Hospitality Essentials for Hosting Great Parties
Great hospitality comes from better planning. After reading our article on the essentials of party planning, you should be comfortable with your plan and ready for the details!
Hospitality is all about the details and going that extra mile for your guests. So when you are ready for the next step in your party planning start thinking for your guests. If you can think of what your guests will need and want before they do what a success you will become!! Below we've come up with some fool proof rules for you to follow to help you get your hospitality game up to speed!
Location, Location, Location...
When you are planning your next great party, you need to first consider your location. If you are planning on having an intimate party for a gathering of close friends, then your home may be the ideal place to host your soiree. We believe that all great parties start and finish in the kitchen so try and make this the focal area for your guests. It will depend on your kitchen size and layout as to what you can do but as it is your primary source for water, sinks, waste disposal, ovens and refrigeration you do need to have a game plan when organizing your kitchen as party central.
Thesexykitchen.com introduces our Party Planning K.I.S.S. Rules to follow that will provide you with all you need to remember in order to ensure a successful game plan for any party!
1. K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simply Stocked
Do not overload your kitchen with decor, serving trays or excess glassware. A clean, functional area will make for ease of use. With great planning comes a great time!
Empty your refrigerator and stock it with essential juices, mixes and pre prepared back up snacks, hors d'oeuvres and dips. Allow for plenty of space for beer and wine. Use your side racks for keeping wine cold and the chillers for beers, ciders and coolers. Try and keep all food separate from the beer supply to prevent embarrassing spillage and mid party cleanup. If you are concerned with spoilage of your other items, consider buying a cooler to keep regular refrigerated items fresh.
ICE No party should ever go without ice. Do not make the mistake of over estimating your freezers ice making potential. Go and buy bags of ice from your local grocer or convenience store. It is relatively cheap and if you start running out, you can go for a quick run to the 24 hour store in your area. (Sober of Course!) You will need to empty your freezer as well. Frozen items stored in a cooler with ice can last upwards of 12 - 24 hours so make some room. The freezer is also a great place to chill Vodka & Gin and if chilled glasses are your choice, use the juice trays on the door to keep glassware cold.
Keep your countertops clear. If you are planning on serving food, keep your countertops clear of serving trays and such. Only bring them out when needed. Use the area around your oven as your staging area. This will insure hot food and make people aware that it is a "Work Area" Keep oven mitts close by and always have a damp cloth available for quick cleanups of spills and drips.
Bar Area- If you have to set up a bar area in your kitchen, make sure it is within 1-2 paces of a waste receptacle and sink. Keep it well organized and supplied. A damp cloth for spills, a beverage dispenser or jigger for pouring, ice bucket with tongs, a recipe book of cocktails, garnishes in separated bowls (covered with damp towels or on ice) and of course your bar essentials, Booze.
Utensils- Try and have a cutting board available and DO NOT forget to have at least 2 Wine openers available for your guests. These are essential as they act as a knife to cut with in a fix, a bottle opener and of course, to open wine.
Clean Sinks- Make sure your sinks are clean. If you only have one sink in your home then you will need to do some maintenance throughout the evening. Guest will need to empty their glasses of straws, ice, mix and garnishes throughout the evening so and nothing is uglier than a clogged, straw and garnish filled sink. Consider using a colander or strainer in your sink to catch debris. All bars use this technique. It allows for easy clean up and disposal. If you want to remove ice in the strainer, simply melt it away using warm water then dispose of the straws, garnishes and debris.
If you have two sinks, it's even better. You can dedicate your smaller sink disposal and have your larger sink available for cleaning, prep and as a fresh water source. If your second sink is a garbarator, DO NOT dump your debris directly into it. You will only damage your equipment and no one wants to hear that loud, intrusive noise of bottle caps spinning.
2. K.I.S.S. - Keep it Simply Seated.
Although most parties begin in the kitchen it is unlikely that all of your guests will reside there for the entire evening. So if you are going to have a great party in your home you will need to have a comfortable entertaining area outside of the kitchen; typically the living room.
Perimeter Seating- Try and keep all of your seating to the perimeter. Move your couches, chairs and tables to the outside of your space to allow for mingling, dancing and general ease of movement. Coffee tables should go against walls. Dining tables are best in corners for food or bar service. Dining chairs should be place in two's and three's to create additional seating areas.
Arms Reach- Try and have a place to put drinks, used plates and napkins within arms reach of all seating. Your guests should not have to get up and move across the room to put down anything.
Fragile Seating- If your coffee table or end tables are not strong enough to have people sit on then we suggest you get them out of the way or use a sign suggesting they are fragile and not for sitting.
3. K.I.S.S. - Keep it Simply Supplied.
Your guests will need to use your facilities at some point so it is essential to remember the 3. K.I.S.S. Rule: As a host, it is imperative to have adequate supplies available.
Toilet Paper- Keep back up toilet paper readily available.
Paper Towel- If you do not want guests using cloth hand towels, you can purchase nice individual paper towel products and store them by the sink in a nice basket for ease of use.
Tissue- Provide Kleenex or a similar tissue product for use.
Soap- Have a squeeze soap dispenser near by for washing hands. Avoid bars of soap as they can get dingy with use and attract unsightly hairs and debris.
Waste- Keep a waste receptacle close by and check often. A great embarrassment saver includes a lit scented candle burning at all times in your washroom. Keep matches close by as well.
4. K.I.S.S. - Keep it Simply Stored.
Unless you are lucky enough to live way down south, you will need to address the needs of your guest's jackets, boots, shoes and umbrella's. We all remember playing in the coats of our parents guests as they were strewn over the various beds in our homes. We hope to have overcome this melee of material by now and are using our bedrooms for a more gracious form of entertaining. Your hallway closet does not need to be large and vast to accommodate all the coats and shoes of your guests. Simply empty your closets and store your own items away in your bedroom closets or in storage.
Hangers- Have adequate hangars available.
Coat Racks- You can rent cheap coat racks from party rental companies and in a pinch, you can hang dowels or rods in your laundry room and make a functional cloak room.
- You can use an empty book shelf to store guest's shoes in and remember that it is also helpful to have a place to sit for those who need to tie or untie their shoes.
- Find an old large vase or cylinder for umbrellas. Go to garage sales and look for old cylindrical ashtrays, they are hollow and are the perfect height for a mid sized umbrella.
- Go the extra mile and keep a few spare umbrellas around to be used by your guest's that may be ill-equipped.
5. K.I.S.S. - Keep it Simply Safe
A very essential part of party planning is ensuring the safety of your guests and of yourself.
- Keep candles away from high traffic areas and flammables.
- Protect valuables from being knocked over by storing them away.
If alcohol is being consumed it is vital that you have a plan in place to ensure the safe return of your guests for they are your responsibility.
- Post all the taxi phone numbers in your area by your home phone and the front door.
- Make sure that your address is correct if you live in an apartment; indicate what buzzer number to use. It is best to call these companies in advance and make them aware you are having a party. This will give them ample warning of a rush of possible customers and they will ensure they have drivers close by. It will also prevent any address mistakes from happening.
- You should also post any driving alternatives as well. They are comparable to taxi rides and they will get your car home for you.
- If you live close to public transit, list all of the final departure times and connectors in your area.
- You can also arrange your own transportation by hiring a shuttle driver. It may seem costly at first but is obviously worth it.
6. K.I.S.S. - Keep it Simply Smoke Free
Most people know better now not to smoke, but there are a few who choose to continue (especially at parties) and their needs should be met as well. Smokers have resigned themselves to the fact they need to smoke outdoors at most parties. Still it is courteous to try and make the outdoors as comfortable for them as possible.
- Supply some easy slip on sandals or shoes for them to use.
- If it is possible, keep the area clean and dry.
- Use a patio umbrella for protection. If you have the resources, a large rug is great for use so they do not need shoes outdoors.
- Make sure there is adequate ashtray's available and ensure they are changed regularly.
- Have some cigar ashtrays available as well as a cigar cutter and long wooden matches.
- If it is cold outside, have an area close by for their jackets. If you have the resources, consider a heat lamp. They are relatively inexpensive and prolong your patio season.
- If it is raining or snowing, have individual umbrellas available.
Gum, mints or breath spray adds a nice touch.
7. K.I.S.S. - Keep it Simply Sexy
Choosing the right ambience for your party is the essential part of any planning. Your guest's will walk into your home and appreciate immediately the warmth and hospitality of your design.
Proper Lighting- If it is too dark, guests will have trouble recognizing fellow party goers and will not be able to see all the effort you have put into your home. If you are using candles, make sure they are supplemented with soft lighting as candle light can be flickering and create optical illusions for some guests.
Too many candles- and you risk bringing the temperature up in your space. An environment with too much heat will cause discomfort for your guests and may force you to open windows. Try and make the room a comfortable temperature for all. There will always be someone who is too hot or cold. Please the average and you will do just fine.
Ambient Lighting- There is a wide variety of rope lighting available in today's market. It is similar to mini lights but is more functional. You can wrap it around posts, ceilings and countertops. It is available in a wide variety of colors and designs.
- If your budget so inclines, you can rent or buy small spot lights, gobo lights and pars. The spot lights and pars look great when used with colored bulbs on feature walls, in corners, on trees and focused on art. Look for reds, blues and purple hues as they are soft and provide a mellow, sexy dim to the room.
- If you are looking for a unique lighting experience, you can use a gobo light. This light shoots a design onto a wall so as to create images. It is customizable and very unique and can be a great addition if you want to celebrate a birthday, anniversary or particular event.
- Mini Lights are still a great choice and can be used effectively. Be aware with cheaper brands, if one bulb goes out, so does the whole string.
- Lava lamps are back in style and make great eye candy, remember they take an hour to warm up.
Music- Can either make or break your party so make sure you have the appropriate music selected. No matter what you select consider the following. Does the music fit the mood? Jazz, Acid Jazz and sexy house are great for socializing parties but should not be so loud as to hinder casual conversation.
Does the music fit the crowd? If you are having a family gathering, consider the age variance, demographics and particular tastes. Think Swing, Rock & Roll and Classical.
Too dance or not too dance? If you are looking to throw a party that is interactive and high energy, consider some great dance music for your guests. Again take into account demographics and choose accordingly. If you are unsure of what is going on in the dance world. We suggest you hire a DJ. They are experts in what they do and will take some of the pressure off of you to keep your guests moving. Make sure you hear a demo CD before hiring any DJ. DO NOT assume they will play what you are looking for.
Use these K.I.S.S. Rules during the planning stages for any and all locations you may choose to host your next event. They apply to the simplest of house parties to the most complicated weddings imaginable.
