The Best Kitchen Layouts for Hosting Family and Friends

Whether you’re holding a big party or entertaining a small gathering of close family and friends, the kitchen is often where everybody gets together for food and drinks. With this in mind, it makes sense that you’d want your kitchen to have all that you need to make your guests feel comfortable and have everything they need.

If you want a kitchen that will impress guests during parties, here are some great kitchen layout options that will help you host parties they will remember for all the right reasons.

1. Open-Concept Kitchens

Open-concept kitchens make for an excellent venue for you and your guests. With an open-concept kitchen, you can seamlessly focus on preparing food and drinks while also mingling, and your guests will have plenty of space to relax and enjoy themselves.

Remember that it’s a great idea to establish work zones in an open-plan kitchen, so you have plenty of space to operate in. In many cases, “natural” barriers like countertops will help make it clear where boundaries are. The strategic placement of chairs and appliances can also help draw boundaries in a way that’s obvious but not too formal.

With your work zones established, you will have enough room to work while being close enough to your guests to make the most of your hosting skills.

2. Kitchen Islands

If you have enough space, kitchen islands are great for entertaining. A kitchen island is an ideal place for food and drinks as everybody has easy access to them, making it a focal point of the room or the house.

A kitchen island also gives your guests easy access to all the food they like without you having to spend your time playing waitress. If you don’t have a large kitchen and budget, a conveniently placed table can work just fine.

3. Bar

Your guests are likely to get thirsty, and a bar is a great way to allow them to help themselves. Ideally, it would help if you created a bar area with all they’ll need, including a range of glasses and other items such as olives and lemon slices for cocktails and other drinks.

Having a fridge close to your bar is ideal. If you have the space, a refrigerator dedicated to drinks and sundries can be even better. Also consider installing a built-in wine rack that will look great while not taking up too much room in the kitchen.

You can even make things a little more fun and recommend some great ideas for cocktails; you can also use a TV screen or even a digital menu board to technologically display your cocktail recipe suggestions.

4. Seating

If it’s a dinner party, seats are a given, but if it’s another type of party, remember that people won’t want to stand the whole time. Arranging bar stools in your kitchen is a great option because they take up little space and can be located at countertops, islands, and bars to help make them more of a focal point.

Also make sure people have a place to eat if islands and other areas are taken up. You can also consider comfortable benches along walls that won’t take up a lot of space, and the base of some benches can also double as storage space.

5. Open Shelving

Open shelving looks great in any kitchen and is also very affordable. With a coat of paint, open shelves can add character to otherwise bland walls, and they can also make a small kitchen look larger. The benefits don’t stop there either, because they make it easier for you and your guests to grab kitchenware as needed.

6. Clutter-Free Layout

A clean layout that’s easy to move about in and with nothing to trip over is essential for your kitchen. Before your guests start arriving, remove as much clutter as you can. Items like unnecessary toasters and kettles can be stored in your cupboards or even in another room if necessary.

Less clutter will help provide more space so you have more room to put out some great-looking spreads.

7. Mood Lighting

The right lighting will help you get your kitchen feeling bright and energetic for larger occasions while allowing you to opt for a more intimate ambience if you’re entertaining a small group. In addition, mood lighting can help you create a different ambience for different parts of the room, such as lowered lights in seating areas away from where the action is.

Strip lighting can also be very effective at creating the right ambience. For example, when placed in strategic places such as underneath cabinets, strip lights can provide light for bars and other kitchen features while also adding a “glow” that attracts people to certain parts of the room.

8. Get a Trash Compactor

You don’t want to be spending too much of your time clearing trash away, but you also probably don’t want trash to start piling up. A trash compactor will make it easier for you to dispose of trash quickly without it taking up too much of your time.

If you don’t have the budget for a trash compactor, keep plenty of trash cans available so your guests can also help by throwing trash away. Being prepared for the inevitable trash will also mean less work for you to do the next morning.

The Bottom Line

Hosting a party can be daunting, no matter how large or small. There are issues like catering to deal with, and you will want to make sure that your guests are entertained and as comfortable as possible.

Having a suitable kitchen layout is one way to help ensure that your gathering goes well and everybody has an evening to remember. With some effort and a little creativity, your kitchen can be a center point for a party you can be proud of.

Guest Post - 10 Life-Saving Packing Hacks To Simplify Your Move

Moving always seems to feel stressful and chaotic no matter what. However, it's something we all deal with at least once in our lives. For the most part, moving can be exciting, but it's never something anyone wants to do. 

Simplifying your move can help you reduce stress by avoiding mistakes and planning ahead. Luckily, there are tons of tips and tricks to help you make your moving process easier. In this article, we'll focus on simplifying one of the most daunting parts of moving: packing. If you pack correctly and plan, you can make unpacking easier. Here's how you can make packing easier to simplify your move. 

1. Toss What You Don't Need

Before you start packing, toss everything you don't think you'll bring to your new home. Of course, getting rid of things is more easily said than done. To start, you might need to organize your home so you can get a clear inventory of what you have. After you've organized, you can start cutting back on clutter as much as possible and purge all of your unnecessary belongings. 

By tossing what you don't need, you'll have less to pack and less to unpack so you aren't bringing clutter into your new home. 

2. Start Early

If you're moving in the summer, then you won't need to worry about packing away your winter clothes. Plan to pack as much as possible early on so you don't feel stressed as moving day approaches. It's best to give yourself at least a few weeks to pack, but you can start by packing off-season clothing and items you won't need before the big move. 

As your move-in date gets closer, you can start packing away things like dishes and more clothes so you won't have too much to do days before the move. 

3. Use Storage

If you know there are some things you won't need to immediately take to your new home, consider using storage containers that will help you get rid of clutter so you can pack easier. Anything from office furniture, old couches, and even clothes you no longer wear can be put in a storage container and taken out at any point in time when you need them. 

4. Pack Your Essentials Last

Everyone has essentials they'll need as soon as they move into their new home, like clothes for the next few days, toothbrushes and toothpaste, deodorant, and more. Pack these items on the day of the move so you can use them, and then throw them into a suitcase or bag that you'll keep with you. Packing your essentials last can be beneficial the day after the move if you don't feel like unpacking everything in one day or searching through multiple boxes to find what you need. 

Make sure everyone in your family packs an overnight bag of essentials so they don't have to worry about unpacking everything the day of the move. If you have pets, make sure you create a bag of essentials for them as well so they can have access to food, water, and toys. 

5. Stock Up on Supplies Early

There's no worse feeling than realizing you don't have enough boxes or moving supplies the day before the move. While you can start packing early with as many boxes as you can find, make sure you do an inventory of supplies a few days before the move, especially if you still haven't packed a lot of your belongings yet. Doing an inventory will allow you to order or purchase the items you need if you run out so you don't have to worry about running out of boxes or bags the day before the move. 

6. Put Heavier Items On the Bottom

When you're using boxes, put the heavier items on the bottom of the boxes and lighter items on time. This will give you a more even weight distribution to make carrying the boxes easier. In addition, while loading up your truck, put the heaviest boxes near the front of the truck for balance. 

7. Don't Mix Items

Try packing from room to room so you can make unpacking much easier. If you start packing up the bedroom, don't switch to the living room. Instead, work your way from room to room so you know all of a room's items are together. You can also label each box by room so you know where all the belongings are for each area.

8. Label Your Boxes

Always label your boxes correctly with a description of their contents and the room that it's for. Labeling your boxes will help you know where to put the boxes when you move into your new home. Labeling every box may seem daunting, but it's necessary if you want to make the unpacking process as simple as possible. 

9. Give Yourself a Timeline

If you want to make your move as simple as possible, give yourself goals to achieve with end dates in mind. For example, make sure you've completed most of your packing at least a few days before the move so you don't feel overwhelmed. If you want to make sure you have enough time to pack, try making a schedule for when each room will be packed and how long it will take. 

10. Utilize the Entire Box

Unless it's the last box you packed, make sure you utilize all of the boxes and fill them up so you won't have to grab more supplies the day of the move. Be careful not to pack too many heavy items in the same box. Instead, pack heavy items with lighter items so you can create balance while still being able to lift the boxes. 

Simplifying Your Move

While one of the hardest parts about moving is the move itself, packing can make the whole experience less stressful. By staying organized and on top of the deadlines you set for yourself, you can ensure both your packing and unpacking processes are simple and easy. 

Matt Casadona

Matt Casadona has a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a concentration in Marketing and a minor in Psychology. Matt is passionate about marketing and business strategy and enjoys San Diego life, traveling, and music. 

Cleaning Up Your Yard Before the Holiday Season

Decorating for the holidays is one of the best ways to make the coming season more exciting. People tend to spend a lot of time decorating the inside of their home, but it’s important to also focus on the outside of your home, namely your yard. A nice yard means you’ll have room to decorate outside, or just generally be ready for when the season turns cold, and being outside for long periods of time won’t be as enjoyable. Cleaning up your yard now means you won’t have to worry about it while celebrating with friends and family later.

Rake The Leaves

If there are still leaves on the ground, then you should rake them up. Raking the leaves not only makes your yard look better almost instantly but also helps you prepare for spring. You should also aerate your yard. This allows more nutrients, oxygen, and water to reach the roots, even while it’s freezing outside. Keep in mind that the leaves that you rake up can be used for compost, especially the more rotted they are.

Declutter

Clutter of any kind can ruin your yard. You should get rid of everything in your yard that you do not need anymore, whether that be lawn furniture and decorations or children’s toys your kids have outgrown. If something is broken and cannot be fixed, then you should throw it out immediately. You may also want to get rid of things that you have not used in a long time.

Get Rid of the Debris

Debris is another thing that can cause your lawn to look bad. If you have branches and sticks laying around your yard, then you should gather them up and throw them away. You should also clean up any pet droppings that might be hiding in the grass. Look around for trash and pick it up if you see it.

Maintain Your Septic Tank

Septic tank maintenance is extremely important. Not only when trying to clean up your lawn, but because of what it takes care of inside your house. It would be a good idea to check over your septic tank while you are outside working on your yard. If your septic tank is working properly, then it should be easier for you to preserve your yard. A working septic tank will be less likely to flood your yard and cause sinkholes. Maintenance helps keep your septic tank for a long time. A well-cared-for septic tank can last for 40 years or more.

Maintaining your septic tank helps you do your part to protect the environment. The pollutants and bacteria inside of the septic tank can end up in your yard. They can also end up in the air. The pollutants can also end up in your drinking water.

As the holiday season approaches, you should turn your attention to making sure the outside of your property is just as ready as the inside. Cleaning up your yard not only gets it ready if you want to decorate it but also takes care of everything before any festivities begin so you don’t have to worry about it and can instead enjoy being with friends and family.

Electrical Upgrades To Add To Your Home Right Now

There is an infinite number of things to consider when renovating or building a home. You have to consider practicality, budget, sustainability, and how you want the home to look and feel. Many modern houses are smart homes that make it easier and more efficient to live our day-to-day lives. The following are electrical upgrades to add to your home right now to keep up with the current times.

Smart Switches

Replace your traditional light switches with smart ones. These switches allow flexibility if you forget to turn off a light before leaving the house or let you switch a light on so that you don’t have to enter a dark home. You can add these switches to outdoor lighting as well. They are incredibly convenient and add a sense of security.

Chandelier Lifts

No, you didn’t read that wrong. A chandelier lift provides a solution to raising and lowering your chandelier when you have a taller ceiling. Now you can clean the fixture and change lightbulbs with ease.

Home Automation

This trend is huge right now because you’re able to link up multiple home appliances onto a single smart home device. You can control appliances and devices with your smartphone and link them to the smart device with voice commands. For example, you can tell your device “good morning,” which will trigger the lights to turn on, the thermostat to turn up the temperature, and the coffee maker to start making coffee. There are a variety of smart appliances available.

Baseboard Outlets

Positioning outlets into your baseboards hides them, creating a chic and sophisticated look. This renovation also helps eliminate the cluttered look of cables and charging cords.

Car Charging Ports

Many cars are turning to electricity to run. It helps the environment, but now you need a place to charge your vehicle when it’s not in use. After you purchase an electric or hybrid vehicle, you’ll need to call an electrician to come out and install a car charging port in your garage.

Smart Outlets

Installing outlets with USB access allows homeowners to plug the USB directly into the wall and eliminates the need for charging blocks. It’s a clever upgrade because phones, tablets, and other devices all need USBs to charge. It also creates room for you to plug-in lamps and clocks.

Backup Generators

Having a backup generator installed gives your home plenty of advantages. It’s especially great if you live in an area affected by hurricanes or intense storms. Many homeowners are turning to generators because they won’t need to worry if the power goes out. The generators will turn on automatically if you lose power and stay on as long as they’re needed.

Outlets Directly Behind Televisions

Another electrical upgrade you should add to your home is moving outlets directly behind mounted televisions. Homeowners want outlets directly behind their televisions or projectors to hide all the cords and create a streamlined look. Mounted televisions and projectors have increased in popularity over the last few years. You’re not able to easily hide the cables with an entertainment system or TV stand that’s mounted.