When I was twenty-four years old, I moved into my first apartment alone. It is a Studio 400 square feetand the kitchen flows into the living room, and the living room flows into the bedroom. It couldn’t be held in the “regular” sense — friends sprawled out on their way home, chatting from the large kitchen island to the dining room to the living room for after-dinner drinks. And yet, it’s impossible not to host.
And so my landlord do.
I entertained my friends around the coffee table that also served as a dining table, with countless bottles of wine and conversations that lasted well into the night. It doesn’t matter if there aren’t enough chairs or an empty bed or that I never have enough dishes for each dish to fit together. We did and we huddled together, alternating parking spots on couches, stools, and pillows on the floor.
I’ve hopped around a few different apartments in the years since, and have even doubled the size of my apartment to a whopping 800 square feet. I still don’t have space for a dining table and I’m still organizing. Today I share some of the lessons I’ve learned from the many gatherings I’ve welcomed in the small space I call home.
Here are seven tips for entertaining a small space with ingenuity.
7 tips for entertaining in small spaces
1. Think drinks.
One of the fun things about being human are the uncomfortable movements we make with our hands when we have nowhere to put them. Do you know what I am talking about? Put me in the middle of the room, with no wallet to hold, ledge to lean on, or drink to hold, and I’ll be lost inside trying to appear calm on the outside.
All of that to say, when you’re having fun, the drink in your hand should be the first thing that comes to mind. Said drink may have a variety of alcohols, variety is not alcoholicor a variety of water (please always provide water!!), but the number one rule of entertainment is that they should be accessible.
In the end, entertainment is all in the details. And when you’re storing in a small space, it’s the little things that make all the difference.
In the end, entertainment is all in the details. And when you’re storing in a small space, it’s the little things that make all the difference. Even if you don’t have endless space to display your drinks, you can still make use of the space you have. Stack beverage options on a shelf in the fridge, keep a full pitcher on your counter, and maybe even create a mini cocktail bar complete with glasses and any other ingredients your guests need.
2. Unleash your creativity with seating.
Don’t let the lack of standard seating options keep you from getting a seat. As long as your guests have a designated place to park, you’re in business. This could be a couch, this could be a stool pulled from your kitchen, this could be a chair from your office, this could even be a pillow on the floor. . A set of puzzle pieces also acts as a matching set.
3. Turn your nearest flat surface into an improvised dining table.
Oh the meals my coffee table has seen in its seven years of life. When you don’t have a dining table to put your food on, so will any surface. Consider your coffee table as a suitable replacement, either your kitchen island (if you have one), or a combination of the aforementioned coffee table and the aforementioned kitchen island and some side tables in the vicinity. . Nothing needs to be too precious here. You can, as it turns out, always make it work.
4. The serving tray is your friend.
While a full meal is absolutely an option (buffet style tends to be the best bet!), grazing is especially welcome when entertaining in a small space is desired. Pull out some of your best serving tray or table, place them with any snacks you want, and lay them out on the most convenient surface for mashing. A generously sized charcuterie table can count as a meal by itself, right?
5. Use outdoors (if you have access!).
Okay, here’s where my most recent home is. I am now the proud owner of a small bistro dining table, complete with two chairs, all on a small balcony. While it won’t be the central seating option of any soirée for more than two, it To be a great addition to have during the months between late winter (spring) and early winter (fall) here in Minnesota.
If you have an outdoor space for your name, I encourage you to make the most of it! Get yourself a table and some chairs, or even spread a blanket or two on the nearest lawn and call it a picnic. Fresh air and eating is a match made in heaven.
6. Lead the way.
When the obvious markers of an organized meal don’t appear (for example, a dining table – possibly complete with a place tag and multiple glasses for different drinks), guests will come to you for more instructions. Such guides need not be official! You can even consider them gentle nudges, if that’s your style.
When space allows, place all gathering supplies outdoors, so no one has to guess where the glasses, plates, or napkins are. Encourage guests to take their own drinks from the fridge and let them know when it’s time to eat. Pull out the card game of your choice if the conversation falters after the meal, and offer your cocktail service if it looks like someone has lingered with an empty glass for too long.
If you ignore everything else, remember this: Don’t let a lack of space (or dining table!) stop you from entertaining in the first place.
7. Enjoy your home (both you and with others).
If you ignore everything else, remember this: Don’t let a lack of space (or dining table!) stop you from entertaining in the first place. Plan ahead a little, enjoy the process and create some memories in that dear home of yours.
Jackie is the Editorial Director at Wit & Delight. In her spare time, you can catch her running along a riverside path, loitering in the neighborhood of the nearest puppy at a local brewery, or recharging your soul in a small sanctuary. baby of an apartment. You can follow her on Instagram @jackiesaffert.
