Between table settings, cooking, and last-minute details, it is easy to feel overwhelmed when hosting. But professional organizers say there's one simple trick that completely changes the game: A dedicated hosting tray stocked with table essentials.
It's a 'no-brainer' when it comes to staving off stress, saving precious time when your guests sit down to dine.
It's the practical hosting tip they will all be using in their own homes this season – here's how to set one up for yourself and fly through Thanksgiving and Christmas hosting with ease.
How This Hosting Tray Trick Staves Off Hosting Stress
A hosting tray (or designated drawer or shelf nearby) is a great way to ensure easy access to all of your hosting essentials so that you are not left scrambling when your guests arrive. It is a smaller and far more space-convenient version of having a hosting closet in your home.
As Laura Price, founder and creative director at The Home Organisation, explains, 'A hosting station follows the same principle we apply to all organisational systems: Grouping like items together and creating zones reduces decisions and saves time.
'During the holidays, when stress levels are already high, the last thing you want is to be searching through three different cupboards for tea lights while your guests are arriving. A hosting station or tray means everything is in one place, easily accessible, and ready when you need it.'
This clear acrylic tray makes it easy to clean, perfect for storing food-related hosting supplies, or glittery Christmas essentials, and can be easily repurposed across seasons.
This wooden serving tray is made from FSC®-certified acacia and acacia veneer from responsibly managed forests. It's a stunning classic material that will always look chic.
This metal serving tray is made of aluminum with a bronze finish so it's easy to clean and can either stand out in contrast to bright spaces, or blend into moodier rooms.
What to Keep on Your Hosting Tray
What you keep on your hosting tray will depend on your individual hosting needs, how many people you are hosting, and what type of dinner or event you are hosting.
Start with some pre-Christmas decluttering to help pare back to the essentials and cut extra items that may get in the way or increase stress levels.
Then, to help you pick the right items for your hosting tray, ask yourself which things will 'reduce mental strain,' urges Tina Priestly, home declutterist at Ready, Set, REFRESH. 'A hosting tray helps you appear as the composed, present host you desire to be, in addition to keeping you organized,' she reminds us. 'Because it is not perfection but preparation that is the true key to entertaining with ease.'
With that in mind, Laura suggests that some items you may want to keep at hand include:
- Napkins and napkin rings [such as these Harrison Napkin Rings from PotteryBarn, which are perfect for use year-round]
- Candles and matches, or a lighter. You can find rechargeable electric lighters at Walmart
- Serving utensils that you don't use daily
- Chargers or special occasion placemats
- Cocktail napkins and coasters
- A corkscrew and bottle opener
- Small vases for table flowers [from Anthropologie]
- Your good tablecloth [A neutral color, such as this 100% linen oversized tablecloth from PotteryBarn, is perfect for any dinner occasion]
Once you have decided on your items, house your hosting tray close to where you will use it, Laura continues.
'An unused drawer in your dining room sideboard is ideal, but a large basket on a shelf or a dedicated section of a cabinet works just as well. If you're using a drawer, add dividers [available in several sizes at The Container Store] to keep smaller items like napkin rings separate from larger items.'
'The most important step is maintenance,' she adds. 'After each event, make sure everything gets washed, dried, and returned to the hosting station. This ensures yours is always ready to go and prevents the gradual migration of items around your home.'
What to Shop
These large, engineered wood trays are easy to wipe clean and have high edges to keep all of your hosting essentials secure.
Made of a rattan weave, this tray has a natural coloring that brings a cottage-styled touch to any space. It has an iron frame for added sturdiness.
For a more permanent hosting tray setup, consider adding pull-out shelves to a dining room cabinet to quickly access table essentials without having to dig around.
When setting up a hosting drawer, use deep dividers to keep individual items neat and easy to find.
When using a hosting shelf, dividers can prevent stacked items from toppling over, or divide items into categories for easier maintenance.
These woven baskets have chalk-board labels so you can use them to stash hosting essentials, and then repurpose them for organizing elsewhere in your home after the holidays.
Meet the Experts
With your dining room set up, focus your efforts on the chef-prep secrets for holiday meals to ensure your food comes out perfect on the day.
