Kitchen Remodels are Great for Home Entertaining

If you tend to host a lot of parties, this probably isn't your first rodeo so think about how the same party went last year and what you could have done differently to make things go easier.

The Kitchen is the Epicenter
For most parties, food and drink is nine-tenths of the law, making the kitchen the single most important room in the house. Focus on this room before the party and think about what you'll need and what you won't. Items like stand-up mixers or crock pots that you know you're going to use should be placed in a more easy-to-reach place. On the other hand, if you know you're not going to be using these items, take them out of the kitchen entirely and put them into storage. If you find you're really tight on room, consider using your kitchen pantry. Chances are a lot of stuff in the pantry can be shoveled into a box and temporarily placed in a closet. Even one extra shelf can sometimes make a ton of difference.

Move the Kitchen out of the Kitchen
Another way to reorganize your home to free up space and make things run smoothly is to move certain elements of the party out of the kitchen. If you're not planning on eating right away, guests will want to enjoy drinks while they wait. Move the beverages, glasses, and ice bucket to a separate room closer to where everybody will be congregating. If you have a long dining room table you might consider pushing it against the wall to create a buffet table and replace it with portable card tables. The card tables may be friendlier anyway and if you've done your job right, the spread on the dining room table will be a sight worthy of its own picture.