5 Ways To Protect Your Home From Post-Party Damage

One of the greatest things about being a homeowner is having a place where your friends and family can come together and celebrate birthdays, holidays and life in general! However, along with party guests comes the chance of an accident or spill– leaving a permanent mark on your beautiful home. If you’re nervous about throwing a party in your home (and the damage that follows), consider these 5 tips to help keep your home looking absolutely flawless.

Put absorbent door mats both inside and outside the entrance.

Depending on where you live, the weather can really dictate the amount of dirt people track into your home. If it’s raining or snowing outside, your guests will likely track in dirt and ruin your beautiful rugs or carpets. If you feel bad asking your guests to take off their shoes upon entering your house (and seriously compromising their amazing outfits), consider some absorbent floor mats. Be sure to put the doormats both inside and outside the front door so that they can pick up as much dirt as possible.

Sprinkle coasters throughout every room.

Nothing is worse than waking up the morning after your party to find that all of your wooden surfaces are covered in ugly water marks. Unless you want to chase everyone down with a stack of coasters in hand all night, make sure they’re readily available to your guests. Put a stack of coasters on every wooden surface you have in your home—you can usually find pretty inexpensive ones at discount home goods stores.

If you’re serving food, make sure there are plenty of plates.

Food spills can do some serious damage to your furniture and floors—not to mention your guests’ clothing. If you’re planning on having food present at your party, make sure to have an abundance of plates ready. If your guests have to resort to putting food on napkins, chances are you’re going to see some bad spills. Be prepared and buy more plates than you have guests, that way you don’t have to worry about running out the night of.

Make use of stain-repellant.

Sometimes no matter how careful you are, spills happen. For that reason, it’s always a good idea to spray your couches and chairs with a stain-repellent before guests start showing up for the party. The stain-repellent prevents deep stains from setting in by making liquids bead up instead of getting absorbed into the fabric. If you’re freaking out about liquid spills, consider serving only light colored drinks like white wine, champagne and clear soda.

Define “off-limits” areas.

It’s important to keep a few rooms in your home as designated “off-limits” zones. Rooms that are off-limits to guests are great for storing any fragile and/or valuable items you may have. These rooms are also a good place to have your guests put their purses and coats so that they’re safe. If you really want to make sure people stay out of off-limits areas, take the time to hang a small sign that kindly states to please keep out. If you have anything of real value like money, jewelry or keepsakes, it’s probably best to put them in a small safe or good hiding spot for the duration of the party—especially if you don’t personally know all of your guests.

While keeping your home clean is important, remember to have fun at your party and not to sweat the small stuff. One of the best parts about owning a home is being able to have a place to invite your closest friends and loved ones and create unforgettable memories together. Party on!

Have you ever regretted holding a party in your home? Tell us about it in the comment section below.