This is a post that I have been planning for some time although in the current environment, you may have to keep some of the tips up your sleeve for a little longer.

Regardless, dinner parties are a huge part of my family's life. In the peak of summer, we usually have two or three a month at the very least. They're fun, late and often receive rave reviews from the guests.

Over the years I've put together something of a four-step process to help me plan these parties and today will look at each of these areas:

●        My own rules for curb appeal

●        I have my team of helpers

●        (Almost) everything is prepared

●        Some areas of the home are off-limits

Let's start with "my curb appeal". Sure, there is all sorts out there on the true meaning of curb appeal, but for me it's about first impressions when someone knocks on the door. It needs to be clean, fresh, tidy and ultimately, inviting. It could almost be called “hall appeal”.

The first three elements just require a bit of elbow grease, but for the inviting-element I turn to Avas Flowers. They have been serving my neighborhood for some time now and every time I venture around I seem to see a new house with some of their products in the window! I've found that having flowers around is something that can inject an immediate bit of life into the party, and as there are a lot of Avas Flowers coupons doing the rounds at the moment it's quite easy to do on a budget.

The next point is about my own team of helpers. Sometimes this is my other half, while on other occasions it might be one of the children or a friend. The point is this is my house party as well. Particularly as the layout of my home is the polar opposite of open plan, I need my “team” to deliver food, drinks and anything else we serve. This is really important when people enter as, from past experience, they can be left waiting in a very thirsty state!

On the subject of food prep, it should go without saying that most of this is done a long time in advance (this has been my go-to resource for anyone who is interested). Sometimes, it might be on the same day, but I try and simply heat up most of the food at the time. Again, it’s to help me enjoy the guests as well, and not be locked in the kitchen.

Finally, not all areas of our home are accessible. There are occasions where we might be welcoming nigh-on twenty guests, so cooking for such large numbers and keeping the house in tip-top shape is something that we just can’t keep on top of! As such, the upstairs is off limits, while we close one room downstairs as well. It at least allows the house to be a bit more manageable ahead of our influx of visitors!