Save Your Sanity: Tips for Your Next Get-together
Friends and family heading to yours? Read on for ideas to help you stay the right side of frazzled before, during and after the event!
Jo Simmons
23 November 2015
Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several books on design and numerous features for glossy homes mags over the years. For Houzz, I cover decorating ideas and trends and interview designers and professionals for their insights. My favourite pieces to write, though, are Houzz Tours, as I love exploring and learning about real homes. Call me curious — or nosy!
Houzz UK Contributor. I have been an interiors journalist since 1995, writing several... More
Inviting friends and family to share food, chat and time with you in your home is a wonderful idea, but sometimes the thought of getting the house ready, preparing food and posing as the perfect host can feel a little overwhelming.
True, hosting a get-together will involve some work and thought, before and during the event, but it can also be a lot of fun and help to create a wealth of warm shared memories. So to feel happier about hosting, check out these tips to help you make it easier when preparing yourself and your home for a crowd.
True, hosting a get-together will involve some work and thought, before and during the event, but it can also be a lot of fun and help to create a wealth of warm shared memories. So to feel happier about hosting, check out these tips to help you make it easier when preparing yourself and your home for a crowd.
Ditch ideas of perfection
Don’t worry if you run out of paper napkins or your vol au vents don’t rise. Remember that your friends and family have come to see you, not grade your cooking or critique your interior design. The key to a great get-together is the company and the more relaxed you are, the more successful the event will be.
The same goes for your home. It doesn’t need to look spotless or be formally decked out, it just needs to feel ready and ordered enough to create a welcoming environment, whether you’ll be nibbling bread and cheese around the kitchen table, or staging a three-course banquet in the dining room.
Sociable kitchen islands designed to bring people together
Don’t worry if you run out of paper napkins or your vol au vents don’t rise. Remember that your friends and family have come to see you, not grade your cooking or critique your interior design. The key to a great get-together is the company and the more relaxed you are, the more successful the event will be.
The same goes for your home. It doesn’t need to look spotless or be formally decked out, it just needs to feel ready and ordered enough to create a welcoming environment, whether you’ll be nibbling bread and cheese around the kitchen table, or staging a three-course banquet in the dining room.
Sociable kitchen islands designed to bring people together
Ask people to contribute
This is not a sign of being a sloppy friend. Most guests love the chance to ease the pressure on their host and by bringing something along to the get-together, they also feel more involved. The contribution need not be food or wine, either. They could bring something for the house, such as paper decorations, party poppers, fairy lights, paper napkins or flowers for the table.
This is not a sign of being a sloppy friend. Most guests love the chance to ease the pressure on their host and by bringing something along to the get-together, they also feel more involved. The contribution need not be food or wine, either. They could bring something for the house, such as paper decorations, party poppers, fairy lights, paper napkins or flowers for the table.
Sort out your seating
Be ready to rearrange your furniture to create plenty of spots for your guests to sit where needed. Bring kitchen chairs into the living room to ensure there are perches for everyone, and think about who will be sitting down too. Any senior members of your party may prefer an upright chair to a squidgy sofa, while lots of small children will happily squash up on a long bench, tucked against a wall.
Be ready to rearrange your furniture to create plenty of spots for your guests to sit where needed. Bring kitchen chairs into the living room to ensure there are perches for everyone, and think about who will be sitting down too. Any senior members of your party may prefer an upright chair to a squidgy sofa, while lots of small children will happily squash up on a long bench, tucked against a wall.
Set the table the night before
Cooking and preparing food for a gathering takes time, no matter how low key you want it to be, and this can’t always happen in advance. You can still get ahead, however, by setting the table the night before. This will also alert you to any deficiencies. Do you need to bring a chair down from upstairs, pop a camping table up for the children to eat at, or find an extra plate or two?
Striking dining table settings to impress guests
Cooking and preparing food for a gathering takes time, no matter how low key you want it to be, and this can’t always happen in advance. You can still get ahead, however, by setting the table the night before. This will also alert you to any deficiencies. Do you need to bring a chair down from upstairs, pop a camping table up for the children to eat at, or find an extra plate or two?
Striking dining table settings to impress guests
Consider paper plates
For a large gathering, let your beautiful ceramics brighten up a wall or your dresser shelves and instead serve food on recycled paper plates, saving you lots of time washing up. Use recycled paper napkins too.
For a large gathering, let your beautiful ceramics brighten up a wall or your dresser shelves and instead serve food on recycled paper plates, saving you lots of time washing up. Use recycled paper napkins too.
Set up a bar
So that you don’t spend the whole get-together fixing cocktails or topping up glasses, create a drinks station that allows guests to help themselves. Use a retro bar trolley if you have one, or just clear some space on a kitchen bench and arrange bottles, glasses, an ice bucket and a bottle opener in plain sight.
Discover more ideas for using a bar trolley around your home
So that you don’t spend the whole get-together fixing cocktails or topping up glasses, create a drinks station that allows guests to help themselves. Use a retro bar trolley if you have one, or just clear some space on a kitchen bench and arrange bottles, glasses, an ice bucket and a bottle opener in plain sight.
Discover more ideas for using a bar trolley around your home
Work out what matters most
Think about what aspect of this get-together is most important to you. It might be the food, or how the table is decorated. It could be the music or creating some really atmospheric lighting. Focus on this priority and let the other aspects of hosting take a back seat. For example, if a killer playlist is vital to you, get this sorted and then cater with ready-prepared food dishes or pizzas.
Think about what aspect of this get-together is most important to you. It might be the food, or how the table is decorated. It could be the music or creating some really atmospheric lighting. Focus on this priority and let the other aspects of hosting take a back seat. For example, if a killer playlist is vital to you, get this sorted and then cater with ready-prepared food dishes or pizzas.
Clear some storage space
Make sure that there is enough space for guests to stash their coats, jackets, scarves, bags, etc. Thin out your cloakroom or hallway hanging space and store your own stuff temporarily upstairs, to free up room for your guests’ bits and pieces. Check that there are enough hooks or hangers too.
Make sure that there is enough space for guests to stash their coats, jackets, scarves, bags, etc. Thin out your cloakroom or hallway hanging space and store your own stuff temporarily upstairs, to free up room for your guests’ bits and pieces. Check that there are enough hooks or hangers too.
Count your kit
Take stock of your cutlery, plates and wine glasses. Do you have enough? Maybe you need to borrow some cutlery or use paper plates? Perhaps you could hire some glassware? While you’re at it, make sure that you have enough dishes and platters for the food you’re planning to serve as well.
Take stock of your cutlery, plates and wine glasses. Do you have enough? Maybe you need to borrow some cutlery or use paper plates? Perhaps you could hire some glassware? While you’re at it, make sure that you have enough dishes and platters for the food you’re planning to serve as well.
Cater for kids
Small children won’t enjoy sitting at the table for hours, so prepare some alternative activities for them. Colouring, ball games (if you have a big enough garden) or a fun craft project – such as making friendship bracelets – are all nice ideas.
TELL US
How do you ensure you enjoy big get-togethers? Share your tips for hosting with a smile in the Comments below.
MORE
10 Dinner Party Dos and Don’ts for Guests and Hosts
‘Tis the Season for Garden Parties!
Glamorous (and Simple) New Year’s Eve Decorating Ideas
Small children won’t enjoy sitting at the table for hours, so prepare some alternative activities for them. Colouring, ball games (if you have a big enough garden) or a fun craft project – such as making friendship bracelets – are all nice ideas.
TELL US
How do you ensure you enjoy big get-togethers? Share your tips for hosting with a smile in the Comments below.
MORE
10 Dinner Party Dos and Don’ts for Guests and Hosts
‘Tis the Season for Garden Parties!
Glamorous (and Simple) New Year’s Eve Decorating Ideas
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what a wonderful idea for hanging coats and shoes. Every house needs that by the entrance. thanks pix are great.
I would add choose the music in advance, check the bathroom's ready (plenty of paper and more than one hand towel) and that everyone knows where the empties go and the ashtrays are. Stock up on the Spray 'n Wipe and if its a big one then invite people over for a 'clean up and fry up' breakfast the next morning.
Lovely article Joanna. Thank you for featuring one of my pictures.
www.eleanorbainesphotography.co.uk