Stress-Free Party Planning
Hosting parties is fun, but it can also be quite stressful. Having a group of people over to your house can a bit intimidating, even if you know them. You start worrying about how to keep them entertained, what you should serve, and how to ensure everyone has a good time.
Don’t be overwhelmed, hosting a mostly stress-free party is completely within your reach, and something you can do each and every time you entertain. By following these stress-free party hosting guidelines, you will be a relaxed and seasoned hostess in no time!
5 Steps to a Stress-Free Party:
- Plan Ahead
- Keep it Simple
- Make a Checklist
- Ask for Help
- Prep your Home
These are the basic steps to any party planning process. You need to pick your date in advance, invite your guests, and plan the details out. Then, before guests arrive, you need to shop for your party food/supplies and clean the house. That’s the big picture process. Now let’s dive into the details.
Step #1: Plan Ahead
Pick a Date that Works for You
The trick to any low-stress party is giving yourself plenty of time. This may seem pretty obvious, but be sure you pick a date and time that works well for you and your household. Don’t throw a party the day after your husband gets back from work travel. Don’t throw a party the night after your family gets back from a full day at the beach. Do not plan an event right after anything that will cause you to be tired or rushed for time.
Plan a get-together when you are free. Often our biggest mistake is trying to cram too much into a day, a weekend, or a week. Your event should be on a day when you have plenty of time to commit to getting things ready for your party. You want to be refreshed before guests arrive, not frazzled from rushing around till the last minute.
So, let’s break out that calendar! Look ahead, a month in advance. When do you see a free day? One that is not proceeded by a busy one before it? One where you have the entire day available and no late-night obligations prior? One where you can go shopping a day or a few days before to get everything you need for this event?
This is the date for your party. When you are truly free of all other obligations and can host company while being completely present with them. Mark it on your calendar and send out those invitations.
One thing to note is that it’s okay to set a start and end time for your get-together. It can help to feel less overwhelmed when you know that you don’t have to entertain all night!
Pick the Music
All parties need some music, even if it’s just instrumental background music. Make a playlist to fit the mood of your event or find one of the many ready-to-go ones on Spotify (or YouTube).
I usually make this the husband’s job; Daniel can throw together a playlist in no time, one that would take me weeks to build. Just make sure the volume is loud enough to hear but quiet enough for everyone to easily visit during the event.
Plan Your Attire
Don’t forget to plan what you will wear in advance. This does not have to be done as early as party planning, but be sure you’re not shredding through your closet an hour before the event.
Pick your outfit out the day before, at the latest. Decide on your clothes, shoes, accessories, and makeup. Make sure whatever you wear will be comfortable enough for the occasion and what you will be needing to do during the event itself. If you plan to get a new outfit, be sure you add that to your list in step #3.
Step #2: Keep it Simple
The Party Basics:
-Food
-Drink
-Activity
There you have it, 3 basics to any fun and stress-free party.
#1 Feed your guests. If your party falls during regular mealtime, you should be providing a full meal. If it falls between these times, you should be offering some snacks.
#2 Always provide drinks. This doesn’t need to be a fully stocked bar, just a cocktail or wine and some beer will do just fine. People like the basics and these are safe bets.
#3 Have an activity planned. It’s good to have something prepared, even if you end up not needing it. This is where party games come in handy. Anything will do here, just make sure the game is fitting for the size of the group. Yard games, card games, board games, or large group games are all good choices. Any interactive activity will do.
Start Small
While we all love a nice extravagant party, this is not the place to start if you are prone to party-planning stress. Don’t have your first-ever hosting event to be your cousins’ bridal shower or your nieces’ sweet 16. Start small, and once you get the hang of it, move on to those big events. Invite over a group of friends, people you know and are already comfortable around. This is the perfect starting point on your hosting journey.
When you are ready to host these larger events, use these same steps, they can apply to any party!
Simple Themes
Many people think that a theme adds a lot of stress to a party. Now, if you were throwing a 50s-style retro party complete with costumes, photo booths, props, and a vintage milkshake machine, that would be stressful. But honestly, most themes can be pretty simple.
Easy examples are things like a picnic theme, where you make a sandwich board complete with various types of meat, cheeses, and bread. Have everyone bring a side and play yard games all night on the back porch. Or a taco night, where you make one of the easiest group meals ever and buy some pre-made margarita mix. You don’t even have to buy decorations; the food and drink can sell the theme all on their own.
A theme not only sets the mood for a party, but it helps your guests to know what to expect and provides you with a starting point for planning. It’s an all-around win for everyone!
Of course, you don’t need a theme to host a party. You can simply invite guests over just to enjoy time together. You can make your signature dish and keep it a low-key gathering. As long as you can plan some food, drinks, and an activity or two to add to the fun, that’s all you really need!
Step #3: Make a List, Check it Twice
That’s right, just like dear old Santa Clause, you want to have your party planning list completed to make sure you don’t forget anything. Let’s go over your shopping list. Food? Check. Drinks? Check. Do you have enough dishware? Plates, bowls, cups, utensils, and napkins? Add any of this to the list before you go. Do you need anything extra for games or activities? Are you planning on getting any decorations or fresh flowers? Add these to the checklist.
If you can have someone double-check your list this can be quite helpful. Before a party, I always grab Daniel’s attention and go through my checklist with him to ensure I am not forgetting anything. I also revisit the menu and make sure I have not left any ingredients out.
Step #4: Ask for Help
This is a step that many hostesses, including myself, seem to struggle with. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Ask your husband to help clean up the house. Ask a friend to come over early to help you set up for the party. Or ask your guests to bring something.
Just because you are the one hosting the event, it does not mean you have to provide everything for it. Often your guests (at least one or two of them) will ask if they can bring something. Feel free to let them. Ask them to bring a side dish or appetizer. Does your friend make amazing cookies? Ask her if she will bring dessert for the party. Guests that don’t cook can bring some extra beer or even a bag of ice. That alone can be a big help in decreasing your party prep stress!
The grocery store can help you out as well. Don’t be afraid to buy some of your food pre-made. Pick up a large serving of a side from the deli or a dessert or fresh bread from the local bakery. You can fancy up a bag of mixed greens for a salad. You don’t have to make everything from scratch all the time! Buying a few items that are ready to eat can help lighten your load, save you time, and reduce some stress.
Step #5: Prepare your Home
The Food
You should start small with the food if you are new to entertaining. Keep to simple meals or your own signature dishes. Don’t try any new dishes at the party, it will just add to the stress! Stick with what you know you make well, or at least test out any new recipe the week before, so you know it’s a winner.
Whatever can sit overnight should be done the day before. Many sides and a fair number of main dishes can be made in advance. Most veggies can be chopped early, whereas fruits are more difficult because they have a tendency to dry out or brown. Take a look at your menu and see what you can make beforehand and what needs to wait until closer to party time. It’s amazing what a relief it is when almost all you need to do is pop something in the oven!
The Cleaning
Make a list of what you need to clean. Unless your having someone new over and are planning on giving a tour, you don’t necessarily have to clean the whole house. You can focus on the areas people will be staying in or passing through. Living room, dining room, kitchen, entry, and bathroom.
If you are hosting outside, be sure to keep your main traffic areas clean. People will still need to use the bathroom, set their belongings somewhere, and will often be asking to help with the transferring of food from the kitchen to the patio.
Think about your space and your party needs. A party is a great reason to clean the entire house, but not always necessary. If it will make you less stressed to clean the whole house, go for it. If your home allows you a little more grace with the layout and it’s less stressful for you to focus on your entertaining space only, then do that.
Getting Ready
This step should be easy because you already picked out your attire yesterday (or earlier), right? Now take the time to get to your ideal state of readiness. Consider setting aside a little time to relax and unwind. Read a few pages in your book, go for a short walk, something to clear your mind and get you out of party prep mode. Then turn on some music and get ready to host!
A Stress-Free Party
Now that you have completed these 5 steps, you’re done! All you have to do is wait for your guests to arrive. Don’t overthink things, remember you have it all under control. You’ve provided food, drinks, and you even have some activities up your sleeve. It’s time to relax and have fun with your guests. This is the just first of many fun stress-free parties to come!
