Your in-laws just called…they are at your door steps
…..in less than an hour?
Don’t panic! I will share with you how you can pull off a gracious get together in your home using what you already have in your house, with only an hour of notice and with two kids around…a 3 year old and 18 month old. I did it, and so can you!
You may need to pray first!
First things first!
Tidy up! Get a laundry basket and go throughout the public spaces to gather up all the unnecessary clutter: toys, books etc.
Get the kids involved too.
Quickly clean the bathroom and vacuum the floors and carpets in the rooms that will be used for the event if you need to.
Remember that your home does not have to be sanitized or clean enough to eat off the floor in order to host guests. If your guests get close enough to notice that your floor isn’t perfectly clean, then they are not really your friends!
Food.
When I say food I mean appetiser. It would be ideal to have some appetiser staples at all times in your fridge and pantry…I didn’t, just so that this would be helpful for the worst case scenario too.
Go to your pantry and fridge, see what ingredients you have and plan the menu in your head while you vacuum. Multitasking!
If you have eggs, boil them now. They need time to cool. You will use them for stuffed eggs.
Here are some quick appetizer ideas:
-stuffed eggs
– tuna sandwiches
-Salmon sandwiches
-egg sandwiches
– cheese sandwiches
– veggie tray & Dip
– crackers, bread sticks, crisps (chips)
-cheese & grapes
-Fresh fruits
-cherry tomatoes, fresh basil& mozzarella on skewers.
-bruschetta with goat cheese, pesto and cherry tomatoes,
-cream cheese stuffed pepper
-olives
So here is what I have found in my fridge and pantry:
They all turned in to this:
Now that you are done with your food, empty your sink of dishes. Hide them wash them.
A cluttered sink can make your whole kitchen look messy.
I still have my kids around…they are busy with a snack and playing with some neon coloured plasters. :)
I have made:
Stuffed eggs with a mix of yolk, cream cheese, Brussels Pate and a bit of mustard and mayonnaise.
Crisp rolls (brusqeta) with cream cheese, cherry tomatoes and parsley.
Sandwiches with Pink Salmon and mayonnaise.
Crisps with hummus and onions.
Veggie tray
Fresh fruits.
Decor.
Now that your food is done and ready to be placed on the table, take time to place everything together nicely, if you hurry too much it will show, wipe off any spills and make sure all your table wear are clean.
I put the decor last on the list, but to be honest, to me that is the first thing I think about and do.
You need to be creative with what you have.
Think outside the box.
If you don’t have fresh flowers use your pot of parsley or gather some different sized glasses with some candles. It would make a world of a difference to your table setting and to your guests as well. It will show that you put an effort and they are important to you, and that you are way better then Martha Stewart!
Your food can be decor as well.
Instead of using a traditional veggie tray, put your veggies in wine glasses and the dip too.
Or use a pepper to put the yogurt dip in.
Give your veggies a royal treatment and
use a cake stand to display them
and you have your self a pretty table centerpiece.
It is all in the details.
Paint the foot of the glass with chalk paint and you can write your initial or full name if you need to.
I saw this idea on Pinterest way back, it is genius, it looks pretty and it’s very useful!
Now breathe.
You are done, with minutes to spare!
And if all fails remember that an inviting atmosphere and gracious host goes much further than a four-star meal and fancy decor. Smile and they will not notice the mess under the sofa.
I hope you enjoyed my post and find it useful!
My name is Erika, I’m 26 years old, wife to one amazing man and mommy to two beautiful little girls. I blog over at Shine On about our life, making beautiful memories for my girls and sharing fun projects, crafts, recipes and randomness along the way!
I would love for you to stop by and say Hi!
Thank you for having me over Barbara!
Meredith @ Wait Til Your Father Gets Home says
It’s after 12 pm here (and I sadly still have not had time to have breakfast) but this post just made me hungry for dinner! YUM!! Heading over to Shine On now to say hello :)
Sara S says
Found you from Thee Networking Blog hop! Great idea! I’m constantly using laundry baskets to clean rooms quickly!
Sara
mommysummers.com