Throwing a party at one’s house takes a lot of preparation. But it is the post-party cleaning that really gives you severe headaches; as you wake up to find broken glassware, stains on your sofa, water rings on your wooden table, and a sink full of dishes.
To get your house back in shape after a super successful party, here’re a few easy and simple hacks.
1. Use tablecloths: Tablecloths can protect your wooden table from getting stained. Just toss it in the washing machine after the party. You can also opt for a disposable tablecloth if you don’t even want to take the pains of washing the cloth.
2. Keep kitchen clean and dishwasher empty: Before your party starts, just make sure you empty the dishwasher and clean the kitchen. An empty dishwasher has two advantages — no dirty dishes on the countertop and all you have to do after the guests are gone is to switch on the dishwasher.
3. Keep trash bins in sight: If guests don’t know where to throw the trash, they end up leaving it on the coffee table, bar or kitchen. As everyone is in a party mood, an animated discussion will ensure that the floor will get dirty as things may fall from an overcrowded table. To avoid picking trash from all over the place, put trash bins in sight.
4. Serve bite-sized food: Serving big burgers, hot dogs, and fix-your-own-roll can dirty your kitchen and your living area. Serving mini sliders or quiche is more practical than serving big burgers or shawarmas.
5. Disposable tableware: Using disposable tableware like cups and plates will ensure that you won’t end up washing dishes the morning after the party. Party plates and cups come in a variety of colors and patterns.
6. Keep party limited to a particular area: House party doesn't mean throwing open every corner of your house. Say choose your living area and your balcony or choose your outside deck for the action. You can make a visual demarcation just by decorating the areas you are choosing to throw open to your guests. Rest of the areas can be dimly lit. Just to ensure that people don’t knock over your grandfather’s clock or your childhood photos or your favorite vase, keep them locked in a room that’s out of bounds.
7. Use plywood cabinets to keep everything organized: Use a plywood cabinet to stash away your magazines and newspapers. Assign one specific plywood cabinet to store all your party necessities like disposable tableware, paper napkins, and face masks (if it’s a theme-based party). This way you don’t have to open every cabinet to look for things when guests are over.
Bring plywood’s magical charm to your living space