Entertaining Essentials

The more I entertain and party plan the more thankful I am that I've invested my money wisely in useful, multi-funtional entertaining pieces.  Recently I've found myself in the midst of planning several upcoming events and the fact that I already own a good stock of foundational pieces really makes planning much easier.  Not only is purchasing entertaining basics better for the environment, but it helps keep your budget down!  I find myself able to invest in more specialized decor elements instead of having to worry about taking care of the basics.  So in the interest of sharing I've compiled a list of my entertaining 'must-haves'. You'll notice that the majority of these aren't expensive (several can be found at Target!) and aren't hard to find items.  If you're looking for ways to spice up a blah party or are looking to build your collection I highly recommend starting here!

Silver Chargers

This set is from Target, $5.99 for 4.  I always buy in at least sets of 8 or sets of 12 when it's availalbe.  $5.99 is already a great price for this set, but I always try and pick mine up during the seasonal sales when things are marked down 50% or more!

A long tablecloth

My dining room table seats 8 and has no leaf, which means that I have to go out of my way to look for extra long tableclothes.  My mom gave me this one for Christmas and it has easily worked it's way into my favorite entertaining items.  It's neutral in color so it works in nearly every season, it is simple and stylish.  This one is currently $25 at Target.

White Serving Dishes

I own a variety of white platters, bowls, and other serving pieces.  Some of these have been purchased a chain stores like Bed, Bath, & Beyond and the late Linens-n-Things, while others have been picked up at antique stores and garage sales.  My thought is that if they are white, I don't care what design they are because they match!  The one pictured is from Bed, Bath, & Beyond and is $25.

Appetizer Caddy

One of my favorite purchases is the appetizer caddy from Pampered Chef.  This is by far the priciest item listed at $60, but I really love it.  It is great for parties because you don't need to worry about buying little party plates, you can whip this out in a second, it is dishwasher safe, and I just flat out love it (did I say that already?).  It is handy and stylish which gets 2 thumbs up from me.

These four items are the ones I would recommend purchasing to start an entertaining collection.  As I said most are very affordable and can be found in many different stores. 

Happy Entertaining!