Written by Genira Lima
Image by @Melissaswardrobe
Beyond godly-smelling candles, flowers and nice food, this guide covers the little things nobody tells you about hosting, that will truly upgrade your guest’s experience at your home.
Don’t down-serve
There is nothing worse than having people over and suddenly running out of wine, food and other essentials. When it comes to entertaining, it’s always better to exceed than to lack, especially in the food and drinks department. Go for abundance and the full enjoyment of your guests. They must feel comfortable to pour another cup or have another bite without guilt or shame. While there is no perfect formula to calculate how much food and drinks you’ll need, some guidelines might be helpful. For example, a bottle of wine serves five to six glasses so you should be aiming at 1 bottle of wine for 2 to 3 people.
Details matter
Making sure that all the areas that your guests will have access too are clean and comfortable. It might seem excessive, but success is in the details. Even if the event will be taking place in your living room, don’t overlook your bathroom. It’s the second place they will be going to the most so it should be as spotless and welcoming as the rest of the house. Most of us don’t have powder rooms meant for guests only, but we can easily transform our own bathrooms into something of the kind.
My suggestion is that you remove all your personal belongings from the counter or shelves so that your guests don’t feel like they’re penetrating an ultra-personal and intimate space. Make sure you keep it fresh and smelling nice, add some flowers, light up some candles and don’t forget to equip the bathroom with everything your guests need to properly wash and clean. A nice hand wash and hand cream – love Byredo’s Vetyver hand lotion and Tuilpmania hand wash: super chic and gorgeous smelling – should always be nearby as well as toilet paper (in abundance) so that your guests don’t have to go through the burden of asking you for more. Last but not least, because this is truly a life changing tip, opt for hand paper towels instead of your everyday cotton hand towel. It’s germ safe, as it will be used once and thrown away, and it will keep you from having a damp gross towel floating around the room.
Don’t try something new
This is not the occasion to test new dishes or cocktails as it can easily become an absolute fail. Being a host is already quite stressful as it is, so go for the classics, the things that you know for a fact that everyone enjoys and that will make the whole experience as smooth as possible both for you and your friends. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you will impress everyone by making that super complex southern Chinese stew for the very first time. Your guests shouldn’t be used as guinea pigs for your fun experiments. Stick with what you do well, be it food or drinks, and if you can’t cook, this isn’t the time to learn either. Hire a catering service or have your favourite restaurant deliver the food for your event. Whatever you do, just make sure everything is up to the standards of a top host!
Don’t clean til everybody is gone
This is one of the rudest things a host can do. Cleaning up while your guests are still there is a silent way of urging them to leave your home as soon as possible. Even if that’s not your true intention, it’s what people will think and naturally feel like it’s time to go. Also, your guests shouldn’t feel responsible for cleaning and helping you tidying up the place. Avoid asking for help or complaining, it’s just rude.
Don’t forget to unwind
Entertaining is not about perfectly folded napkins, it’s about pure and good old enjoyment! Sometimes wanting everything to be picture perfect can bring unnecessary tension to an occasion where you should be having fun. Your guests can’t feel at home if you’re stressing over every single detail, so be flexible and try not to be so hard on yourself and them: relax and they will follow. It’s ok if you need to add an extra chair to your exquisite table, or if someone spills some wine… that’s what real life looks like. Forget the aesthetics goals or perfectionist syndrome and enjoy the moment you created for your loved ones. Being a good host is more than putting nice tables together or serving the finest foods, it’s about creating a fun and laid-back environment where your people feel good and at ease.
