How to Win at Holiday Hosting

Jingle and mingle with guests at your next holiday party. Learn how to make holiday hosting a breeze.

Hosting family and friends is a wonderful way to show them just how much they mean to you. After all, everyone loves the holiday host, because it means less cleanup for them!

While it can fill your heart with excitement and cheer, no matter the size of your home or how many guests you’re expecting, preparing your home for holiday houseguests can also be the culprit of an anxiety attack. Especially if you’re hosting a little last-minute holiday party.

Don’t worry! Use these holiday hosting tips and secrets to become the Host Extraordinaire (without stress). See how to host cozy holiday memories you’ll cherish for years to come.

An easy way to be the best holiday host is by simply making room for your friends and family throughout your home. This can mean making sure there is enough room for a lot of guests to sit or walk around comfortably.

Find a way to clear out some space in your mudroom, entryway, or foyer. Depending on the holiday weather forecast in your neighborhood, your guests may have some bulky coats, boots, and other cold-weather gear that will need a place to live during their holiday visit.

Go ahead and make plenty of extra room by your front door and in your closet before they arrive. If you haven’t already, this would be a great time to add some simple storage solutions to that area of your home to make room for all holiday activities.

A farmhouse-style storage bench, antique hall tree, vintage coat rack, or minimalist floating shelves are some great ways to keep everything organized while adding a touch of flair as soon as guests walk in. You can also find some super festive holiday wall hooks which can be used temporarily or switched out seasonally.

In addition to bringing in some stylish organization pieces, if you have any furniture or old odds and ends you never use that are just taking up space, take up this opportunity to make space for out-of-towners and get clutter out of your house for good.

Taking care of this now will not only free up space for loved ones’ outerwear, but you’ll get this task out of the way and one less thing on your plate once your holiday guests have left.

If you’re expecting any babies or small children, a holiday hosting tip you don’t want to ignore is to put away any potentially dangerous objects or decor in your home, as well as any childproof furniture, doors, stairs, cabinets, etc.

A good motto to have when preparing your home for any little ones is, “if you don’t want it broken, don’t leave it out.” If you have kids of your own, the same rule applies to any of their toys or belongings that you would seriously regret having anything happen to them.

If you live in an apartment or small house and don’t have the most spacious of homes, you can still host family for the holidays! You can still make room for loved ones so without everyone feeling like they’re in a tin of sardines. Rearrange your furniture to maximize floor space.

If you’re like most people, you probably have a lot of stuff lying around that you just never seem to have time to take to the donation center or disposal facility, using a junk removal service to come and pick it all up to donate or recycle it for you is a super fast and easy way to make more room while crossing a big item off your to-do list.

Finally, to assure you win at holiday hosting, you’re gonna need a ton of fridge space to fit that holiday meal, so make sure you leave no jar unturned when throwing away leftovers and food from the fridge. If you have time, give it a deep clean a couple days before guests arrive to ensure no sneaky old food smell lingers.

If you’ve been meaning to upgrade to a newer, more spacious refrigerator, now is the perfect time to do so. Even if you missed out on any Black Friday appliance deals, you’ll still be able to find deep discounts on a new fridge this time of year.

Many appliance retailers offer same-day delivery and setup for free or only a small fee so you won’t have to worry about getting it all done in time.

You can easily get the old fridge outta there by using a junk removal service to do it for you, since you more than likely have preferred things to do to get your home ready to host family and friends this holiday.

A good junk hauler should be able to pick up your old fridge within a day or two, so you won’t be stuck with two refrigerators.

You can help your guests feel more at home by keeping a cabinets and pantry stocked with snacks and sweets for whenever the munchies strike. Be sure to have plenty of healthy snacks like fruit and nuts on hand as well.

When guests arrive, show them where it’s all located and let them know to feel free to dig in whenever they want, as long as they leave you the last Girl Scout cookie 😉.

Having wine decanting or drinks ready to pour right when loved ones walk in is a great way to fill them with instant holiday cheer. You can also never go wrong with having a cheese board with crackers, fruit, and honey out for guests to munch on as the party trickles in.

It’s a smart holiday hosting idea is to prepare a quick reference for your wifi passwords, alarm codes, or any other important information visitors might need. Not only does this free up some time for you later on, but it also makes your guests feel more welcome.

Setting up a charging station in their room so they easily know where to charge their phone or laptop will make settling in feel just like home.

Before visitors arrive, make up their beds with a fresh set of linens and set out towels and washcloths for each guest.

Have an assortment of personal items on hand in your guest rooms. Basic toiletries like toothbrushes and toothpaste, tissues, lotion, and fresh soaps are a no-brainer, but little extras such as cozy slippers and a plush robe are thoughtful and won’t go unnoticed.

Visitors with pets will likely have everything they need with them. However, a nice touch would be to have any extra pet necessities or food at the ready. Even something as simple as a chew toy or packet of treats are nice gestures.

Having house guests means lots of bathroom usage, so don’t forget to stock extra rolls of toilet paper in the vanity dresser where it is easily accessible. Having hygienic supplies available such as feminine products are a bonus. No one likes to have to ask for toiletries.

To pump up the holiday spirit, decorate every area of your house from the front door to the bathroom to the kitchen with garlands, twinkle lights, baubles, knick-knacks, and more. Scatter flameless candles all around to generate a glowing ambiance without the fire hazard.

As long as none of your house guests has a sensitivity to them, use scented candles, room sprays, or diffusers in seasonal scents to create a cozy, festive atmosphere and get everyone in the holiday mood.

An easy holiday hosting hack is to plan a holiday-centered activity your family and guests of all ages can do together. Whether you bake and decorate cookies or do some ice skating or even bowling, everyone will create new or stronger bonds with each other while creating cherished holiday memories.

Whether you’re hosting Christmas dinner, a cocktail party, or a weeklong festivity, ensuring that you know what is on the menu frees up your time to enjoy your company without stress.

If you’re having family over for a couple of days and are expected to handle dinner, perhaps split the workload of cooking breakfasts and lunches. Just be sure to communicate and gather groceries accordingly.

Don’t forget to make sure your guests leave on a yummy note by sending them home with some leftovers for the road. There’s no way you’re going to be able to eat all of it on your own, so why not share the love?

The Hostess with the Mostest

Just remember, even though you’re the one hosting, you don’t have to do everything yourself. Push yourself to assign various guests specific jobs or tasks. Have a couple of people to keep an eye on the kids or appoint someone as drink server.

Almost every house guest usually wants to help their host out as a way to show their gratitude; plus, you’ll be a lot less stressed without so much to do.

Sometimes when you’ve got a perfect picture in your head of how something should turn out, you’re severely disappointed in the way it does unfold.

Take the Pressure Off.

Keep this in mind: if nobody burns down the house or gets sick from the food, your stint as a holiday host was a complete success.

If you’d like to learn more about how LoadUp can help your holiday season go a lot more smoothly by hauling away your old, unwanted furniture, mattress, appliances, electronics, exercise equipment, and more, see what items we pick up and make room for holiday fun.

Related Articles from the Trash Talk Blog:

• 10 Tips for Reducing Holiday Stress
• How to Recycle Your Christmas Tree
• How to Make Your Holidays Pet Friendly
• The Ultimate Holiday Decluttering Guide