Monster Mash Bash: A Post-Party Cleanup Guide
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How To Prepare Your Home for the Holidays
November 15, 2024
Ah, the holidays—a time for twinkling lights, merry music, and gathering your favorite people under one roof. Hosting a holiday party should be as exciting as the season itself, but we all know that pre-party prep can sometimes feel more like a whirlwind than a winter wonderland.
Luckily, whether you’re planning a cozy dinner, a festive bash, or a casual get-together, we’ve got the ultimate guide to help you throw a holiday party that everyone will love—starting with a sparkling clean home, courtesy of Zerorez San Diego!
Planning and Preparation
Planning your holiday party in advance sets the tone for a seamless celebration. Here's how to get started with effective planning and early invitations:
Create a Plan
Before you string the lights or chill the eggnog, have a solid plan in place. Start by deciding the when and the where for your party. Will it cozy up in your living room or spill out onto a festive patio setting? The choice is yours, but having a plan helps you prepare for a fun party for everyone!
Next, count the number of guests. This number will help determine everything from your venue choice to the amount of food and seating you’ll need.
Choosing a theme can turn an ordinary gathering into a memorable holiday extravaganza. Whether you’re dreaming of a White Christmas, a traditional Hanukkah gathering, or a general winter wonderland, let your theme guide your decoration and menu choices!
Once your plan feels complete, it’s time to lock in any necessary bookings—carpet cleaning, upholstery cleaning, caterers, and entertainment should be confirmed as soon as your plan is set to avoid last-minute scrambles.
Send Invites Early
In the digital age, sending invitations has never been easier or more efficient. Opt for an online invitation service to manage your guest list. These platforms are not only faster but also allow you to easily track RSVPs, send out updates, and remind guests as the event approaches. Sending out your invites early ensures that your guests can mark their calendars and make necessary arrangements to attend. This is particularly important for securing a turnout during the busy holiday season.
Try to send these invitations well before your chosen date, especially if you’re aiming for a prime time like a Saturday night in December. The holiday season fills up fast for everyone, so the earlier you can let your guests know, the better the chances they’ll be free to join in the festivities.
With your plans laid out and invites sent, you can move forward to the more detailed aspects of party planning with confidence, knowing that Zerorez San Diego can handle the cleaning part—ensuring your home is spotless and guest-ready.
Setting the Scene
Everyone loves a good theme or clear dress code for social events, so picking one can help your guests get a clear idea of what to expect!
Choose a Festive Theme—and Stick With It
Starting with one main design element can help you choose a party theme and allows you to plan the rest of your design around that. When you choose something like mistletoe or even a snowman, it can really help guide the rest of your holiday party look!
Your decorations can create a comfy, cozy holiday atmosphere that puts you and your guests in a festive mood! Sleigh bells, reindeer-themed food, antlers, decorative pillows, and more can be simple ways to make your home look and feel holiday party-ready!
You can also keep things simple and minimal by playing with a holiday color scheme. You can cover your home with cozy whites and creams for that snowy feel, or you can mix reds and greens as a nod to Christmas. No matter what holidays you celebrate, you can lean on seasonal colors to bring on the holiday cheer!
Food and Drinks
Holiday Party Idea: Easy and Impressive Foods
Working with a caterer is always the easiest way to feed large groups, but not everyone has the budget, and sometimes homemade dishes are fun to put together!
Finger foods are always a winner at holiday parties, and it's usually a good idea to keep all the food and drinks in one designated area so people can grab and go as they please. However, as the host, it's a good idea to try and keep track of the food so you can replenish things when necessary.
We recommend putting together a little menu of make-ahead recipes so you can make it a stress-free holiday party for yourself, too. Consider foods like:
- Respect each other’s differences: Agreeing on every issue isn’t necessary for a strong relationship.
- Practice forgiveness and understanding: Learn to move past conflicts with compassion.
- Seek counseling: Professional support can provide new perspectives and communication strategies.Chips and salsa or guacamole (store-bought or homemade)
- Bacon-wrapped dates
- Charcuterie
- Crockpot meatballs
- Spinach and artichoke dip
- Pies
- Brownies
- Holiday cookies
- Any other filling and delicious treats!
*Pro Hosting Tip: Always ask you guests about food allergies in advance to make sure everyone can enjoy something!
Beverages
When it comes to drinks, the choice is yours! Waters are always important to keep stocked, but you can also provide fun, seasonal beverages like a signature cocktail or punch.
'Tis the season for eggnog, hot coco, and milk and cookies! Having these options for your guests adds to the holiday party feel!
Beverages can be easy to make ahead of time, since you can make a bit batch recipe and store it in your fridge before guests arrive. Once people start to trickle in, you can set out pitchers or set up a bar cart for people to help themselves to whatever they'd like.
Party Logistics
Arrange the Party Wisely
Once you've got as much preparation done as possible, it's time to really think about your setup. Make sure food stations are in areas where guests will want to socialize. Keeping food in the side yard by the barbecue or out of sight discourages people from eating.
You can place different appetizers in different areas, but it helps to keep most of the foods in one area where people can easily find it. You can keep things casual and put out plates and napkins so everyone can help themselves, or you can make a holiday seating chart so everyone can sit down together and get to know one another.
The party is all yours, so whatever your vision is for the night of fun, it's easiest to have a solid plan going into it! Remember, it's a night for you to relax and enjoy your company, too.
Holiday Party Ideas for Entertainment
Games and Activities
Not sure what to when everyone comes over? If people aren't mingling as much as you had hoped, it might be time for an ice-breaker to shake things up a bit!
You could plan a Secret Santa or White Elephant gift exchange to stay with the holiday theme, or you could make it an ugly sweater party and have a fashion show to see who wins a prize for their sweater.
And if those don't sound fun, you can always lean on charades to get people out of their shell and laughing together.
Bonus Tips
Holiday Party Planning Checklist
Your number one tip to staying organized and hosting a successful holiday party is creating a checklist in a chronological order! Map out the things you need to get done well in advance, the day or night before, and the day of the event to make sure you can relax and enjoy the party yourself.
Here's a draft of a Holiday Party Planning Checklist to get you started:
The Week Before:
- Start off with a professional carpet and upholstery cleaning from Zerorez to make sure your home looks its best before your guests arrive
- Arrange your furniture to make sure that there is room for people to sit and walk around
- Start planning out your theme and buying your decorations or pulling what you have out of storage
- Build a playlist and start listening to it ahead of time to make sure you have the right mood for the evening
- Rent or purchase folding tables and chairs to make sure there is a place for everyone to sit
The Day/Night Before
- Get any last-minute tidying done
- Set up the tables and chairs
- Arrange your decorations
- Start to prepare any food and drinks that can be made ahead of time
- Empty your trash cans to make sure there's room
The Day Of
Throw on your playlist, lay the food out on the tables, and get ready for friends and family to arrive! Bring out your camera and be sure to take photos so you and your guests can remember the party for years to come.
If your party doesn't go quite as planned and your house looks like a mess the next day or you find sneaky spills, be sure to call Zerorez San Diego! We can help with pre and post party messes, ensuring your home stays your sanctuary no matter what!
