We salute you if you’re stepping up to host a holiday party this year. Whether you’re entertaining coworkers, friends or family, it never comes easy… but it can be made easier! We sat down with Romio Home Expert Jamie Hord, of Horderly, to learn about her stress-less tips for planning a holiday party. Here’s what Jamie shared.
Simple Decor Changes
No time or budget to decorate the entire house in festive garlands and lights? Make simple changes like swapping out pillowcase covers to transform the entire aesthetic of a room. I’ve also found that pinecones are the most inexpensive item to decorate with. You can even take a look around your local park and you’ll find more than a handful of them. You can stick pinecones anywhere in your home or get into some fun DIY projects by covering them in glitter, hanging them up, making candles with them and much more! The best part? Pinecones can be used as decorations throughout the entire holiday season!
Set The Ambiance
Think of all of your senses when getting ready for a party. Smell – Light candles and have something aromatic cooking in the oven or placed on the stovetop. Sight – Make sure your lights are set at a good tone – not too bright; not too dark. Hear – Make sure you have a killer playlist on hand. There's nothing worse than a totally random or maybe even embarrassing song turning on shuffle while you're sitting down for dinner. Taste – Of course, the food should be on point – but don’t make meal prep too hard on yourself. No need to make everything from scratch for a larger number of guests. You can easily find some delicious pre-cut or already prepared foods at your local grocery store. Touch – Be sure that everyone has everything that they need in hand. When entertaining, my husband is always checking to make sure that no one is holding an empty glass or plate.
Use Your Good Stuff
Don't be afraid to pull out that nice china and those items wrapped up and tucked far back in the cabinet to showcase during your party. As a Professional Organizer, I urge clients to use these items any chance they get. Otherwise, when do you get to enjoy them? Give it a try, start making it a new tradition and see how happy it makes you.
Create "Stations"
Create little stations that people can help themselves to at their leisure. For example, set up a drink "station", an appetizer "station" and a dessert "station". It will keep the party interesting and give your guests something to do and look forward to as they navigate through the party.
Easy Clean-Up
Make sure your dishwasher is unloaded before the party starts and line any pans and cooking trays with foil to save you scrubbing time. When packing away décor, make sure you categorize, take inventory of what you have so you can easily remember for next year and label your storage bins so you know exactly what’s in each one.
Follow these great tips and you’ll be sure to enjoy this holiday season as much as your party guests! And in the meantime, download Romio in the App Store or on Google Play to find Service Providers who can help with further party prep (like Interior Decorators and Housecleaners). Some Romio Service Providers are all ready to be booked and many more will be available for bookings in early 2018.
Thanks Jamie for these amazing tips! Check out what Jamie is up to on her Facebook and Instagram!
