How to Fit Planning a Dinner Party Into Your Busy Schedule

Dinner parties are, in theory, an opportunity to spend some time with your friends, enjoy yourself, and relax. However, throwing and hosting a dinner party isn’t always relaxing. It can be quite stressful, especially when your schedule is jam-packed with a million other things. So, how do you find the time to plan and throw a dinner party? Here are some tips to help you fit planning and preparing for a dinner party into your busy schedule:

1. Don’t wait to go shopping – Try to get all the things you need for the party the weekend before the party happens. For instance, you could take a trip to the grocery store on the Saturday or Sunday before the party, when you have some extra time. If you go to the grocery store at a certain time each week to do your regular shopping, pick up the party food then. You don’t have to make a trip to get all the necessary food on the day of the party. This will just make you feel more pressed for time. If you’re getting any supplies or decorations for the party, get these in advance as well. You might even want to order them online to save yourself a trip to a party supply or similar store.

2. Don’t stress about cleaning – Your house doesn’t necessarily have to be immaculate for the dinner party. If you clean regularly anyway, you shouldn’t have to devote too much time to cleaning before the party. Your party guests won’t notice if you haven’t scrubbed every inch of your kitchen and bathroom floors with a toothbrush. If you don’t have as much time as you’d like to devote to cleaning each week, and your home has become a little bit cluttered and disorganized, don’t freak out! Just spend some time the week of the party cleaning for fifteen to thirty minutes each day. It’s best to break up the work, so you don’t overwhelm yourself.

3. Encourage the party guests to bring extra food – You probably won’t be able to get out of cooking before the dinner party. However, you don’t necessarily have to do all the cooking. Potlucks are a common kind of dinner party. If you decide to throw a potluck, you can encourage all the guests to bring food with them. Even if you don’t have a potluck, you can ask a few of your close friends to bring some extra snacks and appetizers to the party to lighten your load in terms of cooking.

So, take care of shopping and cleaning in advance, and don’t be afraid to ask the party guests to share the cooking load. A dinner party shouldn’t be a source of stress in your life!

Author’s Bio: Melissa is an event planner and guest post writer on the subjects of event planning, party supply options, and Mario party supplies for kids’ parties.