5 Main Rules For Your Next Dinner Party

Friends are coming over for dinner and you don’t want to make mistakes.
Here are five simple rules to follow to make it through.

1. Deep Cleaning

A few days before the dinner, thoroughly clean your home. A spider in the bathroom or ants in the living room will always show a messy side.
Dust, store and open up some windows to bring in some fresh air. Your apartment should be clean and smell fresh.
If you don’t want to spend a single cent on cleaning, white vinegar and baking soda are great household cleaners. You can also check our cleaning section for more tips.

2. Nice Decor

After having cleaned your place from top to bottom, set up a theme or decorate according to the ambiance you wish to pull off. What is the mood you’ve chosen, or the one you’re trying to convey? If you lack inspiration, you can play with colors: black and white, or red and black are classic examples.
You can also make references to a specific era, like your childhood, or a specific passion, like video-games. Again, there’s no need to outspend yourself.
Check out the stuff you have in your closets and pull out everything you need.

3. Fancy Meal

To delight your guests, there’s no need to buy caviar or foie gras. Instead, cook seasonal produce. You can also find the best prices at day’s end on a farmer’s market. And don’t forget you to bargain down the cost.
For a simple appetizer, you can serve pastry cones stuffed with vegetables.
For a basic dish, you can make an espuma accompanied with a monkfish.
And for dessert, try unexpected flavors. You can create interesting ice creams, like black sesame-flavored ones.

4. Fun Activities

Instead of hiring a choir or organizing fireworks in your backyard, you can plan some games and put background music through your speakers/computer. It’s cheap, and will always be entertaining.
Also remember to involve your guests in the process. Have them make candy or fruity skewers they’ll be able to melt over a grill or dip into a chocolate fondue.
You can slip out to preparing the next course or start on doing the dishes.

5. Every Moment Counts

Ultimately, you should be paying attention to your guests and have fun.
Does someone have an empty glass of wine? Top it off. Is someone asking for seconds? Serve them another slice.
It costs nothing, and yet is priceless. People like to be taken care of when they go out. It’s all in the details and the attitude you present that your guests will have the best of times.