Last minute party prep? Check your Castle.

Party prep can seem daunting, especially when life is more like an avalanche than a skip through a field of daisies. Know what I mean?

If you are smiling, then you have probably found the clock’s deviousness of holding back on extra tick-tocks when you are in the midst of party prep before guests arrive.

Here’s what I try to do.

Take a breath, and then take a quick look at my home from a non-resident’s perspective. Walk through the door they enter, hang up your coat where they do, go stand in the kitchen where they stand while you are prepping, use the towel in the bathroom they use, and sit where guests tend to gather. When I step outside of my homeowner haze, I’m surprised at a few quick things I can do to make guests feel welcome, and at home inside my home.

For me, I have a quick party prep checklist that sorta sounds like ‘castle.’ It’s color, anti-clutter, scent, and light.

Color.

It’s true. We humans are attracted to color and love to talk about objects that dazzle our eyes. Display fresh flowers or plants, use bright-colored dishes to serve treats, pull out the festive dish towels and tablecloth, and add fruit and veggies to garnish plates.

Anti-clutter.

Put all of the piles away. We all have clutter. It’s part of family life to have stuff. Some days I swear that I spend most of my day carrying objects from room to room. But, there’s nothing that makes most guests feel like they’ve ‘intruded’ on a personal situation than sitting in the middle of piles of bills, unfinished projects, and stuff that clearly belongs in a bathroom or bedroom closet.

Those things you are meaning to fix on the front porch or the trash cans that are temporarily in the front could find a quick home in the garage. Clear off counters and side tables so they are ready to receive festive drinks and snacks. Take a quick pass to put things inside cabinets, closets, or garage. And then take a pass at those ‘hidden’ piles after the party to see what you really could live without. It’s amazing what we’ve gotten rid of.

Scent.

Let’s face it. Every home has a scent. We are used to the way our home smells. We have kids, a workshop in our basement, and three cats. There are smells that happen here that not all of our friends would want to live with.

Baking cookies or cooking dinner helps to makeover the scent of a home. And before we have company, I light a few candles to infuse our home with more yummy smells during party prep time. Candles also lead into the next step on my checklist.

Light.

The way we light our home for our family life is way different than the way we light our home for festivities. There’s a reason why restaurants use candlelight on tables and dim the lights for dinner service. Low-lighting gives a more intimate feeling. Bright lights give a more sterile—think dentist’s office—feeling. I always cut out the overhead lights that don’t have dimmers, and switch on a few decorative lights and light candles.

Lighting, like color, clutter, and scent, set the mood for everyone. And everyone includes the hosts. Even though I live in my house, my home feels more festive with these few special touches, and it puts me in a happier party mood, too.