Ahead of the big day, Aggie MacKenzie has put together some top tips to ensure this Christmas will be your best yet! If you're hosting this festive season, then she's got some brilliant advice for you...
Home and Garden on Female First
1. Minimise: When guests come to stay and start filling up your space with their stuff, your home can start looking messy very quickly. Before Christmas I suggest getting rid of any clutter or furnishings you don’t need. Move these into another room or even the attic to make the house look clearer and more spacious.
2. Prepare, prepare, prepare: To ensure you’re not rushing around the night of your party, put the work in beforehand: make sure you have plenty of food and drink available, empty bins and plan your playlist. The extra prep will be worth it and will leave you free to talk to your guests.
3. Over-cater on the basics: Running out of food and alcohol is one thing, but don’t underestimate the amount of loo paper, soap, bin liners and other crucial items you’ll power through during the festive season. Make sure you stock up to avoid guests having to ask any awkward questions!
4. Get into the holiday spirit: Making your house look Christmassy doesn’t have to cost a fortune and will get everyone in the festive mood. You’ll probably have your decorations up already, but a glass filled with lights, some carefully placed scented candles and the perfect Christmas playlist will add an extra helping of festive cheer.
5. Plan the space: Decide where items such as coats and gifts will go before your guests arrive – maybe on a bed upstairs or in a coat cupboard. Similarly, decide where you want your guests to congregate by strategically placing snacks and drinks in this area.
6. Get the rest of the family involved: Allocate jobs to various family members to keep your home looking its best throughout the celebrations. A child could be responsible for taking coats, and a partner could be your drinks-fixer, refilling and clearing away empty glasses.
7. Delegate: If you’re expecting a lot of guests, or just want to relieve the pressure on yourself, why not think about getting professional household help? With the rise of online services such as Care.com, finding local help has become much more convenient. Whether it’s someone coming in for a couple of hours in advance to get the house vacuumed and dusted, someone to clear up afterwards, or someone to help wash dishes and glassware during a party, Care.com can help you find the solution that’s right for you.
8. Clean as you go: While it’s important not to make your guests feel uncomfortable by frantically cleaning around them, there’s no harm in doing a bit of tidying during the party. Even if it’s just putting a few glasses in the dishwasher, it’ll reduce your workload at the end of the night and make sure your home doesn’t look messy!
9. Have an exit plan: If you suspect your guests might stay a little longer than you want, don’t worry, there are subtle ways to hint that the party’s coming to an end without making anyone feel unwelcome—such as turning down the music and turning up the lights, or slowly starting to tidy up.
10. Relax and enjoy! Your guests, friends and family will enjoy your party whatever happens, so try not to worry if a few things don’t quite go to plan. Ultimately, the most important thing about Christmas is spending time with the people who matter.
Tagged in Christmas