Movie nights and offices don’t typically go hand in hand. Yes, we know the office is a place of serious business. However, finding time for office fun, laughter, and team bonding is essential. While including this necessary escape for your team into the regular schedule can be very challenging, one of the best ways to create team bonding time without awkwardness is through office movie nights.

But while we celebrate the movie night with tasty popcorn treats, we must remember the mess that can follow if we are not conscious about keeping a clean and organized workspace. This short guide will show you how to enjoy office movie nights and keep your office clean simultaneously.

Office Movie Night Preparation Tips

1. Create A Designated Movie Area

The first step in this foolproof plan will be to map out the movie area to contain any mess that can potentially arise from all that snacking. Your designated movie area should naturally be spacious and have a focal point where the display screen will be located. This particular zone would absorb the aftermath of any eating and snacking mess, so you don’t have to worry about other office areas. The most common choice is the office conference room.

2. Select Snacks Wisely

We recommend only clean and easy-to-manage snacks for your movie nights. These snacks are typically called 'office-friendly movie snacks,' and there are quite a number of them. There is the compulsory popcorn, of course, so you can stick with this option. However, you can go out of your way to select any kind of snack that does not have the potential to leave a trail of sticky residue or crumbs in its path. More points if they are healthy too. So we’re talking granola bars, stuff that comes in their own boxes like doughnuts and pizzas, a fruit platter or trail mix, and maybe mini sandwiches. You get the general idea.  

3. Provide Cleaning Stations

As our guide train chugs in slowly toward the cleaning part of this journey, the next tip is to provide a box or table stacked completely with cleaning materials. These movie night cleaning stations will contain all the necessary supplies for cleaning up any stains or spills. These should include wipes, paper towels, and trash bags to help clean and subtly remind your colleagues that they have to keep their makeshift theatre neat and organized. After all, the “theatre” would most likely host some crucial business meetings by the next day. 

4. Set up Snack Stations

We are not particularly recommending a buffet here as they tend to take the focus from the screen to the food. We suggest a carefully arranged table that will serve as the point of snack distribution. These “snack stations” should be in a central area to minimize spreading crumbs and spills around the theatre. Team members can simply move to this area to get treats and then return to their seats, or they can get some bites at the table and still enjoy the movie from their vantage point.

Movie Night Cleaning Tips

Cleaning up after the movie night should be collaborative to increase speed. And we have tips to make it even faster:

1. Handling Popcorn Spills

You were probably shocked when Ironman died in Avengers: Endgame and must’ve spilled some of your popcorn. Well, don’t expect your team’s reaction to be any different. But remember, this is no real theatre. It’s your company conference room that you’ll need to use the next day. So, as much as possible, ensure popcorn spills are handled ASAP. 

Start by picking up and trashing the spilled popcorn and then blot the affected area with a microfiber cleaning cloth immediately to ensure the butter does not seep into surfaces, which ultimately multiplies the cleaning task. To avoid finding stray kernels in your client’s chair the next day, you must also ensure that the makeshift theatre space is swept and vacuumed immediately after the movie.

2. Managing Crumbs from Pizza and Chips

The number one way to keep snack crumbs from developing wings and flying everywhere is to have crumb trays or mats. You’ll place each person’s snacks in crumb trays to trap any crumbs that might fall while they’re watching the movies. 

The crumb mats go on the floor to ensure that the crumbs that escape the trays do not gain freedom beyond a specific area. The mats also make cleanup easier as all you have to do is roll them up to gather any spills. And, of course, vacuuming at the end will get rid of anything you miss. 

3. Addressing Beverage Spills

It can be tricky business to address beverage spills, but here are two basic ways to start right;

• Opting for Spill-Resistant Cups: You cannot go wrong with spill-resistant cups during your movie nights. These cups come in an easy-grip handle, a sturdy screw-on lid, and disposable straws that practically make spills impossible. These cups will help you avoid any beverage mishaps that can potentially ruin the movie experience. And when you can't get these, go for something your team can drink with a straw to avoid spills.

• Immediate Cleanup Strategies: The role of a quick beverage spill cleanup can never be overstated in maintaining a tidy movie area. Start by clearing out any items around the spill area. Then, apply some dishwasher detergent, if necessary, before concluding the process by wiping thoroughly with a microfiber cloth. Your desk or floor will be as good as new, and you can return to your movie.

4. Provide Cleaning Supplies

This point has been addressed in part before, but we will reiterate it to show the importance of providing movie night cleanup supplies. Cleaning supplies such as disinfecting wipes, gloves, microfiber clothes, dishwashers, paper towels, brooms, dustpans, and trash bags must be readily available in the cleaning station or office broom cupboard. These supplies will aid the cleaning process and ensure that team members can contribute to the collective cleaning immediately (no excuses given).

Conclusion

The joy of watching movies in the same spot where you had your most challenging presentation to a huge client is an experience that is as much fun as the movies you have just seen. By following this guide, you can keep the lasting experience of office cinematic night fun while retaining the characteristic tidiness and ambiance that your office space is known for. 

So grab your popcorn, pick an amazing movie, and enjoy this team bonding activity.