Hospitality & Hosting

Have you ever walked into someone's home and felt so incredibly welcome? 
Or worse, have you walked in and immediately wanted to turn around?

Years ago my husband and I were invited to a housewarming party...cute couple, cute home, cute decor. Walked into the bathroom and literally had to put toilet paper on the seat and STILL squatted over that, because the seat was that nasty! It was as if that toilet seat hadn't been changed since the 70's. Gives me the heebies thinking about it now!

So let's start with the BATHROOM in regards to hosting. 

• Store extra toilet paper in a reachable/convenient spot. 
• Set out a bathroom spray or have a candle already lit. 
• Make sure your toilet is clean! Clean to the point your guests feel like they're the first person to ever use it. If you can't get it that clean, spend $30 on a new one.

Which brings me to CLEANING!

My biggest cleaning tips are:

• Start high and move low.
• Use products that work.
• Have a set routine that you can easily manage so it's more doable to do a quick clean before you host.
  [For example : you may need to break up your home by rooms and clean bathrooms on Monday's, kitchen on Wednesday's, everything else on Friday's...or whatever works best for your schedule.]
• Ask for help (from the other dweller(s) of the home) when you need it. 
• Pay someone to come do a deep clean and/or surface clean if that's not your thing.

I have found this to be the best combo
for cleaning showers and tubs.

There is nothing I love more than walking into a home that feels lived in, yet clean. If a home is too flawless I feel unwelcome. You know the one, with the perfectly staged couch where the throw pillows are so elegantly placed it would be a pity to move it even an 1/8 inch, so you don't feel like you can sit down. The books on shelves are for aesthetics, not to peruse, so you don't even take a gander. The countertops don't have a single appliance on them - do they use the kitchen?! Or when everything is white, so you feel dirty just standing in the home.

The overall feel you want your guests to experience is WELCOME!
You are welcome here! 

You are welcome to eat and drop crumbs.
You are welcome to open the fridge and grab yourself another drink.
You are welcome to sit on the couch. 

You are welcome here!

What specifically makes you feel welcome when you're the visitor?

Now emulate that in your own home! [And share with me in the comments!]

Guests just want to feel COMFORTABLE!

Something I've noticed is people love blankets!
From summer nights around a bonfire, to chatting on the couch, if a blanket is near they will use it!
For this reason, we have a basket with four blankets, and then two throws on the couch.

My husband is huge on the smell of the home, so over the years I've purchased many a candle.
We were gifted a diffuser with essential oils, which I should pull that out again, because 'the people' love the smell good stuff!

My only peeve about candles and diffusers is when they're near the food. Which, I'm guilty of placing them there. It makes sense to have the good smell by the smell you're trying to mask; however, it can taint the taste of the food. 

Speaking of FOOD, you gotta' serve something, anything!

Our first get-togethers we provided cold jarred queso with tortilla chips in the bag. 

We've since upgraded to heating the queso up, pouring it into a bowl (or last time into a fondue pot over a flame to keep it warm), and the chips also go into a bowl. 

We've really classed it up in the last 12 years. 

But seriously, food is incredibly important to hosting. 

If you can't afford to provide a whole meal for all your guests ask them to chip in and order pizza. 

We've also made homemade pizza crust and guests brought their own toppings.

We've done 'bring your own meat' bbq's where we provide the sides and condiments. 

Other inexpensive options include taco rice, pasta, charcuterie, dessert only, chili, brats + hot dogs.

Lastly, I would recommend having background MUSIC.
There are bound to be lull's in the conversation, laughter dissipates, and there is something extremely uncomfortable about deafening silence when there are more than two people in a room.
We have a Sonos speaker attached to our tv, and a portable plug-in one that we put outside if the need arises. 
Zach has a Spotify account, and I use Pandora. 

My most used stations: 

• Charlie Cunningham Radio 
• 70s Greatest Hits Radio [Mostly used while cleaning.]
• Jack Garratt Radio
• Yoste Radio
• Classical for Studying Radio [No lyrics!]
• I used to do Indie Chill Radio but haven't for quite a while so don't know what's even on it now.
• Elevation Worship Radio [I used this when hosting a woman's Bible study, and that one time (a couple weeks ago) a girlfriend came over and I had a nightmare paired with a panic attack the night before and had been blasting worship music since I woke up.]

Zach is definitely more in tune (see what I did there?! ;)) with the music. He can gauge a room and play something everyone enjoys! 

From cleaning, to comfort/feeling welcome, to food, to music, I think we've covered it all!

Whether it's inside or out, lots of people or just a couple, a full-on themed dinner or cold queso in a jar, I hope you are encouraged to host a gathering in your home! 

Have fun with it and let me know how it goes!

Peace, Joy, and Love be upon you,

Nicole

Bonus: GAMES!

I know they're definitely not for everyone, but I am literally screaming inside, so excited to be sharing our love of games!

Small Gathering [2-6 people]

• Clue
• Cribbage
• Farkle
• Mexican Train Dominoes
• Scattergories
• Sequence
• Smart A**
• Ticket To Ride
• Yahtzee

Larger Gathering [6 or more people]

• Apples to Apples
• Cards Against Humanity [Disclaimer: I have played with the "wrong" group and it was awful, so this one is a little iffy.]
• Catchphrase
• Charades
• Cranium
• Trivia
• I Should Have Known That
• Things They Don't Teach You In School
• 90's Trivia

Did I miss any of your favorites? Be sure to leave them in the comments if I did!