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Label wine glasses with a Sharpie and wash it off later!
Just put 20-ish songs in the playlist and include the link in the invitation. Otherwise, your guests are going to be bothering you with song requests every five minutes. Everyone has different music taste so giving them the power to add their faves will ensure that all your guests have a great time.
You do not need to be making enemies out of your neighbors. Plus, it's just polite to give them a heads-up! If they know in advance, they can make plans to be out for the evening. They'll also be wayyyy more willing to tolerate a little noise. If you're really worried about their reaction, give them a gift — like a bottle of wine or box of chocolates — as a thank you for being so accommodating. Or just invite them! Even better!
You probably have more to do than you realize. Use the party as an incentive to deep clean. Throw out junk, give your bathroom a good scrub, and sweep the floors. Get more cleaning hacks here.
I'm not talking about the jungle juice you drank in college. One bottle of gin is enough alcohol for 10-12 generous, classy cocktails. Get more big-batch cocktail recipes here.
Clink, clink, clink. Yes, hi I have an announcement to make: You can write on your glassware with Sharpie and wash it off at the end of the night. Just draw over the writing and wiping it off with a paper towel while the ink is still wet. You could also use dish soap, rubbing alcohol, or hand sanitizer. My mind = blown. Learn more here. See a bunch of other ways to get Sharpie off glass.
More likely than not, if you try to take on that cool-as-heck cake recipe you saw on Pinterest, you're going to get yourself all stressed out. Stick to simple finger food, slow cooker recipes, or dishes you know are crowd-pleasers. See more charts that'll help you host here.
You don't want them feeling awkward, or just filling up on alcohol. Go for dishes that almost everyone would eat: guacamole, sweet potato nachos, or cauliflower tacos! Get more vegan recipes here and gluten-free recipes here.
Ice is an essential no matter what kind of party you're hosting and people always run out. Buy a few more bags than you think you'll need, or ask people to pick up a bag on their way if they insist on bringing something.
I'm all about conserving paper, but that towel you left for 15+ people to use is going to become a party for germs. Instead, leave out some paper towel, napkins, or disposable hand towels for your guests to enjoy.
Get six boxes of disposable towels from Amazon for $17.94.
Leave an extra roll or two of toilet paper out in the open, along with anything else you think guests might need. Also, sort through your medicine cabinet to make sure there's nothing in there that you wouldn't want people to see. Get more tips for stocking your bathroom for guests.
Get this cabinet from Ikea for $70.
If you're working with a small space, leave seating in another room for the first few hours, then pull them out when guests are getting tired. Or leave folding chairs off to the sides so guests can set themselves up!
Don't make me show up lookin' all cute just to make me sweat RIGHT through my ugly Christmas sweater! All those sweaty bodies packed into a teeny space is gonna turn the heat up real fast, so adjust the temperature accordingly.
You want people to think of your parties as a fun place to meet cool people, not just another social obligation! Obviously you don't have to hold their hand through the whole thing, but make sure strangers don't have to hover over conversations in order to find an opportunity to introduce themselves.
If you have a lot of friends from different circles, it can be a good idea to break the tension with a little party game. "Cookie pocket," for example, can literally be played while everyone is socializing. Basically, guests can try to sneak cookies into other people's pockets. If they're caught, they have to eat the cookie. If they're not, the target has to eat the cookie when they find it. See more fun party games here.
It's the perfect excuse to replace them with that neat little nesting set you've been eyeing for a while. Or order some restaurant containers — they're super cheap!
Raise the lights, slowly start cleaning up, take out the trash...don't be afraid to be direct if you have to be! There are plenty of ways to get the message across that they don't have to go home, but they can't stay here:
* "Thank you so much for coming! Can I help you with your coat?"
* "Can I offer you a bottle of water for the ride home?"
* "It's been so nice having you, but I am dead on my feet. Let's make plans to catch up soon!"
* "Do you need directions to get out of here? I know the roads/transit around here can be tricky at night."
* Ask one of your bolder friends to say something like "Hey, wanna head out with me?" if confrontation is not your thing.
Or get this subtle "Please leave by 9" banner from Amazon for $10.99.