Organize your life EASING INTO ENTERTAINING - solutions made simple
Nicole Cooke Organized by Design
It has been a long time since many of us have had guests in our homes. I am looking forward to
having a “normal” holiday season this year, which includes lots of entertaining! Inviting guests usually means extra work, but today we also need to recognize people’s comfort levels (or lack of comfort) being outside of their “bubble”. Below are some ideas to help keep the stress of entertaining to a minimum by being organized, as well as helping you and your guests feel relaxed. load up your linens Expecting overnight guests? Prep linens ahead. If they have been stored for a long time, launder to freshen them. Next, put a pillow, flat sheet & fitted sheet inside a pillow case and store in the closet. Prepare one set for each guest/visit. When it’s time to make beds, you’re ready to go! When guests leave, follow my brother Warren’s advice: strip beds and take linens to the laundromat for cleaning. In less than 2 hours all sets are cleaned, folded and ready for the next guests! COVID-STYLE COCKTAIL PARTIES Give each guest an individual set of acrylic tongs from the dollar store to get food from trays or platters. This works well for chicken wings & pizza, too! You could also prepare individual snacks for your guests. Mini charcuterie boards (or “cheese cocktails” as my friend Chef Lori calls them) are a great idea! Put cubes of cheese or curds, grapes, pepperettes, olives, etc. in clear plastic cups. Place a mini cucumber slice on the edge of the cup to look like a lime wheel and add a breadstick for the “straw”. Easy hand-held hors d’oeuvres! Bring Outdoor Dinners In We recently had dinner with friends and the host made individual foil-wrapped dinners for each guest on the bbq. Chicken slices, onion, zucchini & rice covered in tomato sauce and sprinkled with cheese is so easy and tasty! These can also be baked in the oven and cleanup is a snap. Experiment with different combinations…turkey, gravy, corn and potatoes maybe? 36
Keeping Hands Clean Put a pretty box of disposable hand towels in the bathroom for guests to use. You can also roll dollar store face cloths into a basket to use as individual hand towels (your guests will feel like they are in a fancy hotel!). Just have a separate basket handy for the soiled cloths. With a little effort and pre-planning, entertaining this holiday season can be enjoyable!
Enjoy the Winter Season! Follow Nicole FaceBook & Instagram @organizedbydesign www.organizedbydesign.co
Acrylic Tongs for Each Guest
Keeping Hands Clean with Personal Towels
Personal Hand Towels
Individual Foil-Wrapped Dinners
Prepare Bed Linens Ahead of Time
