Recovering from Party Hangover and leftovers

You might have heard this pretty often about arranging party or food. The actual arrangements, cooking, running around is never as stressful as the cleaning and re-arranging things back to normal.
This can be handled easily if we do some reverse planning. (Ahh so much for the word PLAN)
Make a list (the list again!) but this time mentally, about the things that drive you nuts post throwing a party or a get together.
Mine looks like this –
1) Clutter and mess around the place
2) Spilled water , cold drinks
3) Sink full of utensils and used dishes
4) Bloated tummy (if you were lucky to find time to feed yourself or even otherwise)
5) Refrigerator full of leftovers not enough for one meal or too much for next few meals when we are least interested in eating the same dishes over again. Actually it does not look like a lot of work now that we have listed it. Imagine planning ahead for it, you will have nothing to worry about even while you party.

Tips to lift your mood post party
1) Keep smaller fancy looking trash cans or buckets at various places around in the house. You will see that even the regular defaulters (Husbands mostly) are also taking efforts to throw litter where it belongs.
2) Keep sponge or dry cloth handy or a mop handy to wipe off any spilled liquid. Using paper napkins also helps for smaller spills. Do not cover it up with carpets or throw other mats to save face temporarily. Gracefully ask everyone around to move aside while you clean it with a sponge or napkin. Others would rather prefer clean surroundings than a better poised host.
3) If possible, use recyclable dishes or glasses. Do not use them for formal parties though. Use non-breakable dishes for children unless they are very few and are under their parent’s supervision. Always, set aside a large washing basket to hold the used plate. Rather than pushing them under the sink. It would be easier to sort them later on.
4) Opt for a simple menu for next day and if possible get someone to cook for you.
5) There are many services which are happy to carry your leftover food. They also come and pick up the food from the doorstep. Keep these numbers handy. If you have family and close friends attending, offer them to carry food back along with them. Keep the take away packs handy for such events. You can also put to use the takeaway boxes that you have been stocking now. And empty refrigerator offloads majority of the stress factor.
6) Re-arranging the rooms back to normal can be distributed over the course of few days. 
Enjoy the settings for a few days and feel happy for the spaces created.
7) Bask in the glory of hosting a good event by calling up friends and asking how did they enjoy their time. It is an instant mood lifter

At the end, start planning for your next event and how could you notch up further. 

Comments

Hema said…
You thought about this too..great job Pradanya.
Harini said…
I like the idea of having decorative trash cans spread out conveniently around the house!

I always use disposable plates, glasses, bowls for most of the parties minimizing clean up.

Some of my friends help with the clean up at the end of the party making it a little less stressful.
Anonymous said…
Loved the colourful bins and handy napkins idea. I've noticed kids too offer to clear whatever they spill, whether on floor or themselves if the paper napkins too are printed. Great posts this whole week on part planning Pradnya!
Rasi said…
Its been a very good write up.. attention to details, which we generally overlook..nice :)..had fun & thanks for dropping by & commenting religiously.. do keep dropping by :)
Sangeetha M said…
lovely writeup n very informative too...glad going BM with you n your theme selection is awesome n u have done a great job...love it!!
Spicy Treats
OnGoing Event:Show Me Your HITS~Healthy Delights
Gayathri Kumar said…
Loved the week long posts, Pradnya...
Suma Gandlur said…
Services that carry leftover food, now that's news for me.:)
What Harini said holds good for most of the Indians here in US and people are used to throwing trash in the trash cans.
Srivalli said…
Pradnya, thank you for taking up this and writing so well. I am sure these posts will be of so much use to many. Will be back to read again when I need this information..:)
Unknown said…
Lovely post..interesting and informative...:)

Dr.Sameena@

http://myeasytocookrecipes.blogspot.com/
Unknown said…
Thats very thoughtful...thanks
Padmajha said…
I have bookmarked this whole weeks post Pradnya.So nice of you to write so patiently and clearly explaining each and every thing. Great job!

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