If You Love Having Guests Over But Live In A Tiny Apartment Or Home, Here Are Some Of The Best Hacks For Hosting And Making The Most Of Your Small Living Space
Do you love hosting get-togethers and parties? Does your heart soar whenever you send out an invite for something as casual as a wine night or as extravagant as a costume party at your place?
If so, you’re most likely a hostess with the mostess. However, it can be really hard to keep that title when you move into a smaller home or apartment.
As someone living in a New York City apartment with three roommates and one bathroom who loves having people over, I understand the struggle of trying to host a gathering with little space.
If you’ve recently moved into a small home or apartment or have been longing to host a party but have been insecure about space for some time now, here are some tips for making the most of your small space while still being a fabulous host.
Use every surface
It’s horrible when you’re at a party and can’t find a single space to put down your drink or plate. Heaven forbid you must put your wine glass on a friend’s bookshelf and risk someone knocking it over!
To avoid your guests feeling this way, prep every surface possible in your home to make it available or useful to your guests. For instance, if you have a bunch of souvenirs, books, and candles on your center coffee table, you’ve got to clear that stuff off. Leave one little decor item like a single candle or vase of flowers to make it look nice, but otherwise, put everything else away and make room.
Remember to keep kitchen counters, some shelves, any tables, etc., as clear as possible so your guests can be comfortable.
Create some more seating
Photo 78185110 © Gstockstudio1 – Dreamstime.com – illustrative purposes only, not the actual people
Speaking of making yourself comfortable, you have to ensure there’s enough seating in your space. While it’s not the end of the world if every guest doesn’t have a designated seat during something like a housewarming party, your guests will want to leave if they’ll be stuck at a party where they’re forced to stand the entire time.
Clear off and rearrange any dining room chairs or kitchen stools, couches, ottomans, bean bags, etc., and spread them around your space. Better yet, if you’re hosting a very chill and casual get-together, invest in some nice floor cushions so your guests can have something pillow-y to sit on if you have to use the floor.
Make sure there’s ventilation
Even if you’re hosting people in the winter, when small spaces become crowded, they get warm, and unfortunately, they sometimes get smelly.
Be sure to crack open a window or turn on your air conditioning if you’re hosting a gathering in a small space. This will ensure everyone gets some decent air, no unpleasant smells linger for too long, and prevent anyone from feeling ill.
Keep your sink and trashcans clear
It’s a bad idea to have a half-full sink or garbage can when guests arrive at your smaller place. If dishes and trash from your guests pile up and overflow during your party, you can be left with a big mess and foul odors. Plus, who wants to have to take out the trash or start doing the dishes in the middle of a party?
So, before the fun begins, be sure to have all of your dishes, trash, and recycling taken care of to keep things clean and clear.
Don’t put up too much decor
As adorable as festive or cute home decor can be during a holiday party or gathering, you don’t want to overdo it if you’re in a small space. Haven’t you seen videos of intoxicated people falling into Christmas trees in people’s living rooms? Imagine how much worse that could be in a small space.
Not only do you want to give people more wiggle room, but you also want to avoid disaster by having people break your decorations. So, keep things minimal and only put up decor that would stay elevated, secured, and out of people’s way.
Plan food and drinks ahead
Think about it: if you’re in a much smaller space, do you want only to offer sugary, sticky, or red-dyed drinks? Are you sure you want to put all your snacks on a giant platter that only fits on one table in the room?
Plan out your food and drinks and how you’ll be serving in advance to risk any major spills or accidents. If you want to serve snacks, make sure you have platters and bowls that will comfortably fit throughout your space. If you’re serving drinks, make sure they’re not the kind that will be nearly impossible to clean up if spilled.
While hosting in a small space is stressful, if you keep these tips in mind and plan as much in advance as possible, you’ll be fine. Just because you’re in a smaller space doesn’t mean you can’t still be a great host. Have fun!
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