What Your Party Guests Won't Tell You

Make Eating Easy

Any party guest will appreciate being served a full meal, but if there's nowhere to sit and eat, it can be more trouble than it's worth. If you're planning to serve a buffet meal, your party guests need enough surfaces to eat on.

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Make Eating Easy

"How can you cut meat without putting down your plate?!" asks Doug from Atlanta. "Either have plenty of seating and surfaces or commit wholeheartedly to finger foods."

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Don’t Hide the List

"I find it annoying when people hide the guest list on Evites," says Agnes* from New York City. "I want to find out if I'm going to know people there or if I should bring a friend."

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Don't Hide the List

She also wishes hosts understood that it's helpful for guests to know the size of the party, which influences whether they plan to drop by, be on time or arrange to travel with friends.

Make Room to Mingle

You don't have to have a huge house to create a welcoming atmosphere; you just have to be smart about how you set up the party.

Make Room to Mingle

"An overcrowded [food] display is a real turnoff," says Brynn from New York. She wishes hosts would create separate areas for the drink and food stations as well as remember to leave trash receptacles in clear view.

Make It Festive

"If you don’t care to make things festive, then don’t bother throwing a party," says Brynn.

Make It Festive

She wishes every host would encourage guests to dress up, throw on seasonal tunes and decorate the house.

Create Ambiance

According to Maghan, a hostess should remember that lighting is crucial for setting the mood and creating a party atmosphere. "Bad overhead lighting is such a mood-killer! If it's at night, well-placed lighting is invaluable."

Clean the Bathroom

Partygoers have serious gripes about the state of the restrooms at bashes. Marie* from New York City says, "Cleaning your bathroom is just as important as making the perfect cheese plate or punch."

Clean the Bathroom

"Nothing will tarnish my impression faster than a bathroom straight out of a gas station, with empty toilet paper rolls to boot."

Stock Up on TP

Leslie* from Chicago also stresses the importance of keeping the bathroom stocked with toilet paper: "Don't make your guests have to come out and awkwardly ask for more."

Don't Force Things

Organized party games and icebreakers are fine in theory, but unless your gang is gung-ho about playing, they just end up making people feel uncomfortable.

Don't Force Things

"Forced party games are a clear sign of desperation. If guests can't simply enjoy each other's company, you should maybe reconsider your friends," says Allie from Seattle.

Make Rules Clear

Agnes remembers one party she attended where a couple arrived with a newborn baby, and the woman proceeded to breastfeed in the middle of the room.

Make Rules Clear

"That might be fine if everyone else has babies or kids in tow, but in a room full of 23-year-olds, it was very odd," she says. To play it safe, specify "adults only" or "kids welcome" on the invitation.

Keep Pets Away

For an allergic guest, a surprise four-legged partygoer can ruin the night. Consider keeping pets in another room or having someone watch them for the night.

Don't Freak Out

Parties get messy. No matter how hard hosts may try to prevent it, people will spill their drinks or leave a ring on the coffee table.

Don't Freak Out

"I hate being told that red wine won't be served because the hostess doesn't want stains anywhere," says Brooke from Los Angeles. "If you're that uptight, don't have a party!"

Allow Shoes

Brynn dislikes having to take off her shoes before entering a party. "Nobody likes walking around in someone else’s house barefoot or in just stockings.

Allow Shoes

If the tenants downstairs will throw a fit over too much clicking and clacking, then perhaps you shouldn’t be having a party. If it’s your white rugs you’re worried about, maybe you can splurge on a few area rugs for the occasion."

Don't Ask for Cash

Chances are your guests will bring a hostess gift to your shindig — and you really shouldn't ask for anything beyond that. Isabel from San Francisco recalls a particularly uncomfortable situation in which a host asked for financial contributions the day after her party.