Fall is already here with crisp afternoons and cozy evenings. Now’s the perfect time of year to host a seasonal get-together. After all, gathering your loved ones in one room to enjoy a good meal and good company is what the season is all about.
But before you host your first gathering of the season, whether it’s a sit-down dinner, a laid-back brunch, or a tailgate on game day, you’ll need to cross off a few to-dos from your fall hosting checklist. This involves double-checking that your house is clean, comfy, and stocked with all the essentials. Of course, you’ll need to tackle some logistical tasks like cleaning the porch, stocking the pantry, and setting aside your serving pieces. But this fall entertaining guide also includes simple ways to give your home that cozy lived-in feel.
Here are the little things worth checking before you throw your first fall gathering of the year. By handling these to-dos ahead of time, your fall party will feel a lot more relaxed and enjoyable.
Assess Your Outdoor Space
If the weather is nice enough to throw your first gathering of the season outside, make sure your outdoor space is clean and comfortable. While scanning your porch and patio, double-check that stray leaves and twigs are swept off the floors, dust and debris are cleared off the furniture, and pollen is scrubbed from the cushions. For a fall get-together that’s taking place in the late afternoon or evening, pull out a few cozy blankets to keep your guests warm.
Take Inventory of Your Pantry Staples
Before you start whipping up fall cocktails, crowd-pleasing appetizers, and warmly spiced desserts, take a look at your pantry. To throw an autumn get-together that’ll satisfy a hungry crowd, your kitchen should be stocked with all the basics, such flour, sugar, and olive oil. If you plan on prepping some of the dishes ahead of time, you’ll also need foil, parchment paper, and storage containers. As you scour the shelves, jot down anything you’ll need to grab at the store.
Evaluate Your Fridge Situation
Once you’ve assessed your pantry, it’s time to move onto the fridge and freezer. In addition to a variety of drinks (both alcoholic and non-alcoholic), your fall party will also need enough ice to chill them. As for your menu, your fridge should contain essentials like butter, eggs, and cheese, plus any other ingredient that your recipes call for. But before you can accumulate these culinary must-haves, you’ll have to clear out the space for them: Use up leftovers, and toss anything that’s expired. If you want to go the extra mile, give the shelves and drawers a good wipe-down, too.
Survey a Seating Plan
Before your guests walk through the front door, you’ll need enough space and seats to accommodate them. To ensure everyone has a spot to comfortably sit at during mealtime, accumulate a good amount of dining chairs, stools, and benches. If you need more seats than you own, you might have to rent a few extra folding chairs. Mapping out a loose seating plan is also an important to-do before your first fall gathering. For instance, if your dining table doesn’t fit the whole group, bring in another side table, or use your kitchen table for overflow seating.
Map Out Your Food Setup
After gathering the appropriate number of seats, your fall hosting prep should also entail planning a practical food setup. If you’re arranging a buffet, check that you have the space to hold all the dishes and enough serving utensils for each one. If you’re hosting a full sit-down dinner, choose how you’ll present each item: Will you pass out individual plates? Will you serve everything family-style? Will you set aside a dessert table? Whatever you select, thinking through your layout will help your first fall gathering flow smoothly from start to finish.
Set Out Your Fall Serving Dishes
If you have fall-inspired serving dishes that you’ve been saving for a special occasion, now’s the time to use them! Whether it’s a charcuterie board shaped like a pumpkin, a pitched decorated with fall foliage, or dinner plates adorned with autumn blooms, gather and set aside your seasonally inspired items. To avoid presenting a jumble of mismatched pieces, make sure everything coordinates first!
Scan the Main Bathroom
Getting the bathroom ready for company might not be the most glamorous to-do on this fall hosting checklist, but it’s definitely one of the most useful. Since your guests will be in and out of the powder room throughout your fall get-together, you’ll need to replenish the toilet paper, hand soap, hand towels, and any other bathroom essentials. Emptying the trash can and setting up a fall-scented diffuser will also help the space look, feel, and smell a lot more inviting.
Break Out Your Décor
While you don’t need to completely overhaul your fall décor, adding a few autumnal touches will make entertaining a lot more festive. This could look like placing potted mums and pumpkins on your front porch, setting the table with plaid napkins, arranging a bowl of apples on the kitchen counter, and lighting pumpkin-scented candles throughout the house. With a handful of autumn decorations, your party will have the season’s signature coziness seeping out of it.
Arrange the Right Lighting
Since the sun starts setting earlier in the fall, your autumn bash might get darker sooner than you’d expect. Instead of turning on those harsh overhead lights, consider illuminating the interior with fall candles and table lamps and your outdoor area with string lights and rustic lanterns. Wherever you’re congregating, the right lighting can bring a warm, cozy feel to your seasonal get-together.
Check the Weather Forecast
Fall is known for its crisp, cool weather, but it can also bring a good amount of rain and a few unpredictable cold spells. If you’re hosting your first fall celebration in the great outdoors, check the forecast a few days out and then again on the day of, so you can decide whether it’s necessary to move things inside. Even if your party is happening indoors, you’ll still need to prepare for the weather conditions, whether it’s putting out a stack of blankets or setting up a bin for umbrellas.
Once you cross off each task on this checklist, you’ll be ready to celebrate the first gathering of the season. Happy hosting!
Lilly Blomquist is the associate editor at The Pioneer Woman, where she writes lifestyle stories across a wide range of topics—including news, entertainment, holidays, food, and more.
