Whether you’ve just moved into your first adult home and are preparing to host your first dinner party, or just haven’t hosted since before the pandemic and need a refresher before the holidays, being a good host is an important skill to have. Here’s what you need to know before welcoming guests into your home.
Prepare your home
No one enjoys visiting a filthy home, so you shouldn’t expect your guests to ignore your mess. You don’t have to spend hours deep cleaning, but you should tidy up by picking up clutter, sweeping, and cleaning your bathroom. If you have invited someone to stay the night, make sure your guest room is tidy with clean bedding. A nice touch is to leave a lamp on and turn down the bed. If you don’t have a guest bedroom, don’t worry! Just make sure you set out clean blankets and a pillow to make them a bed on the couch later. Leave an extra blanket or two either way. No one likes to be freezing and unable to find a blanket!
Play Music
Music makes everything better. Find a playlist ahead of time and have it playing when your company arrives. You should stick with easy listening that is not distracting and can be playing pleasantly in the background. This makes eating more enjoyable as it dampens chewing and silverware clanking on plates. It also makes awkward silence less awkward and gives you a topic to talk about if you run out of conversation.
Make your guests feel welcome
This might sound obvious, but if you’ve ever visited someone who was a poor host, you can relate to the horrible experience feeling uncomfortable and unsure of what to do. Make sure your guests are comfortable from the second they walk over your threshold by kindly welcoming them in and offering to take their jackets. Depending on if you want to show your house off you can either give them a tour or simply let them know where they can find the restroom.
Offer a refreshment
Depending on the type of event you are hosting, what you might offer your guest can vary. At the very least be sure to always offer your guest water. If you invite your guest for dinner, you can offer wine or beer (if you drink). Many guests will bring a bottle of wine when invited for dinner, giving you an easy cue to open it. Charcuterie boards make excellent appetizers for later dinners, and your guests will be happy to graze on delicious cheese and fruits while you prepare the meal.
Serve guests first
Hosting is an exercise in selflessness. When you’re the host, you put your guests ahead of yourself whenever possible. This means making sure they are first to be served, and offering them seconds before helping yourself to another plateful of dinner. Your guests may offer to help clean up dishes, but one should never expect or insist on this.
The art of welcoming others into your home and breaking bread together is an ancient practice that goes back thousands of years. It is a great way to get to know new friends, grow closer with old friends, and spend time with extended family. We encourage everyone to try hosting at least once. After all, part of what makes a home is the ability to come together with the ones you love. At RE/MAX Capitol Properties, there’s nothing we love more than helping others find their home, so if you love the idea of hosting but can’t in the place you’re currently living, we can help! Give us a call at 307-635-0303 and we’ll guide you through the steps to buying your perfect home.
Thank you Donica Wilkins for sharing these entertaining tips!