Sometimes, staying in is just really, really nice. You do not need to worry about traffic, transportation, and parking. And then there is the noise from other diners in the restaurants, the music and crowds in the bars, and forget the clubs.
It is all too much after a busy week at work. Add in family life, and you feel exhausted. But what are you to do when you still have energy and want to spend time with your wonderful group of friends?
The answer, of course, is to host a Ladies’ Night at your home. Continue reading to learn some tips on how to pull it all off with ease.
Deal With Any Pests
First things first, you will need to take care of any unwelcome guests of the pest variety. To start, walk around the interior perimeter of your home and move on to the exterior.
Make sure you move furniture away from the walls and house. And remember to look up, as well. Look for insect and rodent activity, such as droppings, an excessive amount of dead bugs, and holes or nests.
Next, use a tried-and-true DIY pest control solution to rid yourself of these unwanted pests and prevent them from returning.
Having a pest-free home is good for you, even when you are not having friends over for a night of fun.
Clean Up Your Home
Hosting anyone at your home when it is dirty is a no-go. Enlist your family members or roommates to begin cleaning up by going from room to room to gather everything that does not belong there and put the items back in their respective places.
Once done, assign each person a room to clean and give them a deadline. If you are cleaning on your own, start a week ahead of the party and clean one room per day.
The task will be less stressful, and you need to clean anyway. If you do not have enough time, consider hiring a cleaning company to clean your home the day before the party.
Again, you probably could benefit from a thorough cleaning, so why not use this as a reason to take care of yourself?
Prepare the Food
Ladies’ Night and food are the perfect companions. Decide on your menu a week or so before the party so you have enough time to get the necessary ingredients.
Double-check with your guests to ensure you are up-to-date on food allergies or dietary restrictions and plan accordingly. If you have time, go shopping yourself. If not, order online and pick up the groceries or request delivery.
Watch this video for appetizer ideas. You do not have to prepare main dishes. Let your guests nosh on small bites instead.
Use the same approach to dessert so everyone can eat as much, or little, as they want.
Ready the Drinks
Whenever you are hosting friends and there will be alcohol involved, it is imperative to ensure everyone has a safe ride home.
Do yourself a favor and make it a normal part of any get-together to discuss transportation beforehand. Ask your friends if they will take a ride share to your home or would like to spend the night.
The most important thing is safety, so pay attention to that one friend who may have had too much to drink and call a ride to get them home safely. They can get their vehicle the next day.
On to the drinks! Always have a variety of beverages available, including pitchers of ice water and non-alcoholic beverages.
Think wine, beer, sodas, margarita mixes, rim salt, olives, and any alcoholic or non-alcoholic ingredients to make the drinks.
Place everything on a bar cart or designated counter space with glassware and mixing tools. Print out mocktail and cocktail recipe cards so everyone can experiment with new drinks.
Don’t Stress
The most important part of spending time with your favorite people is the quality time and memories you make.
Having an Insta-worthy tablescape might be fun, but is it worth your time if the process takes the joy out of the event? Probably not. Focus more on fun and bonding than on perfection.
When you have friends over for a fun night in, do your best to make it something you will want to do again and again.
To make that happen, take care of your home first. Once everything is in order, you can relax and enjoy time with the people you love.
