I always joke that the better the party I throw, the worse I look when I show up. I’ve gotten better at getting ready way in advance so I don’t look like I just ran a marathon but we do have a little routine we go through before the party starts. I usually make sure the house is pretty clean the day before but right before the guests begin showing up I will do a “walk through.” Basically, I pretend I am a guest in my own home. I try to think about what would make people more comfortable and then go around sprucing things up. Here are my three basic steps:
1. I start at the front door and do a quick once-over with fresh eyes. I clean up the entryway, tuck mail away. I check the bathroom to make sure it is guest-ready and there are fresh hand towels out.
2. Make it smell good! I open windows for a few minutes to let in fresh air. I light candles to set the mood and even use sprays if something is smelling unpleasant. I’ve been trying Unstopables (our new sponsor.) The new line includes everything you’d need to make your house smell awesome before guests arrive: air fresheners, candles, pluggin refills, fabric refreshers.
3. Music! I always put on music right before the party. I am a big fan of Songza. They have handpicked playlists (instead of algorithms) and are really good. I usually
use Sunshine Indie Rock or my friend Rubi introduced me to this playlist Sally Draper’s Secret Dorm Room Party which is great for a dinner party.
use Sunshine Indie Rock or my friend Rubi introduced me to this playlist Sally Draper’s Secret Dorm Room Party which is great for a dinner party.I loved all the great party tips in yesterday’s post. I’m taking notes and am going to try some of them. I’ll report back!
This post is sponsored by Unstopables: Smell like the lifestyle you deserve.
Photos by Paul Ferney for Oh Happy Day
Katie
January 14, 2015
Who made the artwork in the last photo? I LOVE it!
It’s by Kindah Khalidy!
2moiselles
January 14, 2015
Love this inspiration!!
Caitlin R.
January 14, 2015
What Katie said! ^^ Love the art–who’s the artist?
beks
January 14, 2015
yes to the questions about the artwork! who is the artist?
Julie
January 14, 2015
What the heck, P&G? Unstoppable is spelled with two P’s. Not one. Sorry, Jordan. Not gonna buy it.
We always say you have to spell things wrong these days since everything is already copyrighted and url’s are claimed. 😉 ha!
Alia
January 14, 2015
Julie – right on! Haha! Did they purposely spell it that way or did someone forget to proofread?
marion
January 14, 2015
Hi Jordan, just thought I’d mention this fun website which is still in beta mode
http://beta.radiooooo.com , you click a country and then a decade and listen to music from that era ! It’s great !
dawn
January 14, 2015
i love your bathroom! is that a new sink or old one? the label brackets on the wall for towels is brilliant! can’t see close enough to know if you really have names in there?
Crystal
January 14, 2015
Love this post! I’d love to know where that divine green sofa is from!
Just a Girl
January 14, 2015
Your decor is divine and so inspiring! Your bathroom is my aesthetic, basically. Aha.
Just a Girl xx
{anonymous blog}
justxgirlblog.blogspot.com.au | Join my Journey!
Katie
January 15, 2015
Where is your shower curtain from? I didn’t spot it in the bathroom refresh and it’s adorable!
Katie
freckleandfair.com
Shireen
January 15, 2015
Love these tips, never thought about making my place smell nice before everyone comes over, will def do next time though!
Anne {Anne's Scribbles and Doodles}
January 15, 2015
I agree about the comments regarding the artwork! Great tips by the way! I also love using scented candles to make a place smell nice before an event. It adds ambiance too. 🙂
Hope
January 15, 2015
I just wanted to comment that I appreciate you calling out the sponsor early in the post! I totally understand that paid sponsorship like this funds all the other amazing content and events that you put together. But sometimes (as a reader) it feels like you are getting tricked when you read a post and scroll to the end to see that it was sponsored content, or when there is a random product placement photo tucked in the middle of the post. Anyway, just letting you know that I appreciate the earlier heads up. 🙂
Kremz
January 22, 2015
Hi Jordan, thanks for the great tips! If it’s not too much of a bother, I would appreciate it very much if you could reply with the track list to Sally’s Secret Dorm Party playlist? As a Mad Men fan who lives in Singapore, I can’t access Songza and I am simply dying to find out what songs would make me Sally Draper-esque (and who wouldn’t like that?) Thanks in advance Jordan!