Do you host parties during the holidays? As you may know, there are many things to do before hosting a party. It's not just prepping the food or getting the table ready. Those are tasks that need completing the day of the party. I'm talking about the things to do before the day of the party to help you keep your stress at bay. This post will help you get everything ready for your upcoming holiday party.
Start with organizing your kitchen.
1st Day: Go through each cabinet.
2nd Day: Take out everything from the pantry and check for expired or opened packages.
3rd Day: Empty refrigerator and go through all the opened bottles. Get rid of items you don’t want or have expired or have a growing fungus on it.
4th Day: Visit your serving platters section. Weed through the platters you wish to use and place them on top.
5th Day: Visit supplies and equipment in the baking area. Review and restock this area with missing items.
6th Day: Visit supplies, pots, and pans in the cooking area of your kitchen. Replace any things you may need for the holiday parties.
Now on to the guest bathroom and bedrooms.
7th Day: When guests stay over, review and gather the items for bedding and towels.
8th Day: Visit the bathroom they would be using and determine if you need to get new towels for their visit.
9th Day: Go through your bedroom and clear out any item on the floor that doesn’t belong there. Put these things away.
10th Day: Go through the additional bedroom and clear out the floor or surface clutter that may have been left there over the year.
It's getting closer to the party date, so you need to visit the dining area.
11th Day: Review the dinnerware and make sure you have enough for the party.
12th Day: Decide if you are going to use paper or actual plates. Do you have enough of them?
13th Day: Will there be table clothes? Cloth ones or paper ones?
14th Day: Do you have enough seating in the space? Where will you put everyone?
Now, it is time to determine the meal. It's amazing how many things need completing, right? Visit the previous post to get information on how to decide your menu and make your holiday great.
I hope this helps you get your home organized quickly and with as little stress as possible. Feel free to share with family and friends that may host parties each year.
Are you looking for additional tips about hosting a party? Visit Sabrina's Organizing blog posts below as well as other experts.
MAKING A FABULOUS PARTY THAT EVERYONE WILL LOVE
5 TIPS TO GET YOUR HOME READY FOR THANKSGIVING
NEW YEAR’S EVE TIPS TO RING IN THE NEW YEAR
NEW YEAR’S EVE MAKE YOUR OWN PIZZA PARTY
HOW TO HOST AN ORGANIZING PURGE PARTY – STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS
How to Get Organized for the Holidays: 13 Simple Steps
Top 10 Tips to Get Organized for the Holidays
Now it's your turn, what is your favorite tip when getting your home ready for a holiday party? Please leave a comment below.
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Getting ready for guests can seem like a huge chore. It's amazing how much needs to get done, isn't it? I love that your list is broken down into simple steps and is easy to follow. I'd probably ask my guests (especially if they're local) to help!
Hi Sabrina,
I loved reading this as you put together a great list of to do’s. I know that doing as much as you can ahead of time is key. It certainly reduces the stress levels so that we’re not only hosting, we’re enjoying this fabulous day with loved ones.
I particularly liked your idea about buying towels just for guests. It makes a lot of sense. I enjoy using my family heirloom cloth towels handed down from great aunts and relatives. Some are hand embroidered and they’re all just beautiful.
Enjoy the holidays!
Ronni
This is a great list of the things to do to prepare for the holidays. I like how you break it down by room and a task to work on each day. There really is so much to do when hosting a party, so if we are the guests, we should be very grateful to our hosts for all they've done to make the event happen.
When I have people over, I do a mix of store prepared food and homemade food. That way there is less for me to do. But I can put my spin on the dished I make and it's not as overwhelming. I also like to keep things simple.
I never host the holiday gathering because I really don't have the space. Sometimes I miss it but not when I'm reminded about all the work involved!
Reading these lists is a reminder of how much work is actually involved in hosting a party or holiday gathering. Time is definitely our best ally, and spreading out the decisions over a period of days makes the process feel less overwhelming. Entertaining, like so many other things, gets easier the more you do it. As Linda said, the most important thing is to "let it go" once the party starts and simply enjoy the event!
What a comprehensive list, Sabrina! I know that the holidays can be overwhelming with so much to do...not just cooking, but getting the house ready. I like how you've broken up the tasks on a doable and daily basis. But I was also realizing that while there IS a lot to do to get ready for guests, it's so easy to lose sight of the reason we're getting together. So remembering that it's the time spent with our loved one that is what's so precious. If other things aren't "perfect" or as organized as you'd like, that's OK. Focus on the people, note the stuff.