When you’re hosting an event for family and friends, you want to have as much fun as they do! So before your next cookout, dinner party or backyard bash, read our guide to easy home entertaining. We cover everything from storage to serving to clean-up.

Storage

How do you make sure you’re always ready for an impromptu gathering? By staying stocked up on supplies and keeping all your serveware and party accessories together! To do that, you’ll need to have a well-designed organization system.

If you have the room, devote a section of your pantry to snacks, drinks and items like platters and charcuterie boards. Working with less space? Get creative with over-the-door wire racks and cabinet organizers to maximize your kitchen’s underused areas. Regardless of your storage situation, your main goal is to have quick access to everything.

Arrange the kitchen pantry to accommodate your party hosting necessities.

During formal sit-down events, it’s your dining area’s time to shine. Let it do just that by having everything cleaned, polished and where it belongs. A sideboard, built-in cabinets and perhaps a bar cart can hold chargers, wine glasses, tablecloths and the like.

Stash your serving dishes, placemats and other tableware in the dining room for quick set-up.

Serving

What’s the best way to enjoy yourself while hosting a party? Let your guests serve themselves!

Clear off your kitchen island or a long table so you can set up a buffet-style meal – or lay out snacks for an afternoon party. Remember to put out the serving utensils, plates, napkins and any necessary eating utensils. Also, have a trash can nearby so guests can help with clean-up, too!

If you’re hosting a wine tasting or simply an event that involves partaking of a bottle or two, put your collection on display. A wine rack – either on the floor or the counter, depending on the size of your space and your collection – works beautifully and looks nice, too.

A tall wine rack can expand your surface area for serving drinks – and it adds to your decor.

Clean-up

The least fun part of any party is the clean-up. Make it as painless as possible with the following suggestions.

Straighten up little by little during the event. Especially if it’s an all-day affair like a pool party, small tasks like collecting used items from the back patio take no time. However, they can seem overwhelming if you wait until after everyone’s gone home!

Let your guests help (in minor ways) if they offer. Don’t put them to work scrubbing the dishes, but having your guests place the dirty plates in the sink or on the counter is perfectly permissible.

A two-tiered cabinet organizer holds everything from sponges to spray bottles.

Store as many of your cleaning supplies in one place as possible. That way, you won’t have to hunt for each thing and remember where they all go when you’re done.

From start to finish, your parties will run smoothly with our pro tips – and you’ll be able to kick back and relax along with everyone else!