Over the years I have compiled a list of tips for hosting a party. The list gets to the pain points I most encounter while hosting, and each one offers a way to approach common challenges in a manner that will produce ease and lessen stress. I plan to share the list in a blog post one day, but can you guess my top party tip?
Get dressed first.
Get yourself fully dressed, hair done, makeup finished, earrings in place, outfit on except for shoes (I tend to run around in my house slippers for as long as possible)…first. Not after everything is done. Not right before the guests arrive. Not later. First.
Get dressed first.
I realize this tip might seem counter intuitive when there are so many important party details to attend to, but hear me out. When you get dressed first, you are ready. Ready for whatever comes your way, ready for last minute snafus, ready for early arrivals, ready to deal with tasks taking longer than you estimated, ready to welcome others without having to scurry off to your bedroom and quickly throw yourself together. I never regret the decision to get fully dressed before I begin the party preparations.
Get dressed first.
Hospitality is the art of creating space, not just for others, but for ourself as well. Sustainability in a hospitality practice is directly related to our ability to tend to our own needs with care and tenderness so that we might show up and fully serve others in our best capacity. We model and make this a reality when we consciously choose to begin our foundation of service in the way we care well for ourself.
Get dressed first.
This idea is certainly true for party prep, but I have found it to be true in my daily life as well. Nothing, and I mean nothing, boosts my mental outlook on the day more than getting dressed. Even when I don't feel like it, when I want to stay unkempt and just let it all go, I get dressed. Suddenly, I feel like a new person, ready to be a better version of myself than when I was in my pajamas, ready to bring the best of who I am to what the day requires of me, ready to walk forward.
Get dressed first.
It's a simple mantra, a kindness we give ourself, and it applies equally to jeans and sneakers worn around the house or pencil skirts and stilettos worn to a corner office. What you wear is not what's important. What matters is the attention you give yourself in a small space that will allow you to better step into the larger spaces of your day.
