So you've decided to host at your house? Good for you! Having company especially when balancing the demands of your regular schedule can easily overwhelm.  If you want to make the most of being a host follow these simple steps that are sure to make your guests feel special and to create fun memories.

1. Simplicity is King - Thanks to things like Pinterest it is easy to see what all of the other creative souls of the world are doing and how everything they do looks AMAZE-BALLS.  But the reality of it is that you (hopefully) like and value the company you are preparing for. . . . otherwise you wouldn't have invited them over.  That being said make it easy on yourself.  They will long remember the way they felt when in your home not the fantastic centerpiece or the perfectly matchy matchy over the top theme.

As for the food, keep that simple too.  Do try to take into consideration any dietary constraints of your guests.  Feel confident about whatever it is you are making.  Simple dinners often resonate well with guests. Soup, salad and bread, roasted chicken, a  rice dish, roasted vegetables, a pasta dish, hearty salad, honestly anything goes as long as you are feelin it.

2. Clean Strategically - Okay this one is mainly for the people in the world like me.  I love and I mean LOVE my house being clean.  But sometimes life piles up on me.  I used to have a cleaning service. . . oh I miss you cleaning service.  But in an effort to slim down the budget that got kicked to the curb. So if you are feeling pressed for time here is my simple piece of advice.  Focus on the areas that all people are going to come into contact with.  Since everyone comes through the front door, make sure you give a quick sweep to ensure there are not any cob webs or lingering debris from the last windstorm. 

Give the bathroom that guests use  a once over and start at the top and move down.  Mirror, faucet and fixtures, sink, toilet, empty the waste basket, and wipe down any surfaces.   As a small side note, my favorite all around bathroom cleaner is the Method brand bathroom cleaner with mint and eucalyptus . . . seriously do yourself a favor here.  Put out a new hand towel and bam in 7 minutes you are done.  If you are a smelly candle type of person you know what to do next. . . light em up.

Clean your kitchen counter areas and food prep spaces. Clear any kitchen clutter.  It will help you prep your food and leave additional room for guests to migrate around your kitchen.  Trust me I don't care if you have a small or large kitchen area people are going to gravitate there.  The kitchen is the heart of the home.  Your guests want to be close to you, they want to be close to the food and drinks so they cozy up in the kitchen. Might as well do a quick sweep and ensure all is ready.

3. Use real plates and glassware - Save the paper plates for camping or eating a slice of pizza from Costco.  When you eat off of a real plate you are establishing that you care enough to share.  After all the very same silverware you used for yesterday's cereal could be stirring your mother in laws after dinner coffee.  Talk about a trust exercise (for both of you).  Remember that when you toast your glass it sounds better and feels better when there is the "ching" sound made by your glass lightly kiss-clinking other glasses  versus the "thud" sound  that happens when raising your red keg cup for a celebratory toast.  With that being said one of the favorite mealtime traditions I have learned from my dear mother in law is the toast before any meal.  It serves as a time to share and welcome your guests to the table.

4. Set the table - Nothing says I have been expecting you like setting the table.  Even if you are serving buffet style seriously people . . . dig out that tablecloth and put it on. I have a hand me down table with leaves that don't match the rest of the table but you know what? When we put a tablecloth on it, it is quite lovely.  What you do next is entirely up to you. 

The center of the table can be plain or decked out.  Its up to you and your time and budget constraints.  I generally like to re-use things I have and repurpose them for the table decoration. There are literally mountains of resources for this sort of thing.  If you want the easy answer you can't go wrong with flowers.  If it is a cozy evening dinner party the other can NOT go wrong tactic is to light candles.  Good Lord everyone looks better in candlelight.  Here I try not to use scented candles as this can make a weird combo smell from lasagna and "Island Vanilla" intermingling blech.

5. Know how to make an entrance - The food is well on its way to being ready, the table is set, the candles lit, the background music going and now your guests arrive.  Be ready to welcome them!  You invited them, they came to see you and today you are going to share your home and your food.  Yay!  They are here.  Uhhhh now what? 

First, stop whatever you are doing (unless you are totally engrossed in a food task where dropping everything is going to end up all over the floor, burn you, etc.) as soon as you can welcome people into your home.  Take coats, purses etc.  Then invite them to your kitchen and offer them something to  drink.  I generally have wine or a signature cocktail, a fun juice or lemonade and ice water ready for serving at a beverage "station" and I use this term loosely as a place where guests can serve themselves.  I tend to also have some snacks out.  Hummus, nuts and crackers were on today's counter.  I love me some appetizers but will adjust accordingly depending on the dinner selection.  Heavier apps for a lighter dinner.. . lighter snacks for a more robust dinner.

As guests enter and begin to mingle I generally finalize the food preparation.  Here I sometimes will save tasks for my guests to help me with.   Need to chop nuts to sprinkle on your salad? Sure guest, you can help.  Jelly need to be in a dish? Sure guest, you can help. Arranging rolls in a basket. . . Hey guest, help a host out would ya?

6. One special thing - Each dinner we have I try to do something special.  Just one thing.  Sometimes it has been more but there is always one thing.  Maybe I unearthed a family heirloom I want to use for hosting.  Maybe it is the centerpiece the kids made of LEGOS, perhaps it is  a question that everyone answers before eating dinner, today's activity was my son creating an egg hunt for all of the adults.  You never know.  Something that brings people together and creates conversation is the goal.

In the end, remember to focus on what matters.  The relationships you are building around that table are what matter.  If you do this frequently hosting will become second nature.  If you do this regularly you will find yourself being enriched by friends and family and  you will be sharing more than food by feeding your body and soul simultaneously.  You will be sharing love and life and what it means to just be.  It matters.