Get togethers are nice to host from time to time, even if you do end up dreading how much effort may be involved in getting ready, preparing the courses, making sure everyone is comfortable and having a good time, and picking up your place afterwards. The good thing is that you don’t have to drive anywhere and can hang out in the comfort of your own home.
But when throwing little parties or events, preparation is key, as always. If you aren’t prepared for the numerous guests coming, the food and drinks situation can be a disaster. If you don’t plan out the parking scenario, you’re only going to cause headaches for your guests and yourself.
Just make sure to keep these things in mind when getting ready for your next kick back.
Provide a spread of food.
Whether you prefer doing finger foods or full on meals, it’s probably standard to provide at least a few different options for food. Your guests will likely be more than happy to bring dishes as well, but as the host, it’s somewhat of an expectation to have a few options for snacking.
Check to make sure you have enough seating room.
This thing happens more often than you think. If you’re worried about not having enough chairs in one room, some rearranging may have to be done. If worst comes to worst, you can always ask any of your guests if they have folding chairs or lawn chairs to bring. You don’t want guests to have to sit on the floor or in different rooms from one another, so make sure the seating situation is taken care of before you find out someone has to sit on the ground.
Advertise and plan first.
I myself like to create a Facebook event page when hosting anything in order to iron out the ground rules and expectations beforehand. That way, if someone contests anything or doesn’t want to leave at the time I designated, I can just point to the event page and say that it was all stated there when I sent the invites. If your guests are family or friends, they shouldn’t throw too much of a fuss about this.
Get your place looking nice.
Whether you’re breaking out some old office and packaging supplies to get crafty or simply cleaning up the place and placing a few candles around your place, making sure your place is nice and cozy is key. (But hey, we like the idea of the office and packaging supplies littered upon your table while you make little projects and things the day before. All the power to you.)
