How to Entertain Without Cluttering Your Home

Hosting a party can be fun, but also stressful. You may feel like you need a lot of stuff to impress your guests, but that’s not true. In fact, you can entertain with style and ease without filling your cabinets with unnecessary items. Here are some tips from experts on what you can skip and what you can keep when it comes to entertaining essentials.

1. Mix and Match Your Tableware

You don’t need to have matching plates, napkins, placemats, and other accessories for every occasion. Instead, you can create a more interesting and personal table setting by mixing and matching colors, patterns, and textures. Sara Raak, a blogger and founder of Totable Tablescapes, says that a dinner party is more fun when you treat your table design like artwork. Nan Philip, a public relations and marketing consultant and blogger at Simply Elegant, agrees that it’s fun to get creative and avoid looking like you copied a catalog.

One way to save space and money is to use paper napkins for casual events and invest in one set of linen napkins for formal ones. Ally Ravnaas of the Instagram account The Petite Party suggests collecting fun paper napkin designs for different themes, holidays, and seasons.

2. Ditch the Chargers and Placemats

Another way to simplify your table setting is to skip the chargers and placemats altogether. Tiffany Barino of My Eclectic Nest says that chargers are somewhat useless, especially if you’re already using a placemat. She says that they are the one item that she can for sure live without for entertaining. Rashida Banks also considers placemats unnecessary. She says that exposing your beautiful tabletop can create a contrast of color, texture, and finish with your plates and other tableware.

3. Use Your Small Space Wisely

You don’t need a large or perfectly decorated space with lots of seating to host a great party. Christina Nease of Celebrations at Home says that you can use your small space wisely by creating different zones for different activities. For example, you can have a food station on your kitchen counter, a drink station on your coffee table, and a dessert station on your sideboard. You can also use folding chairs or ottomans for extra seating.

4. Keep Your Menu Simple

You don’t need to serve a complicated or fancy menu to please your guests. In fact, you can make your life easier by keeping your menu simple and focusing on quality over quantity. Julie Blanner of Coordinately Yours says that she likes to serve one main dish with two sides and one dessert. She also suggests making dishes that can be prepared ahead of time or in one pot or pan.

Another tip is to use fresh ingredients that are in season or local. This can make your food more flavorful and less expensive. You can also add some garnishes or sauces to elevate your dishes without much effort.

5. Serve Drinks in Pitchers or Dispensers

You don’t need to have a full bar or a variety of glasses to serve drinks to your guests. Instead, you can save space and time by serving drinks in pitchers or dispensers. This way, you can make large batches of cocktails or mocktails ahead of time and let your guests help themselves throughout the party.

You can also use mason jars or tumblers as glasses for any type of drink. They are versatile, durable, and easy to store. You can also add some straws or stirrers for some fun.

6. Use Multipurpose Items

You don’t need to have separate items for different purposes when it comes to entertaining. Instead, you can use multipurpose items that can serve more than one function. For example, you can use a cake stand as a cheese board or a fruit platter. You can also use a tray as a centerpiece or a serving platter.

Another example is to use candles as both lighting and décor. You can use different sizes, shapes, and colors of candles to create a cozy and festive atmosphere.

7. Borrow or Rent What You Don’t Have

You don’t need to buy everything you need for entertaining. Instead, you can borrow or rent what you don’t have from your friends, family, or neighbors. This way, you can save money and space while still having everything you need for your party.

For example, you can borrow or rent extra chairs, tables, dishes, glasses, linens, or decorations from someone who has them. You can also offer to swap items with someone who is hosting a different type of party.

8. Declutter Beforehand

You don’t need to have a perfectly clean or organized home to entertain guests. However, you do need to declutter beforehand so that your guests feel comfortable and welcome in your space.

You can start by clearing out any unnecessary items from the areas where your guests will be spending most of their time: the entryway, the living room, the dining room, the kitchen, and the bathroom. You can also hide any personal items that you don’t want your guests to see in closets or drawers.

You don’t need to deep clean every corner of your home before entertaining guests. However, you do need to make sure that the surfaces are dusted and wiped down, the floors are swept and mopped or vacuumed, the trash is emptied

9. Use Music to Set the Mood

You don’t need to hire a DJ or a band to create a lively atmosphere for your party. Instead, you can use music to set the mood and match the theme of your event. You can create your own playlist or use a streaming service to find one that suits your style and taste.

You can also use speakers or a sound system to make sure that the music is audible but not too loud. You want your guests to be able to enjoy the music and also have conversations without shouting.

10. Relax and Have Fun

You don’t need to stress over every detail or try to please everyone at your party. Instead, you need to relax and have fun with your guests. Remember that the most important thing is to celebrate and enjoy the moment with your friends and family.

You can also delegate some tasks to your guests or ask for their help if you need it. For example, you can ask someone to refill the drinks, take out the trash, or cut the cake. This way, you can share the responsibility and also make your guests feel more involved and appreciated.

Conclusion

Entertaining doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. You can host a fabulous party without cluttering your home with unnecessary items. By following these tips, you can simplify your entertaining essentials and focus on what really matters: having a good time with your loved ones.