It's officially that time of the year again! The long-awaited holiday season is upon us and it's time to start thinking and planning all those holiday get-togethers! Not only does Easy Life Organizing help with your physical organizing needs, but we are also dedicated to helping you organize other parts of your life to increase productivity! That's where this blog post comes in. We are thrilled to share our tips and tricks to teach you how to host your next holiday party like a pro! You can also apply these tips to any event you host, whether it's a birthday party, graduation party, etc.
Start to Plan Now
There's this age-old saying, those who fail to plan, plan to fail. This could not be any more true for hosting a holiday or any type of party for that matter. This is why starting to plan how is our number one tip for how to host your next holiday party like a pro! Don't wait another minute! Start that plan now! We have additional tips to help you get started!
Trust the Plan
The other important aspect of having a plan is to actually trust the plan. Nothing good comes from making off-the-cuff changes halfway through. If you've sat done and made a good plan, follow it through. The main goal of this entire process is to alleviate some of the stress and chaos that occurs during the holidays.
Ask for Help!
This is another HUGE way to remove some of the stress from hosting the holidays. Asking for help could be something as simple as asking someone else to bring a dessert instead of you providing 5 different pies/cakes/desserts that will only get half eaten or not even touched (been there). Ask your Aunt to make that family favorite apple pie, and ask your mother-in-law to make those delicious cheesy mashed potatoes you dream about in mid-June. This will not only take a lot off of your plate, but it will also fill everyone else's plates with dishes they absolutely love.
Use our Holiday Food Planner!
Our holiday food planner is the secret to hosting your next holiday party like a pro. This spreadsheet (available only for Microsoft Excel) does most of the work for you making sure all of your food is cooked and ready to go when your guests are hungry. Enter all of your recipes into the spreadsheet, including the time of the main event (eating) and it will not only create a master grocery list for you, but it will also tell you what time you need to start prepping and cooking each dish so that it's ready when dinner is served. If you follow our next tip, your load will be even more light the day of!
Prep Ingredients Prior to the Day-Of
While the spreadsheet does provide a lot of assistance with timing the day of, we also recommend prepping your ingredients in the days prior to the event. Some dishes can be prepped in their entirety in the days before. For example, if you make roasted carrots, you can cut the carrots a few days prior to the event and have them in a container or even their baking dish, ready to go.
You can also break recipes down into sections and prep the sections ahead of time. For example, if you're making stuffing, you can prep your veggies by cutting them and cooking them down a day or two ahead of time. Have all of your spices measured out and in baggies, ready to be added at their appropriate time. This will make the day less stressful.
Stay on Top of Dishes as You Prep
Don't let those dishes pile up! Stay on top of them as you are moving through your prep work and cooking. Washing a plate here or there while sauteing your veggies so the load isn't so much at the end.
Another great tip is to have a tub for dirty dishes (that's not the sink) after dinner. Keep your sink clear while you serve dessert but use a plastic tub to store the dirty dishes in before you wash (or someone else washes) the dishes. This will keep your sink and countertops clear. It will also help make the task a little less mentally daunting because everything is in one tote, not strewn all over the counter and overflowing in the sink.
Have someone else do the dishes. You deserve it!
These are words to live by. You've spent all the time and effort to host the party and cook probably most of the meal, so let someone else do the dishes this time around. It's not only a great way to share the load but it's also an excellent opportunity for some additional bonding. The task will go super fast and could even be enjoyable if you have a few guests helping and chatting away.
Have To-Go Containers at the Ready
Having to-go containers at the ready is another tip for how to host your next holiday party like a pro. Be the host with the most and kill two birds with one stone. You will look like such a thoughtful host by providing your guests with to-go containers for them to have leftovers in the coming days. You will also minimize your clean-up and clutter in the coming days. It is such a disappointment to have to throw away all that delicious food at the end of the week because there was just too much to eat for leftovers all by your family.
BONUS: Hire an Organizer AND a Cleaner
Not only do you have to prep the meal and festivities for your event/party, but you also have to prep your house as well! This is a great time to hire an organizer AND a cleaner! A lot of people think that they are one and the same, but they are not.
We have often worked in tandem with cleaning on more extensive organizing projects. Hiring both before the holidays is a great way to ensure your home is in its absolute best shape for entertaining. Contact Amanda to schedule your free organizing consultation today and put a check in that box on your list!
We know these tips will alleviate some stress as you prepare for your upcoming holiday parties! Let us know your favorite holiday party tip in the comments below!