It’s a lot more fun to talk about menu, decorations, themes and games, but we all know that hosting a party at home involves a lot more than what guests can see and enjoy. I’ve done some research and compiled this list of the usual suspects when it comes to stress-inducing party planning activities. If you have been using any of those as reasons not to invite people over for a gathering, I hope these tips will help you overcome your party planning anxiety.
1. Guest list
For a while, creating events on Facebook was my go-to strategy to invite guests, receive confirmations and have a channel of communication with them about the event. Now, since many of my friends have been leaving Facebook, I’ve seen a few online guest list management services (like Evite, PunchBowl and Hobnob) that you can use for that. Another option is to send an email invite to everyone’s calendars. This way you can make sure they will remember date and time and you can also get confirmations as they accept or deny your calendar invite. One way or the other, I really encourage using something like this instead of manually and individually messaging or emailing each guest and trying to keep track of who’s coming. That can definitely be stressful.
2. Pre-cleaning
You don’t need to be able to eat off the floor to have a clean enough home to receive your guests. Focus on what’s really important when planning your cleaning duties:
- Wipe down kitchen counters, the dinner table and other surfaces in the living and dining rooms where guests will be resting their drinks.
- Vacuum the area where guests will be. Don’t freak out about other rooms, just close the doors and be happy.
- Clean the sink, floors and toilet in the bathroom. If your bathtub is a mess, just shut the shower curtain and be happy. Our guest bathroom is the same my toddler uses so I know what I’m talking about.
- If you can, remove rugs and throw blankets over the couch to make it easier to clean afterwards and to avoid big accidents. This way you don’t have to clean these before the party either.
3. Ice
Find that friend that is always the first one to arrive and ask them to bring a couple of bags. Delegating is key to reducing stress when planning parties.
4. Coats and shoes
This is something I never had to think about when I was in Rio but is definitely an organizational must in the Pacific Northwest. If you can, put your own coats and shoes in your bedroom and free up space in your closet or entryway for your guests’. Remember to have some extra hangers in there, one per guest. If you don’t have enough space in your entryway for all those coats and shoes or you don’t have a coat closet, consider getting one of those cheap portable coat racks to put in your living room for the guests. It may not be pretty, but it’s practical and one less thing to worry about.
5. Bathroom supplies
This is important. You don’t want to have guests coming up to you asking for more toilet paper, so remember to have a few extra and visible rolls in the bathroom. Also check for enough soap and lay a couple of hand towels (if you have just one, it tends to get too wet).
6. Awkward silence
Sometimes your guests don’t all know each other and you want them to mingle and have fun. If suggesting conversation topics that you believe might interest them isn’t enough, it’s a good idea to have some simple games at hand that will get guests laughing and getting to know each other. A few popular icebreakers are Human bingo, Sticker Stalker and Who am I?.
7. Broken tableware
Unless you’re having a dinner party, I strongly recommend using plastic tableware. But you don’t need to produce a lot of garbage while you do it. Look for cheap and nice looking wine glasses, cups and plates that are both unbreakable and dishwasher safe. This way you can use them in all your large parties. Remember to have glass markers available for guests to write their names on their cups so they don’t lose them.
8. Leftovers
If you hate having a full fridge after the party, consider having some leftover containers to prepare for your guests to take home.
9. Trash
It may not be decorative, but I always like having 2 big trash cans accessible to guests, one for bottles and cans and another for garbage. This way, you encourage them to help keep things organized. To avoid confusion, stick large labels above each of them.
10. Post-cleaning
I know, it sucks. You’re tired, possibly a little tipsy, all you want to do is take a shower and throw your feet up. Again, this is the time to focus on what is urgent: leftover food or spilled beverages that will leave the floor sticky. I, personally, don’t mind, leaving the rest of the mess to take care of the next day. As long as there are no hazards for kids or pets, if you have them. And if you can afford it, consider hiring a cleaning service for the next day. Honestly, this is a good investment to allow you to enjoy your party. If you get guests to bring their own drinks, you can save up for that. Think about it.
Here’s an infographic that you can save and print before your next party
I believe that if you map out your stressors and think about how to deal with them in advance, your stress levels will be drastically reduced and you’ll actually be able to enjoy your party too. Hosting doesn’t have to be a burden. Focus on what matters: having a good time with your guests and making memories.
And let me know if I forgot any!