I LOVE hosting. I love bringing people together. Creating a cozy atmosphere and inviting people in. It’s a great way to show people a little Jesus. And also just to love on them. It’s easy to be intimidated by hosting, but it doesn’t have to be scary! You don’t have to have a giant house, the perfect living room, or a beautiful yard to be the hostess with the mostest. It’s about being creative with what you have and ultimately how you make people feel. Here are my best tips for YOU to be the hostess with the mostest.
1. Bake Cookies
Even if you aren’t planning to serve cookies, bake cookies right before your guests arrive! It makes the house smell SO yum. And honestly who can turn down a fresh baked cookie? I have a little secret. I double (or triple) a batch of cookies, roll them into balls, and store them in the freezer! So whenever we have guests over, I just grab however many pre rolled cookies I need and have fresh baked cookies ready in no time. It’s honestly game changing. Chocolate chip cookies have become something people expect when they come over now (which I love).
2. First Impressions
Think about the first room(s) your guests will see when they walk in as well as the main room(s) they’ll be hanging out in and focus on those!
- Pick up your entry way! Spend a little extra time making sure it looks good. This is the first impression of your house when guests walk in, so if it’s clean, they’ll assume you’re clean people. And will have more grace (and maybe not even notice) a few things out of place in the rest of your house.
- Vacuum lines. You don’t have to vacuum your whole house! But vacuum the living room/rooms you’ll be hanging out in. It makes it look like you’ve been cleaning all day (maybe you have lol). And it just feels so clean and inviting to walk into a vacuumed house.
- Fluff the pillows – Take the extra minute to arrange and fluff your pillows! Pillows with a purpose add so much to a room.
3. Ambiance
A. Music
What’s the vibe of your party? Is it fun and upbeat? Play music that matches! Is it dinner and chatting? Go instrumental! We love this instrumental worship playlist on Spotify. Music sets the tone, the mood, and can really add to a party. If there’s a lull in conversation, it’s always nice to have some background music.
b. Lights
Ask yourself the same questions – fun and upbeat? Keep the lights a little brighter! More chill? Turn off the overhead lights and use lamps and twinkle lights to set the mood.
c. Scent
The cookies will definitely help with this. But in addition, fill your diffuser with a yummy essential oil! If it’s Christmas time – think cinnamon. In the summer – floral or fruity. You definitely don’t want an overpowering smell. But subtle is nice.
4. Ask Questions
Okay this one is huge. Ask your guests questions! Ask about their day, their job, specific events in their lives. People love talking about themselves. And it’s so nice to have someone truly interested in you. It will make them feel so loved and welcome if you show you care about what’s going on in their life. My husband and I have this game “Let’s Get Deep” for couples and we love to pull it out for dinner. There’s also a friends version, here, that you could totally whip out when you have guests over!
5. Bake Bread
To be a true hostess with the mostest – if they’re coming for dinner, bake bread! It might seem like an ordeal, but it actually isn’t complicated!! I’m really into sour dough so that’s what I make. Here’s my fav recipe to make – so easy. If you don’t have sour dough, here’s a great recipe to use with yeast! Bread just feels so warm and inviting. It will make your guests feel so loved knowing you took the time to make them fresh baked bread.
6. Gift
Send your guests home with something! It can be as simple as the rest of the bread, the cookies you didn’t serve, leftover dessert. It’s fun for them to bring a little of their experience home with them. (I don’t always do this, but love when I do get the chance!)
7. Have A Plan
I always love to have some sort of plan/agenda when people come over. Not a rigid timeline. Just a rough idea, a very loose plan. Whether that’s dinner, euchre and dessert, a walk, book club, play date for your kids, etc. It set’s the expectation – for you and your guests. It allows you to prepare accordingly. And is helpful for your guests to know what they’re getting into when they come over! I genuinely think people are able to have more fun when they know what to expect when they’re coming over.
8. Don’t Stress
This is easier said than done. But ultimately remember it’s about the guests, your relationships, and the conversations you’ll have. It’s not about your perfectly cleaned and decorated house. In fact, people are trending away from the “nobody lives here” clean house, and are more interested in your “real life” house. It makes you a little vulnerable and very relatable.( No need to make your house messy just to be relatable – be YOU! We keep our house generally picked up even if no one’s coming over. But a couple of toys strewn around and a dish or two in the sink, I can live with. And your guests can too!)
Your Turn
There you have it. My best tips for YOU to be the hostess with the Mostest. Even if you just try one or two the next time you host, I really think you’ll notice a difference in your guests’ experience! You have everything it takes. Be creative with what you have. And start small! Don’t feel like you need to invite 20 people over for your first time. Just invite one family over and see how it goes. You got this. And I’m already calling YOU the hostess with the mostest because I have full confidence in you.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on my tips and YOUR best hosting tips!! Comment below!
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