No matter if you are entertaining a gaggle of people for a dinner party or just a few close friends over for a couple of drinks and a board game, it is often the small details that make the biggest difference at parties.
For instance, getting a portable air purifier and deodorizer to place in your bathroom can go a long way toward freshening the space up after each use, thereby creating a more pleasant experience for everyone. Portable air purifiers and deodorizers can be found here.
If you are getting ready to host a party at your house, take these details into consideration when preparing for the evening.
1. Make Getting into the Party Simple
It can be extremely awkward for people to show up to an in-progress party, knock on the door, and have no one answer for several minutes due to the noise inside.
Therefore, it is best to put up a sign that the door is locked or place instructions on the gate for how to enter. Alternatively, you could also send out details for getting in via email or text. No matter how you do it, the point is to make getting into the party as smooth and easy as possible.
On that note, potentially the best way to do this is to plant yourself near the door and greet people as they arrive.
2. Keep the Temperature a Bit Lower Than Normal
When getting together with a bunch of people in your home, there is going to be additional body heat. Throw in the possibility of the oven being on and some alcoholic beverages and things can quickly get pretty toasty.
Therefore, it is best to crank up the air conditioning a bit more than normal, as this will help everyone to be a bit more comfortable. Alternatively, if the weather permits, you can also open some windows around your home.
3. Keep Decorations Minimal
If you are hosting a large get-together, lots of fussy decorations can actually end up cluttering space and making things less enjoyable.
Therefore, it is wise to take a more minimalist approach to decorations by using tasteful centerpieces, streamers or lights hung from the walls or ceiling and similar items that are largely out of the way. You can also integrate functional items like a tray for personal items and a space for wireless chargers into side tables and other unobtrusive furniture pieces.
4. Create a Lively Playlist
Without music playing, a party can feel more like a business meeting. Therefore, it is necessary to set the tone and create a lively music playlist. Also, when putting this together, be sure to have several hours of music compiled that will last through the event. Otherwise, your guests will be forced to listen to the same eight songs repeatedly.
Alternatively, you can also simply set your Spotify or Pandora to your favorite channel and not worry about curating the music yourself.
However, if the party you are hosting is larger or more formal (like a wedding or anniversary), then you might want to even consider hiring a DJ or live entertainment.
5. Serve the Right Kinds of Foods
Serving a full multi-course meal probably isn’t the right call for your party (unless it is a dinner party) and is likely to trap you in the kitchen for much of the event.
For more casual parties, it is best to serve bite-sized, less-mess kinds of foods that people can munch on throughout the affair. Therefore, you will want to make up foods that you can prepare in advance and set out shortly before guests arrive. Also, you will probably want to avoid offering different sauces or dips that could end up on your rug or furniture.
Fortunately, there are tons of great, easy-to-prepare party food recipes that fit the bill perfectly.
6. Get Folks Mingling
Parties are all about enjoying your company and for your guests to enjoy each other. However, sometimes a little social lubricant is needed to get people mingling.
Therefore, it is wise to strategically place foods throughout your home to help avoid having everyone crowding in the kitchen. Additionally, using food in this way will help to encourage movement and help your guests to meet more people.
7. Buy Lots of Ice
Ice is something that you don’t want to run out of when hosting a party, no matter its size. If the ice runs out, you will probably be stuck serving warm beverages, which can be a party killer.
However, this scenario can be easily avoided by simply purchasing a few more bags of ice than you think you will need or even asking a couple of different guests to pick a bag up on their way to your home.
8. Replace Bathroom Towels with Paper Towels
With five to 10 additional people in your home, that single hand towel in your bathroom is going to wear out its welcome pretty quickly.
Therefore, it is best to ditch that towel in favor of some disposable paper towels instead. You’ll also want to leave an extra roll or two out in the open (along with toilet paper) so that guests can easily access anything they need.
It is also a good idea to get a portable sanitizer to set out in case anyone wants to sanitize any surfaces before they have to touch them.
Sweat the Small Stuff
When hosting a party, it is often the little things that matter most.
Delight your guests by paying attention to the smaller details mentioned above and you are likely to ensure that your party is a smashing good time.
