Hosting holiday parties can be stressful, especially if it is in your home and you entertain many guests. Should you bring out your collectibles? How do you protect your home from turning into a mess? And how to keep your home intact after they leave? Let's be honest; when you open up your home to family, two things can happen: your home looks like a disaster, or you come out clean with minimal damage.
The good news is that you can avoid damage, keep your home intact, and be a great host! You can party-proof your home to ensure your hosting experience is nothing less than perfect. The following tips will help party-proof your home for your next event.
Position Your Living Space for Functionality
Photo by Kelsey Chance on Unsplash
We all have different decorating tastes - some like big bulky furniture that looks like it belongs in medieval times, and others like white furniture that might work best under plastic. (Hat tip: Thanks Grandma for the memories of plastic on your couch!).
- Remove any furniture not needed that will keep areas of your home closed off, like end tables or ottomans. You want your guest to feel they have room to move around, especially in a crowded room.
- Provide more seating options to give guests a variety of places to relax. Spread your furniture out to provide spots to pull up chairs for gathering.
- Remove any collectibles or delicate pieces you want protected to avoid your guests feeling like they broke something irreplaceable, especially if kids are roaming around.
- Remove any unnecessary personal clutter you don't want visible in common areas.
Photo by Samantha Gades on Unsplash
Protect Surfaces from Unwanted Stains or Spills
Your guests are human, and accidents happen, so proof your home with simple weapons to leave your home with good memories - not colored stains.
- Protect your tables with a table runner, drink coasters, wet wipes for spills, and tablecloths to make guests feel comfortable if they do have an accident.
- Protect your couch with a washable sofa slipcover to avoid costly spills and an expensive cleaning bill later. Afterward, you can throw in the washing machine.
- Put away personal belongings to create a clutter-free home when guests arrive to avoid missing or damaged items.
- Stock up on extra toiletry and other items to keep your home and guests clean.
Know Your Audience
For the love of god, we all have them - that one relative that drives you bonkers! Maybe they have the kids from hell (Not today, Satan!), or you have that uncle that you swear is unsanitary. Whoever they are, consider your family's individual needs when deciding what you need to remove and put in place, so everyone has a great time!
Photo by: Element5 Digital on Unsplash.
