Summer is the prime party season in Cincinnati. Planning a party can be both fun and stressful, though, particularly if you are hosting the party in your home. Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to maximize your efficiency and take the stress out of hosting.

• Choose a manageable number of guests to fit your venue. If you are having your party at home, consider how many people can fit comfortably in your home as you do not want your guests to feel crowded or ill at ease. Keep in mind, though, that you can often easily increase your space by opening up doors to a patio or deck.
• Include make-ahead dishes on your menu. Whether you are serving a full meal or finger foods, the more dishes that you prepare in advance, the easier the party day will be on you. Prepare many cold dishes–salads, cold hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and desserts– a day or two in advance. When cooking dishes the day of the party, try to do as much prep work in advance as possible. Chopping fruits and vegetables, pre-cooking rice or pasta, and marinating meats are just a few ways to prep in advance.
• Decorate early. If your get-together will include decorations, get them set up several days in advance of the party. There is no reason why you can’t hang streamers, banners, or other decor even a week before the party. Helium filled balloons and table decor may have to wait but most other decorations will be fine for the days leading up to the party.
• Deep-clean early. A week before your party, plan a day for deep cleaning–this would include carpets and floors, baseboards, windows, appliances, light fixtures, and other spots not cleaned on a weekly basis. After finishing these jobs, it shouldn’t take long to tidy up the day before the party.
• Recruit some help. A hostess’ job is never done. Between cooking, cleaning, serving, and mingling, it can be tough to juggle all of the responsibilities of hosting a party. Consider asking a friend to assist with serving food, refilling drinks, taking coats, etc. If cooking is a challenge for you, you might hire a caterer. Finally, if you need help with cleaning–either before or after the party–please contact us so we can assist you with all of your cleaning needs.