1. Set the Mood with Enchanted Lighting
3. De-Clutter
4. Flowers & Plants Everywhere
How to Get Ready to Party >> 5 Home Entertaining Essentials
This morning we were inspired by an article we stumbled upon an article on PopSugar addressing how to get ready to party and what exactly guests notice in your home. All of us who entertain at all know that one of the most stressful aspects of home entertaining, whether you are hosting a dinner party or your child's first birthday party, is getting your house in shape for your guests. Yes, you do need to clean but focus your time and efforts on making your bathrooms and kitchen spotless. Otherwise, shut the doors to rooms your guests do not need access to. As for the rest, we sorta agree there are generally just a handful of things your guests will notice about your home. No one will say – wow she so needs a new sofa or her carpet really deserves a cleaning. Your home decor is almost irrelevant so long as the rooms your guests see are tidied up and lack clutter. You can transform any room from drab to fab by implementing a few of these simple home entertaining essentials.
How to Get Ready to Party >> Have A Well-Stocked Bar
The Essential Guide to Bar Carts
Rick taught us this trick soon after founding dinner club. A well stocked bar is essential to any party, day or night. You don't even have to serve alcohol. A carefully chosen cocktail (or mocktail) will set the tone for your event and immediately get the fun started. although you do not need to be a full service bar, in addition to your signature cocktail make sure you have the home bar basics covered.
How to Get Ready to Party >> Decorate with Plants & Flowers
We 100% agree with PopSugar's assertion that “Flowers are the only decoration a house really ever needs, no matter the occasion (although we feel pretty strongly about candles too!). ” We always love orchids because although they cost a bit more, if you buy them with lots of buds, they can last a month or more. Another option, if you find buying flowers wasteful but love the look, is to invest in faux flowers. Today's faux flowers can be beautiful and practical at the same time. Obviously you will want some kind of flower or plant on your dining table but do not forget to add a small plant in the bathroom, on your coffee table or end tables, and even on your kitchen counter. Plants add color and life to every space!
How to Get Ready to Party >> De-Clutter
Organizing your clutter does not have to be an all day project. One Kings Lane suggests “simply stacking coffee table books from largest to smallest and evenly spacing out the stacks across the table takes less than five minutes, is a totally foolproof way to style the surfacer.” Trays come in lots of different styles and are such a chic way to gather all those random everyday odds and ends like remote controls, office supplies, and even your keys and make them look almost like pieces of art.
How to Get Ready to Party >> Fully Stock, Freshen & Tidy the Bathroom
The last thing we do before our guests arrive is to double check that the hand soap is fresh, there are plenty of clean hand towels available, there is an ample supply of toilet paper, and that the bathroom candle is lit. Earlier in the day we already dumped all those old and icky hotel samples we had gathered over the year and filled the tissue box.
How to Get Ready to Party >> Set the Mood with Enchanted Lighting
Enchanted Lighting
Just before your guests arrive, turn down your overhead lights and light your candles. Even if you are afraid of open flames, today there are lots of good looking flameless candle options available both from One Kings Lane and less expensive options on Amazon. We love the fact that you can even give your space a magical glow with clusters of light branches. Don't forget to add votives everywhere, including the bathroom, kitchen counters, coffee table, and dining table. For an inexpensive option, turn your used wine bottles into elegant candelabras and if entertaining outdoors, do not forget the string lights. Plow and Hearth even has a great selection of outdoor solar lights.
Finally turn on the music and enjoy the evening!
Party Hearty!
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