The Joyful Host: 5 Simple Ways to Make Entertaining at Home Easier

I love entertaining at home, but after many years of hosting everything from small family dinners to parties for more than 50 people, I’ve learnt one very important lesson:

Being a good host has very little to do with everything being perfect.

It isn’t about having the most beautifully decorated home, cooking an elaborate menu or making sure every tiny detail goes exactly to plan.

It’s about creating a place where people feel welcome, comfortable and happy to stay awhile.

That’s really what The Joyful Host series is all about — taking some of the pressure out of entertaining at home and helping you feel more confident inviting people into your space.

Here are five things I’ve learnt over the years that have made hosting easier and, most importantly, more enjoyable.

1. Never Apologise for Your Home

Have you ever opened the door to guests and immediately said something like:

“Sorry about the mess.”

“Ignore the garden.”

“I didn’t have time to clean properly.”

I think many of us have done it.

The problem is that most of the time our guests hadn’t noticed whatever it was we were worried about until we pointed it out!

Your friends and family aren’t coming over to inspect your home. They’re coming to see you.

Of course, I like my house to look nice when people visit. I’ll tidy the main areas, clear the kitchen benches and fluff the cushions with the best of them. But I’ve learnt that there will nearly always be something I didn’t get around to doing.

And that’s okay.

Instead of greeting people with an apology, open the door, smile and tell them how happy you are to see them.

That’s a much nicer beginning to any gathering.

2. Create a Beautiful Tablescape — But Keep It Simple

Setting a beautiful table is genuinely one of my favourite parts of entertaining.

For me, it’s part of the fun.

But a beautiful tablescape doesn’t need to mean buying new dinnerware, elaborate flower arrangements or spending hours styling the table.

Start with what you already own.

A simple tablecloth or runner can completely change the look of a table. Add your everyday plates, some cloth napkins, candles and greenery or flowers and suddenly everything feels special.

I also love mixing old and new pieces. Vintage glassware, serving dishes I’ve had for years, inexpensive finds and pieces that have a story behind them often make a table much more interesting than buying everything as a matching set.

And don’t underestimate what you can repurpose. I’ve even used inexpensive IKEA curtains as tablecloths when I needed to cover long tables for a large gathering — and they looked beautiful.

The goal isn’t to create a table worthy of a magazine shoot.

It’s simply to make your guests feel that you were excited enough about having them there to make the table a little special.

3. Stop Saving the Good Stuff when Entertaining at Home

This is something I feel quite strongly about.

Use the good stuff.

Use the beautiful glasses.

Light the candles.

Bring out the serving platter you love.

Use Grandma’s china.

Put the lovely linen napkins on the table.

For years, so many of us were taught to keep certain things “for good.” They were stored carefully in cupboards waiting for Christmas, a birthday or some occasion important enough to justify using them.

But I’ve come to realise that having people you love sitting around your table is the special occasion.

And if something gets broken?

Yes, I’ll probably be disappointed. But I’d much rather have a beautiful glass break because we were using it over dinner with friends than have it sit untouched in a cupboard for another 20 years.

Our homes should be enjoyed.

So should the things we’ve collected to put in them.

4. What to Do in the Last 30 Minutes Before Guests Arrive

This used to be the point where hosting could become slightly chaotic.

Guests are due in half an hour and suddenly you’re noticing everything.

The bathroom needs checking.

There’s something sitting on the kitchen bench.

You haven’t put the drinks out.

You still need to change.

And why is there suddenly a pile of something in the lounge room that you swear wasn’t there ten minutes ago?

I’ve learnt that the final 30 minutes before guests arrive are not the time to start another job.

By this point, the major preparation should be finished.

I do a quick check of the areas guests will actually use — kitchen, living area and bathroom. I put out drinks and anything we’re having with them, light candles if I’m using them and turn on some music.

Then I stop.

That last part is important.

Give yourself enough time to get dressed, take a moment and actually be ready when the doorbell rings.

There’s no point creating a beautiful gathering if you’re exhausted and flustered before anyone arrives.

Your guests will remember how your home felt far more than whether you managed to vacuum one last corner.

5. Hosting a Birthday Party for More Than 50 People

Hosting a large party at home sounds intimidating, but I’ve found that the principles are actually very similar to hosting a small gathering.

You just need more of everything — and a little more planning!

For parties of 50 or more, I don’t try to create a formal dining experience.

I want people to be able to move around, talk to different groups and help themselves.

Food is generally buffet-style so guests aren’t relying on me to serve them. Drinks have their own station, with additional smaller ice buckets placed where people naturally gather so everyone isn’t constantly heading to the same spot.

I also like to create different conversation areas.

Some people will naturally gather around a table. Others prefer lounge chairs, outdoor seating or standing near the food. If it’s cooler, a firepit or outdoor fire can become another lovely gathering point.

Giving people several comfortable places to settle helps a large party feel relaxed rather than crowded.

And wherever possible, I prepare ahead.

If something can be cooked and frozen, I do it.

If the table or decorations can be set up the day before, they’re done.

Serving platters come out early and I’ll often put a little note on each one telling me what food is going where.

The more decisions I make before the party, the fewer I have to make while I’m trying to enjoy it.

Because that’s the whole point.

The Best Hosts Aren’t the Perfect Ones

If there’s one thing I hope The Joyful Host series encourages you to do, it’s to stop waiting until everything feels perfect before inviting people over.

Your house doesn’t need to be finished.

Your table doesn’t need to look like Pinterest.

Your food doesn’t need to be complicated.

And you certainly don’t need to apologise for any of it.

Set the table.

Use the beautiful things you’ve been saving.

Do what you can ahead of time.

Then, when the last 30 minutes arrive, stop fussing and get ready to enjoy yourself.

Because years from now, nobody is going to remember whether every napkin matched or whether there was a little dust somewhere you didn’t notice.

They’re going to remember the conversations, the laughter, the food you shared and how they felt when they were in your home.

And to me, that’s what being a joyful host is really all about.

If you’d like to feel more relaxed and confident when inviting people into your home, start with my first Joyful Host article, The Joyful Host: Simple Ways to Entertain at Home With Confidence, where I share some of the simple ways I’ve learned to take the pressure out of hosting.