting skewers and a sterno, so you’ll have everything you need to create your s’mores! 

Set the tone. Movies? The perfect playlist? Whether you’re rocking out to your Hot S’more Summer playlist or watching some of your favorite movies, a big part of your evening is setting the overall vibe. We like to go with movies we’ve seen 100 times that we know we love, but that it’s totally okay if we talk through the entire time. Anyone else go from mid-conversation, to all of you quoting your favorite lines at the same time? As if! We chose Clueless and Troop Beverly Hills (basically, our guide to glamping) as our top choices. 

Okay, Troop XO, you officially have everything you need to throw an indoor glamping party. All you need to do now is pick a date, gather your besties, and have so much fun this summer!