Hosting a Kick Back

Get togethers are nice to host from time to time, even if you do end up dreading the work involved in getting ready, preparing food, making sure everyone is comfortable and having a good time, and cleaning up after the event. The good thing, though, is that you don’t have to drive anywhere and can hang out in the comfort of your own home.

But when throwing little parties or events, preparation really is a major part of the party itself. If you aren’t prepared for the numerous guests coming, the food situation can be a disaster. If you don’t plan out the parking scenario, well, that also can cause headaches for guests and yourself.

With that said, here are a few things you can keep in mind when prepping for your next kick back.

Provide a few different dishes

Whether you prefer doing finger foods or full on meals, it’s probably standard to provide at least a few different options for food. Your guests will likely be more than happy to bring dishes as well, but as the host, it’s somewhat of an expectation to have a few options for snacking.

Make sure there are enough seats.

This thing happens more often than you think. If you’re worried about not having enough chairs in one room, some rearranging may have to be done. If worst comes to worst, you can always ask any of your guests if they have folding chairs or lawn chairs to bring. You don’t want guests to have to sit on the floor or in different rooms from one another, so make sure the seating situation is taken care of before you find out someone has to sit on the ground.

Set the expectation first.

I myself like to create a Facebook event page when hosting anything in order to iron out the ground rules and expectations beforehand. That way, if someone contests anything or doesn’t want to leave at the time I designated, I can just point to the event page and say that it was all stated there when I sent the invites. If your guests are family or friends, they shouldn’t throw too much of a fuss about this.

Decorate!

Whether you’re breaking out some old office and shipping supplies to get crafty or simply cleaning up the place and putting out a few candles, making sure your place is nice and cozy is key. (But hey, we like the idea of the office and shipping supplies littered upon your table while you make little projects and things the day before. All the power to you.)