5 Easy Tips on How to Get Ready to Host People at Any Time

Growing up my home was the place where everyone congregated. Some weekends I would wake up and come downstairs just to find a handful of friends already over and hanging out with my parents- even though I hadn’t invited them over yet. My parents have the gift of hospitality and I am so thankful for it.

Over the years, they taught me a handful of tips on how to be a good hostess and how to be prepared to host friends or family at any time. These are my top 5 tips on how to be a good host and be ready to host people at any time.

• Drinks :: We keep a bottle of champagne and a a bunch of sparkling water in our fridge at any time. You never know what your guest may want to drink and it never hurts to be prepared. Plus a bottle of bubbly always makes someone feel special! {We recently started using Winc to order our wine and LOVE it! It’s an easy way to keep wine on hand at all times without having to put too much thought into it. You take a quick quiz online and they create a list of wines they recommend based on your palette! So far, we’ve loved all of their recommendations. You can also choose to not order their selected wines and choose which wines you prefer instead. We usually do a combination of wines they recommend and wines we choose. Oh, and did I mention the prices are AMAZING? Use this link for $22 off your first order & free shipping}
• Snacks :: We also like to keep a nice cheese and a handful of easy snacks in our pantry or freezer at all times. My go-to snacks are a nice cheese board, nuts, hummus and vegetables, and chips and guacamole! And remember, presentation matters- even if that means just having everything laid out on simple white plates. Skip the paper plates. If you’re hosting outside, we love using reusable plastic plates like these.
• Flowers :: Growing up we always had fresh flowers in our home and I’ve continued that tradition. Fresh flowers always make a room feel inviting.
• Candles ::  Science shows there is a strong connection between scents and memories. I like to keep a fresh scent burning at all times. The right scent makes your home smell nice and sets the tone. And you never know when a specific scent will remind you of a special memory! {or the scent might be affiliated with the memories you are making while hosting!}
• Music :: I’m a big fan of classic music. I actually keep classical or Christian music playing 90% of my day when I’m at home. When you have guests over, you might want to turn on some jazz or classical music. I like to keep it soft and subtle, so you might not even realize it’s on!

What are some of your go-to hosting tips?
Or what has someone else done while hosting you that you still remember?

table runner from Positano, similar here, here & here :: blue tile serving tray from Positano, also love this one
circular Boska cheese board c/o :: Beemster cheese c/o
Pottery Barn bowl :: Pottery Barn champagne flute :: Illume candle c/o

I love collecting serving items when we travel! Find my other souvenir suggestions here