Six Essentials For Entertaining at Home

Entertaining at home can be fun, but it also puts a certain amount of pressure on you to get everything just right. You want everyone to be impressed and have a good time. Here are some tips to ensure that your next dinner party or other event held at your home is a success.

1. Make Sure Your House Looks its Best

It’s not essential for every surface to shine, but make sure the house isn’t a cluttered mess. You want people to have room to mill around. This is the perfect time to do some cleaning, rearranging and perhaps even redecorating.

If you need to de-clutter, you might consider getting some storage bins or even new furniture. No matter where you live, there are probably some good stores that carry some practical and attractive items. If you’re in the New York area, for example, furniture stores New York City can be very helpful. You probably won’t buy new furniture solely to entertain on one occasion, but if you need some new items anyway, this is an opportune time.

2. Have Decorative Plates, Bowls and Glasses

You can brighten the festivities with some colorful and interesting plates, glasses and serving bowls. These don’t have to be fancy, but try to find something a little out of the ordinary. This can highlight your creativity and show that you are going out of your way to please your guests.

3. Send Out Old Fashioned Invitations

Rather than relying on texting and email to send out invites, why not go the extra mile and send out traditional, personal invitations on some distinctive stationary? You can take care of the details and RSVPs using modern technology, but people will be impressed that you took the trouble to actually use a pen and paper!

4. Prepare Meals Ahead

If you’re going to be cooking, it’s usually best to prepare the main dishes a day in advance. This will save you from feeling frantic and having to rush everything at the last minute. This way, you’ll just have to do some heating up on the actual day of the party.

5. Consider Making it a Buffet

There are a couple of advantages to serving buffet style. On your end, you don’t have to worry about serving everyone individually and keeping track of who is allergic to what, who is vegan and so forth. From the point of view of the guests, it allows them to choose what and how much they want of each item.

6. Have Ample Supplies of Beverages and Snacks

Offer people a drink as soon as they arrive. Have snacks within easy reach, and make sure bowls get refilled regularly. Have plenty of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks available. This includes hot beverages such as coffee and tea. This will keep everyone feeling content.