Lessons from Hosting in a Small Apartment
Just throw the party already!
Happy weekend! I hung out on my stoop today because I’ve lived here for a year and no one in my building ever goes out to the stoop, so I’m claiming it as my spot now. The only people who hang out on the stoop on my street are my 80-year-old neighbor and her group of friends. I chatted with her the other week about what she likes to do and she said her favorite plans are going to church and getting pizza afterward with the girls at Sam’s on Court Street. She used to work on Wall Street, and one of these days I’ll need to get the full story from her and share it with you.
Two weeks ago, I hosted a little birthday gathering at my apartment, which got me thinking about hosting. It was my first time hosting more than 6 people at my current apartment because it’s on the small side. Since I’ve lived in New York, I’ve experienced a range of places: a big 4-bedroom Williamsburg apartment with outdoor space, a patio deck in Park Slope, and even a brief stint in the Hudson Valley with a massive backyard and sunroom. But my current place has no outdoor space, so I almost didn’t even host — I felt like it would be too crammed, and even with my smallish guest list of 12 people, I was nervous about it feeling too tight.
But then I remembered: the beauty of hosting is that you can make any type of space work. And here in New York City, I’ve been to gatherings of all kinds, in places of all kinds, from tiny apartments with just the perfect amount of space to huge apartments with sprawling backyards. I had fun at all of them, and it didn’t matter how big or small they were. What matters is the experience you create for your guests! I made a cute invitation on Paperless Post (my first time using it), and they had so many chic options.
And here’s what I did to prep my small space for my party. I’ve also found that hosting in a small space can really exercise your creative space-solving skills, and you’ll be surprised by what comes out of it.
Don’t be afraid to move furniture around — or break it down
I have the Mags One-Arm Sectional and it can be broken up into two pieces. The couch is what takes up most space in my living room, so we broke it down and put the bulky half in the bedroom. It made the living room feel so much bigger than it is, and while it was annoying to break down, the whole thing took no more than 10 minutes and ended up transforming the space.
Use this as an opportunity to get rid of bulky furniture
I had been meaning to get rid of some wonky bookshelves, and this was the time to get rid of them once and for all. This meant that some of my books were no longer going to have a designated spot, but at least the leaning bookshelf was going to be gone (and we were going to gain a few inches of space in the living room). It made a massive difference.
Make a fun spread, and maybe move your dining table somewhere else
There’s no right or wrong way to set up your space. It’ll come down to what you want your guests to see when they first step in, or what functionally makes sense with your kitchen placement, or how many guests you’re having. I ended up moving my dining table closer to the living room, and I loved it so much that it’s now the new permanent spot for my dining table, for now at least. I went to Sahadi’s and put together a yummy little spread.
Create different sections
I had a snack corner, a plate/utensil section, and a beverage ordering station where guests could order their drink of choice from a little menu that we made. It helped make drink-making feel more special and stay more organized, too. And at the end of the night, cleaning up was easy.
Have different seating options scattered throughout your space
While I would have loved to have everyone in a sit-down dinner, that wasn’t an option, so I made sure to have different stools and benches around the apartment. I loved this because during the party, I took a moment to notice where people were gathering. Some were gathered around the snack table, some were having one-on-one conversations on a bench, some were comfy on the couch. It gave people the flexibility to go wherever they wanted to. At one point, we even sat on the floor. (And some of my favorite moments at people’s apartments have honestly just been where we’re having an incredible conversation on the floor near the coffee table.)
Happy hosting! Just throw the party! Have a theme! Make it cozy! Have delicious food! Your party will be fun! And people will love it because they love you! Don’t let a lack of space hold you back.
For Your Leisure
If you’ve been to Ingas Bar, this is the candle that’s always burning in their bathroom.
My blue polka dot skirt from Alex Mill is going to be worn a lot this summer, and so are these blue cotton shorts.
I was just gifted this stunning black linen dress from TOAST. I need to get it tailored, and then it will be perfect, so if anyone has a tailor they recommend, please let me know.
I got hot dogs from my favorite butcher shop, Meat Hook so tomorrow’s meal is going to be amazing.
- was exactly what I needed. Her brooch styling is aspirational.
I asked the Small Pleasures chat about print media subscriptions, and now I have 10+ magazine subscriptions on my wishlist.
Speaking of hosting, I got this Betty Crocker book months ago, and I just love seeing what hosting etiquette was like in 1959.
Love it!
I love this, I've recently relished in the larger hosting I have at my new place now, looking back, I wish I didn't have to miss so many months of community and doing what I like the most- feeding my loved ones and creating occasions for me and my friends to dress up. Needless to as,y I'm moved to plan the next dinner and truly enjoy every second of it.