This post is brought to you by DishFish
It’s the holiday season and the time of the year I love to host friends and family. I gave up a long time ago on trying to make everything perfect. I know what matters most is enjoying the time spent together, not whether the cheese tray had enough prosciutto. However, there are a few small tricks I’ve picked up along the way that have helped make hosting go a bit smoother. They are simple tips that can be taken care of ahead of time, ensuring that when your guests arrive, you’re free to kick back, relax, and enjoy the fun.
Clean and close. Every night after dinner I clean our kitchen and close it down. It’s such a nice feeling to know that a fresh and clean kitchen will be awaiting me in the morning.
It finally dawned on me to apply the same tactic to getting ready for guests. A few days before guests arrive I start the process of scrubbing down different area of our house. The guest room, of course, but also the main powder room just off the living room. Once I have thoroughly cleaned the area, I close it down, making it off-limits to all of us. By diverting family members to one main bathroom, like letting the girls use our master bath for those few days, the others stay fresh and ready for guests without any last minute scramble.
And my new go-to cleaning buddy for helping with everything from the kitchen to the bathrooms? DishFish! Did I really just admit to having a sponge preference? Yes, I did. And here’s why…
What makes DishFish’s sponges and scrubbers unique? So glad you asked!
DishFish sponges are a household cleaning workhorse, powerful enough to tackle soap scum build-up and other gunky bathroom ick. They have Exclusive PowerCell™ Technology that attacks grease and grime with a tough scrub, but is gentle enough that it won’t scratch even the most delicate of surfaces (I’m looking at you wine glasses- and no worries, I have a separate sponge for the kitchen and the bathrooms 😉). They also last a long time, requiring replacement every 6 to 12 weeks instead of the typical 1-2 weeks with other brands.
However, possibly my favorite feature is that the DishFish sponge does not stink. Does anyone else cringe when they grab that soggy sponge hanging out in the suction cup holder stuck to the side of the sink? Ew. I love that the DishFish dries out thoroughly while standing up on it’s tail so it’s fresh, ready, and odor-free when I need it.
Ask about food sensitivities/allergies/preferences. These things can be uncomfortable for a guest to bring up, but taking the time to ask ahead of time can make a real difference in the comfort of your guest.
Ensure that food is readily available. Can we all agree that it is not a fun feeling to be hungry and have nothing to eat? At my parent’s house I feel pretty comfortable just opening up and rummaging through the fridge, but other than that, I only eat when offered food. One of the nicest things I’ve noticed when being a guest is some sort of food always out and available. Whether it’s toasted nuts in a bowl in the living room or a pack of crackers tucked into a basket in the guest room, it’s nice to have a inconspicuous way to take the edge off of hunger. Also, always err on the side of too much food. I made the mistake of trying to predict the right amount on the nose before and we ran out of food. Not a great feeling!
Provide black washcloths. I don’t know what took me so long to do this, but leaving mascara on white towels makes me feel bad. I bought myself and my guests black wash cloths now so we can all wipe off all our make-up guilt free!
Display your Wifi password in bedrooms. I have ours written down and framed in a little frame next to the bed because we all would prefer to save our data to use while riding passenger side on holiday road trips.
Refill all soaps and toilet paper. My girls have no issue calling to me for more toilet paper while they are sitting on the throne, but I’d hate to put guests in a similar predicament. The week before company arrives, I restock all toilet paper, tissues, and soaps. It’s a small task but it leaves me feeling prepared. I also will pull out the fancy soap (you know, the seasonal stuff that smells oh-so good). This applies to dish soap, too. Having a good smelling soap makes washing all those holiday pots and pans a bit less daunting.
Relax. Nothing is more stressful to a guest than a host that seems all wound up. I like to do as much as I can ahead of time, but once my guests arrive, I make a deal with myself that I will chill out. If something doesn’t go perfectly, well, then we’ll all have a fun story to tell!
Learn more about the DishFish difference here and stock up on DishFish sponges and scrubbers on Amazon before your holiday guests arrive!
Do you have a holiday hosting tip that you swear by?
sherry says
December 3, 2018 at 10:57 amLove the idea of black washcloths! Will be looking to get some of those!
Brittany Dixon says
December 4, 2018 at 2:34 pmAnd I’m sorry for leaving mascara all over your pretty white ones! (hangs head in shame… ;))
Callie says
December 3, 2018 at 12:39 pmYuck, I don’t like the sponsored posts! They just feel and sound fake. I much prefer your more authentic, insightful regular posts.
Kathryn says
December 3, 2018 at 2:00 pmGreat post! I’m always looking for tips to make the holidays smoother. I’ve always used the yellow and green sponges (which I have to microwave every few days because, yes, the smell is awful). I’ll have to look into the dish fish. I had never heard of it before.
I still implement your tip about doing a load of laundry each day to keep things from piling up! Thanks for the tips and Happy Holidays!
Brittany Dixon says
December 4, 2018 at 2:12 pmI’m doing a load right now, though I’ll admit, I’m a day behind 😉 Thanks for your comment and happy holidays to you, as well! <3
montessoriishmom says
December 3, 2018 at 3:06 pmI am strangely excited to try that sponge 🙂 This came at a great time for me, as we’re hosting Christmas at our house for the first time and I am *trying* to just enjoy it and not stress.
Brittany Dixon says
December 4, 2018 at 2:09 pmI’m so excited for you; we loved hosting Christmas last year! Truly, once people arrive, pour yourself a glass of wine (or tea!), and commit to just enjoying it. That’s really what matters most. <3 Have fun!!
Megan says
December 5, 2018 at 3:43 pmIt’s a shame that you don’t respond to constructive comments the same way you reply to positive ones. I miss the days when David wasn’t your personal photographer & all of your posts were curated to look just so. It feels less authentic to me. Others may have a different perspective & that’s great. When many blogs shifted years ago to sponsored posts and shifted away from being personal and insightful, i wa so happy that yours remained largely the same. I’ve been reading since you were pregnant with Hailey, but your blog has just changed so much, it’s obviously time to stop checking in for me.
Brittany Dixon says
December 5, 2018 at 4:55 pmHi Megan,
I appreciate your comment and I’m happy to always have a conversation regarding constructive feedback. If you are referring to my lack of response to the “yuck” comment, well, I didn’t feel that was constructive criticism.
I am extremely proud of this space. I put a lot of time and effort into what I write here, which is why I’ve had to cut back on how often I post. I mentioned it before, but I’ve taken my day-to-day life stuff to Instagram stories and have loved connecting in that way there, however “what I did today” posts are no longer feasible or logical for me on the blog.
Instead I save this space for topics on motherhood, food, travel, relationships, etc, that I want to expand more on or dive deeper into. I was nervous to make that shift but have largely gotten a positive response to having more thought out content. Life looks a lot different today than it did 5 years ago (older kids, no naps, homeschooling, etc), and I’ve found my most of my readership has evolved in largely the same way- a lot of us are too busy to read 7 blog posts a week the way we once did. However, I know this format is not for everyone and if that means it’s time for you to stop checking in, I totally understand. I will say though- it’s still the same me writing here, just with a better camera and a more cooperative husband 😉
Truly though, I wish you nothing but the best and am grateful for the years you spent time stopping by my site.