It’s that time of year again when holiday parties are abundant! Here are five of our favorite tips to help you throw a bash that's big on entertainment value, even if it's small on space.
1. Clear the Clutter
While we know it's impossible to move all your belongings out of the way, you can certainly cut down on clutter. Check out the flow of a room and then move pieces around as needed to open the floor space. Push tables or large pieces of furniture up against walls. Swap out armchairs for folding chairs. Stow knickknacks in bedrooms or in closets.
2. Spread Out Your Food and Drinks
Here’s a simple truth: people go to where there are yummy things to eat and drink. If you put all your food in one spot, guess what you’re going to get—a traffic jam. Instead, use end tables, side tables, coffee tables, and other surfaces as mini snack stations throughout your home. This will help reduce congestion and promote mingling as guests migrate from one zone to the next.
3. Improvise, Improvise, Improvise!
When you face a small-space challenge, get creative. If your fridge is full, fill the bathtub with ice and put your cold drinks in. A dresser can be transformed into a buffet. An end table can be a small snack station. You can even turn your bed lengthwise against the wall and rearrange the cushions, so it was more like an extra couch. Guests will be very impressed with your ingenuity!
4. Make the Timing Loose
Whenever hosting a larger gathering, invite guests for a long window of time and let them know it’s an “open house” type of event. By letting friends know they can come any time, you’ll get staggered arrivals, and your place won’t get too crowded.
5. Keep it Simple
We aren’t saying you can’t liven up the décor with a few tasteful flourishes, but there’s no reason to convert your home to a winter wonderland. Choose one or two small centerpieces and look for decorations that can be mounted on walls or hung from the ceiling. This will reserve your valuable surface space for more important things… like food and drinks.
Limiting your décor is another great way to keep holiday stress minimized. Putting up and taking down decorations takes a lot of effort and a lot of storage space. Keeping it to a few favorite items you use every year is an excellent way to be festive and functioning.
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