Gathering family and friends for celebrations, holidays, and quality time is one of the joys of homeownership. Your home doesn’t have to be a showplace to welcome guests, but there are some steps you can take to make it more entertainment-friendly. Here are some suggestions:
- Your home doesn’t have to be perfectly appointed or fancy to be welcoming. Homes with comfortable furniture that’s meant to be used are always more inviting than lavishly decorated rooms. Choose furniture and accessories that beckon guests to relax instead of pieces to impress.
- Arrange furniture for easy traffic flow and good conversation. People should be able to move around freely and walk from room to room without blocking doorways and hallways. Group sofas and chairs so that people can sit and talk without shouting or moving across the room to be heard. If possible, separate food and beverage serving areas to avoid bottlenecks and keep people moving throughout your home.
- Organize items that you need for entertaining in one place so you can access them quickly and don’t have to waste time searching for them when you need them. Grouping trays, serving pieces, glasses, napkins, and other party supplies together also helps you easily take stock of items that need to be washed, replaced, or replenished before your next gathering.
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- If you have space outdoors, expand your entertaining area by incorporating a deck, porch, or patio in good weather. Encourage guests to move outside by having comfortable seating available and placing some food and beverages in the outdoor space.
- Be prepared to host gatherings by keeping beverage and food staples on hand. Make and freeze hors d’oeuvres and desserts ahead of time, and stock your pantry and refrigerator with nonperishable items, so you don’t have to shop for them every time you invite guests over. Come up with a few standard menu items that you enjoy making and serving to others.
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- Think through parking arrangements before events. How many cars can your driveway hold without blocking the exit? Is there ample, safe parking on the street? Are your neighbors willing to let guests occasionally park at their houses? Communicate any special parking instructions to guests before they arrive.
- Designate one bathroom for guest use. Stock it with hand towels, scented soap, and extra toilet paper. Before guests arrive, light a candle or switch on a nightlight to make it easy for guests to find.
- If you’re entertaining at night, make sure that the entrance and exterior of your home are well lit. Turn on lights around doorways, walkways, and driveways to help guests move safely in the dark and know where to go.
Having an HSA home warranty in place can help when unexpected, covered home systems and breakdowns occur before you’re planning to host. With HSA coverage, you’ll have a repair resource and simple service request process for covered items. Instead of scrambling to find help to get your covered home system or appliance up and running again, HSA provides qualified service contractors who will contact you to schedule an appointment. Visit onlinehsa.com or call 1-800-367-1448 for more information.