You're planning a party and you want it to go off without a hitch, right? The silverware is polished, the food prepared, the decorations put up, and the guests are about to arrive.
What could possibly go wrong? But wait, what's that stench? The onions are stinking up the whole room! Quick, get the air freshener! No, not the pine-scented kitchen cleaner, air freshener! Too late.
Now, the room smells like onions and pine infused disinfectant! No matter what type of party you are hosting, something can - and will - go wrong.
Your job is to prevent party disasters and minimize the damage should something go awry.
And plenty can go wrong.
We've compiled a few do's and don'ts of throwing parties to help you avoid party catastrophes (and stinky rooms).
Party Don'ts oDon't put out the onions just yet! oDon't let your dog have free run of the house.
oDon't let your kids have free run of the house either.
oDon't use your heirloom china or crystal no matter how beautiful they are.
If you do, breakage WILL occur.
Guaranteed.
oDon't start drinking before your guests arrive.
Once they do, do so in moderation only.
You'll need your senses about you as the night progresses.
On second thought, maybe you SHOULD get drunk.
(Not really).
oDon't fret over the little details.
So what if you haven't lit all of the candles yet before your guests arrive.
If you forgot something or haven't had a chance to get to it yet, you're probably the only one that will notice.
On the other hand, if you freak out, everyone will notice.
oDon't turn the music up so loud that no one can carry on conversations.
Party Do's oDo prepare food ahead of time so that you can enjoy the party instead of being stuck in the kitchen cooking, serving, and cleaning.
oDo be aware of food borne illnesses and how to prevent them.
oDo have an empty dishwasher ready for stashing dirty dishes.
oDo use disposable plates and forks (many elegant looking products have hit the market).
oDo hire servers and bartenders for larger parties.
oDo make sure that all bathrooms are well stocked with ample toilet paper and supplies.
oDo keep your pets offsite or safely locked in a bedroom.
oDo hire a babysitter for your kids.
oIf children are invited to the party, do hire a babysitter or a team of sitters to watch the children and keep them entertained (in a separate area of the house).
oDo provide a few vegetarian (and even vegan) dishes as alternatives for your vegetarian friends.
oDo direct smokers to designated smoking areas outdoors.
oDo monitor alcohol consumption and have a cab company's phone number handy should a party guest need a safe ride home.
oDo have absorbent towels handy for quick spill mitigation (and don't freak out when a spill occurs.
Do a quick cleanup and worry about more thorough cleaning later).
oDo place coasters strategically throughout your home, particularly on furniture that you want to enjoy, ring-free, for years to come.
oDo play non-offensive background music, preferably by either streaming music from your Internet playlist to your stereo or using a six-CD changer so that you aren't constantly tending to the music.
oDo introduce guests properly to each other by providing a little information about common interests.
oDo maintain a healthy sense of humor (you may need it, especially if you don't heed the advice above).