10 Things You’ll Only Forget Once When Hosting Company

Hosting is one of those things you learn mostly by doing it wrong at least once. Everyone has a story: the time there was no toilet paper, the time the turkey wasn’t thawed, the time there were no clean towels. The good news is you usually only make those mistakes once.

If you’re hosting this holiday season, here are the things that turn into “never again” lessons fast.

1. Forgetting to Check Toilet Paper and Hand Soap

Nothing is more awkward for a guest than being stranded in a bathroom with no toilet paper or a sink with no soap. You’ll hear about it after the fact—or spend the night cringing—if it happens.

Make it your pre-company ritual: walk into the bathroom like a guest. Is there TP in reach? Is there soap? A clean towel? Fix it now, and you’ll never have that panicked mid-party whisper through the door again.

2. Not Having Enough Ice

You think you’re fine until every glass of water, tea, and soda empties the ice bin in fifteen minutes. Warm drinks don’t exactly scream “good host.”

If you know you’re having a crowd, buy a bag or two of ice ahead of time and stash them in a cooler or the garage freezer. It’s a small, cheap fix that saves you from apologizing for room-temperature everything.

3. Starting the Main Dish Too Late

Almost every host has had that one year where the turkey or roast was still raw in the middle when guests arrived. Hungry people and delayed food make for a tense house.

This is the mistake that usually gets corrected forever. Read cook times ahead of time, add buffer, and start earlier than feels necessary. You can always keep food warm. You can’t rush a half-cooked bird.

4. Forgetting a Place for Coats and Bags

If you’ve ever hosted and realized everyone’s coats are draped over random chairs and purses are piled in the kitchen, you already learned this lesson. It clutters everything and makes it hard to sit down.

Next time, decide where coats and bags go before anyone shows up—a bed, a closet, a row of hooks. Tell guests when they walk in. It instantly makes the house feel more organized.

5. Not Checking for Pet Surprises in the Yard

The first time a guest steps in something unpleasant on the way in—or you see a kid trip and land in it—you will never forget to walk the yard before company again.

Right before people come over, do a quick sweep where guests will walk or kids will play. Pick up pet messes, gather toys, and check for hazards. It’s five minutes that saves a lot of embarrassment later.

6. Forgetting Trash Bags and Paper Products

If you’ve ever run out of trash bags, napkins, or paper towels mid-party, you probably made a mental note to never let that happen again. Those are the boring supplies that matter more than the cute centerpiece.

Check your stash the day before. Have extra trash bags ready, a roll of paper towels in plain sight, and napkins or plates set aside. Running out makes everything feel harder than it has to.

7. Not Thinking About Where Kids Will Eat

Kids perched on upholstered furniture with red punch and spaghetti is a lesson you only need once. After that, you suddenly believe in designated kid tables.

Set up a simple spot for kids to eat—card table, breakfast nook, even a picnic blanket on the floor. Wipeable surfaces and kid-safe cups make the whole day calmer and cleaner.

8. Forgetting to Chill Drinks

Putting drinks in the fridge right before guests show up means you’re serving everything lukewarm for the first couple of hours. Once you’ve done that, you start thinking ahead.

The night before, load the fridge with what you plan to serve. If space is tight, use coolers with ice. Cold drinks cover a multitude of other imperfections.

9. Ignoring Your Own Need to Eat Before Guests Arrive

Hosting on an empty stomach is a rookie move. You end up shaky, snappy, and tasting as you go just to survive. After you do it once, you start treating yourself like a person again.

Eat a real snack or light meal before people arrive. You’ll think clearer, handle stress better, and enjoy the visit instead of crashing halfway through.

10. Not Having a Plan for Leftovers

If you’ve ever stood in the kitchen with a mountain of food and no containers, no foil, and no idea what to do with it, you learn quickly.

Before the big meal, pull out storage containers, foil, and zip-top bags. Decide what you’ll keep and what you’ll send home with others. Having a plan makes cleanup faster and saves food from going to waste.