With the festive season well underway, it’s the perfect time to start thinking about how you can prepare for the party season, particularly when it comes to your home. Christmas is the perfect time of year to entertain and catch up with both family and friends. It’s definitely my favourite time of year for that very reason!

Many people find that around Christmas they can fully shut off from the busy day-to-day of life and focus on the most important people around them. Planning a get-together with all the amazing people in your life should be an enjoyable experience, but for some it can be exhausting before the guests even arrive!

I have gathered the 5 ways you can prepare for the party season at home. Meaning that you can sit back, relax and wait for your guests to arrive, knowing full well that you’ve thought of everything.

Are you ready to dive in?

Declutter in Advance

Before the festive season gets well underway, it’s worth considering a “Winter Spring Clean”. With the weather proving challenging to spend time outside, this is the perfect opportunity to have a good clear out.

Consider filing any outstanding paperwork that has been stacked on various surfaces throughout your home. You may even have some outdated magazines or newspapers; do you really need these going into the festive season?

It is also worth re-evaluating the decorative accessories you have picked up throughout the year – what can you swap out for more wintery or festive ones? Remember to not overcrowd your home, especially when you are preparing to entertain.

Additional Reading – Spring Cleaning, Made Easy

Plan Ahead

The festive season is undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable. But unless you have properly planned ahead, it can get stressful and overwhelming.

If you are entertaining a lot in December, it’s important to write everything down. Who is coming when, what food and drinks will be needed and what type of afternoon / evening is it. Make sure to stock up in advance if you can.

For Christmas Day, I always like to have an idea as to how I’d like to lay the dining table and style to whole space. This makes it far easier when the day comes to have everything ready.

Supplies

As part of preparing for the festive season at home, it is important to think about the supplies you are likely to need. If you don’t have them already; now is the best time to stock up before they sell out.

Which supplies am I talking about specifically? The tablecloths, napkins, glasses – anything you might need to ensure that your festive entertaining goes on without a hitch.

If you have tablecloths or good napkins tucked away already – do they need washing or ironing in advance?

And what about the good dinner set? (Plates, crockery etc) – do they need cleaning or polishing? Remember to always check that you have enough glasses to go around for all eventualities.

Do you have enough chairs for your guests? If not, ask a family member if they wouldn’t mind bringing one or two of theirs.

Whatever you need to check, clean, iron or polish in advance, always make sure to schedule this in to your calendar in advance of December if you can. That way, you can leave December free for all the socialising and events.

A Guest-Ready Kitchen

For Christmas Day (or any other day you are entertaining at home), try to free the worktop of your kitchen from any food preparation. Keeping the surfaces clear and clean on the day of your entertaining will ensure that your kitchen is kept guest-ready the whole day.

I always suggest to prepare as much of the food and drink as you can, the day before the entertaining commences. Of course with some foods this cannot be possible, but it’s a good idea to prepare as much as you can in advance of your guests arriving. This ensures that you won’t be under pressure or stressed when everyone arrives!

If there is food you need to prepare on the day, try to allow yourself extra time in the morning to do this.

Warm and Cosy is the Key

Last but not least, making your home feel as warm and cosy as possible is key for Christmas. Whether that’s with the heavy textiles of the blankets and cushions you have within your main Living Room or if it’s the ambience you create with wintery scented candles, there’s ways of easily doing this without breaking the bank.

See my previous post – Making a Seasonal Shift at Home – for more details.

I hope you have enjoyed reading through the 5 ways to prepare for the party season at home! And that you have taken away some practical ideas on how you can alleviate any stress from the days of entertaining at home.

How do you like to prepare your home for entertaining over the festive season? Share it with us in the comments below! I’d love to hear your ideas.

Until next time,

Jessica xo