Contributed by Info Guru Heather Vecchioni

Entertaining is meant to be fun, however, the stress often gives party-throwers much anxiety.

Perhaps the biggest obstacle of throwing a soiree together is task management and getting everything done before the party starts. When you know how to save time when entertaining, you can throw one heck of a bash and still enjoy yourself while doing it.

10. Buy the Food Prepared

Cooking all of the food is one of the biggest responsibilities of having an event. Instead of wasting all of your valuable time creating those dishes, take help where you can get it and buy them instead. Delicious, fresh and absolutely fantastic fare – from entrees to delectable baked goods – can be ordered, delivered and served at your bash. Best of all, no one has know; it can be your little secret.

9. Hire a Cleaner

One of the biggest tasks of throwing a party is all the cleaning that takes place beforehand. Instead of spending hours, or even days, getting your home up to snuff, hire someone to do the work for you. A variety of different cleaning companies are at your beckon call and can knock this chore off of your “to-do list,” allowing you to spend your efforts on other duties.

8. Easy Decorations

Decorating your space can take hours. Making sure this accent piece is here, and that one is there, can leave you frazzled and in a hurry. Instead, use easy decorations. For instance, a beautiful floral arrangement – delivered! – can create ambiance and set a mood better than just about any other type of decoration. Make your life easy and treat yourself with a real hostess gift!

7. Ask for Help

Although you want to throw an amazing party that will be talked about for years, you don’t have to kill yourself doing it. Ask your spouse, best friend, just about anyone, to help you get ready. Having four hands – or even more – instead of two, means the work gets done twice as fast. Don’t worry; just because you have someone giving assistance doesn’t mean you won’t get the credit for your fabulous shindig.

6. Prep the Night Before

No matter how you slice it, setting up for a party takes some work. Getting down to those last few moments before your guests arrive can be incredibly nerve-racking and cause you spend more time completing the tasks because you are just plain frazzled. Skip the stress by prepping the night before. Decorate, set out the plates, arrange the seating and do anything else you can the night before the event. Doing so allows you to finish all of the last minute details the day of the party.

5. Make Easy Drinks

Don’t wear yourself out you trying to come up with, then create, an assortment of different cocktails. Focus on one ingredient, then offer different variations. For instance, ginger ale tastes great as is, or when spruced up with a bit of liquor. In fact, a variety of different spirited drinks are assembled with the fizzy soda. Allow guests to create what they want, and move on.

4. Serve Coffee and Ice Cream Together

Delicious dessert and coffee are the finishing touches of a dinner. However, serving both takes a lot. An easy solution is to combine the two. Affogato is a classic Italian dessert that features piping hot coffee or espresso poured over a scoop or two of creamy, cold ice cream. Not only is this a delicious and elegant treat, it prevents you from having to make the two and serve them separately, which can take up valuable moments.

If you want to impress you guests even more with this simple dessert, you can take advantage of some of the online companies that let you create your own ice cream flavors, then package them in custom imprinted containers. You could have them labeled with your name, the occasion, or even for the guests of honor.

3. Dish Up Your Food Buffet Style

Creating individual plates for your guests, then serving them can take all night. Get the food dished out fast, and allow your guests to mingle, by serving your fare buffet-style. Lay out all of your decorative dishes on a table, and let your guests pile on the food themselves. This not only takes some of the work off of you, but also saves you precious minutes that could be spent having fun with your guests.

2. Self-Service Service

Since your guests are already helping themselves to your incredible cuisine, it only makes sense to allow them to grab their own utensils. Place your flatware in a stylish basket or similar vessel, and let them help themselves.

1. Use What You Have

You don’t have to spend a bunch of cash to have a successful, and stylish, soiree. Make life easier on yourself by using what you already have at home. For instance, your serving dishes do not have to all be the same. In fact, doing so makes your décor look like it came from a cafeteria. Instead, mix and match everything to create a unique flair. Additionally, use blankets and quilts for your tablecloths. They’ll add a blast of color and texture to the look. Save yourself a trip to the store by looking around the house and getting creative.

Knowing how to save time when entertaining means you’ll have more fun when guests are over. You’ll likely realize that throwing a party is enjoyable, and will want to do it more often.