Four Do-Ahead Tasks for Stress-Free Holiday Entertaining

While a holiday entertaining checklist will keep you organized, it's the little tasks that need to be done on the day of a party which will cause you stress. Rather than rush around the day of your big party, these are four things you can do in advance. They may be simple but can make a big difference in feeling organized!

1. Create your music playlist. 
   Having the right music at the right time makes a big impact on the mood of the party. If you don't have the time or desire to create a specific list then download some curated playlists from apps like Spotify. Yes, download. You don't want a wifi outage ruining your party mood.
   
   
2. Clear out your hall closet 
   Instead of piling your guests' coats on a spare bed take the time to clear out your hall closet or the spare bedroom closet. Don't forget to add extra hangers. In doing so you just might find a few hidden gems in the back of the closet that you have been searching for.
   
   
3. While you're in closet cleaning mode, dig out extra vases and keep them handy in a cupboard. 
   When a guest brings you flowers it's always nice to be able to display them in a vase instead of plopping them in the kitchen sink or taking time away from your party in search of one.
   
   
4. Sort through any dishes, utensils, linens that you think you might need and give them a good wipe, clean or polish. 
   I even go through the extra step of putting sticky notes on dishes so when it comes to the frenzied time of putting hot food into bowls it's already organized. Plus if you have a family member or friend helping out they don't need to ask you a thousand questions like "If I was a salad bowl where would I be?".