Prep to Entertain in Less Than an Hour

Entertaining guests is fun and entertaining, but what happens when you have guests to entertain and less time to prepare than you thought? You’re fortunate enough not to find yourself in a situation in which your guests call to tell you they’re in the neighborhood, “See you in five,” but you thought you’d have all afternoon and suddenly you have one hour and everything left to do. Here are three steps to help you get everything together in that time.

The First 30 Minutes

This is the time when you need to prepare your food before you entertain. Get everything out, the prep work finished and the dishes put in the dishwasher or washed and put away. While you’re in the midst of doing that, ask your kids and husband to get the house in order. Since you don’t have time for a deep clean – and if you’re like most people, you don’t need one in the first place – this should be simple. Toys put away, furniture polished and a quick mop or vacuum.

With 30 Minutes Left Until Arrival

You do not want to be unprepared to entertain when your guests arrive. Since some people are early and you do not want to have to open the door with only your pants on, you need to spend a few minutes getting ready now. You don’t have a lot of time, so throw on that trusted ensemble that always makes you feel and look good. Dab some mascara on your eyes, some blush on your cheeks and some gloss on your lips. Finish it up with a quick spray of your favorite light perfume and you’re done.

The Last 15 Minutes

Spend this time doing the little things. Sweep the front porch quickly so that the entrance of your home is looks good. Set the table, get out the wine and light a few subtle candles. If you want to do a little more cleaning, some of the most noticeable things you can do is wipe down your bathroom counters, remove clutter from your kitchen counters and strategically place the remote controls, cell phones and other household items in a drawer out of sight.