One of the most enjoyable things you can do as a homeowner is entertain family and friends. Having people over for a big meal, a casual backyard BBQ, or just coffee and pastries gives you a chance to step into the shoes of a party planner. The goal is to make sure your guests have a great time and feel comfortable and welcome. These things usually don’t happen by accident, but don’t worry—we’ve got some tips you can use.
If you’re ready to be the life of the party, here are some of the best ways to make your living space perfect for entertaining.
Make Sure You’ve Got Enough Seating
The number one tip for anyone planning to entertain is to make sure you have enough seating. No one wants to be standing or sitting on the floor while visiting. This may require bringing in chairs from other rooms in the house, using folding chairs, or getting creative with bench seating.
This rule applies whether the party is indoors or outdoors. If you’re hosting a backyard gathering and don’t have enough chairs, you can make it a BYOC (bring your own chair) party. Just make sure to give your guests plenty of notice about it.
Move Furniture Around to Ensure Guests Can Chat
Once you’ve gathered up enough seating, you may need to rearrange furniture to allow better flow and conversational areas. Don’t worry about all the seating being in the same area, as it often makes sense to create zones or areas so people can break off into separate conversations. This can also encourage mingling. However, if you have a small party with only a few people, you’ll want to put the seating together.
Pre-Make as Many Food Items as Possible
As a host, it’s your job to move around the party, making sure everyone has what they want and need. You also want to be able to socialize and enjoy the party. None of that can happen if you’re stuck in the kitchen preparing and cooking food for the entire party. Expert party hosts always recommend pre-making or prepping as much as possible in advance.
Any ingredients that need to be washed, chopped, or even measured can be prepared in advance. And if there’s a recipe that can also be cooked in advance and later just warmed up to serve, it will save you a lot of time.
If you plan on serving items on a platter, such as a cheese and cracker tray, a veggie tray, or a fruit platter, prepare them in advance and put them out as guests arrive.
Set Up a Bar Area If You’re Serving Drinks
Depending on the time of the party and type of party, you may be serving alcoholic beverages. If that’s the case, you can set up a self-serve bar area so guests feel comfortable mixing their drinks. You can even get fancy and pre-make cocktails that you can pass out as your guests arrive.
Non-alcoholic drinks, whether cold or hot options, also need to be served.
Restock All the Necessary Bathroom Supplies
The bathroom is not exactly the most glamorous room in the house, but it’s an important one. Besides cleaning the bathroom, make sure you restock all the necessary supplies, place a few rolls of toilet paper out where guests will see them, put out a couple of clean hand-towels, and restock your soap.
Put yourself into your guests’ shoes and think about what they would need in the bathroom — and make sure it’s easy to spot. While many choose to have a scented candle burning in the bathroom, this can be dangerous left unattended. Instead, use a wall plug warmer and a scented bar. That will give the same throw without any flame to worry about.
Create Enough Room to Hang Up Coats
If your party takes place in cold or rainy weather, guests will have coats with them. Be sure to clean out space in your closet, or plan for another spot in the house where you can store everyone’s coats as they arrive. Laying coats out on the bed is a great option if you don’t have closet space.
Use Lighting and Music to Set the Mood
There’s no need to throw a themed party or pretend your home is an entertainment venue with over 4,000 games in its lobby, but you’ll still want to think about ambiance and mood. Use lighting and music to your advantage, making sure it matches the vibe of the party. One tip with music is to make it audible but not so loud that it drowns out conversations.
Lights with dimmer switches are ideal for creating the perfect vibe, as you can turn them up or down as needed. If you don’t have dimmer switches, you can choose which lights to turn on and off to create the right amount of light.
Become the Ultimate Party Host
By following all of these tips, you’ll become the ultimate party host in your circle of friends and family. Don’t be surprised if that means you need to entertain more often, as people are going to be looking for excuses to visit!
