Keep it Simple with Guest Mandy Ballard
Hi gang! Don’t forget to post on yesterday’s piece if you have a decoration idea to share. So many fabulous ones have already come in!
Today, we have a wonderful guest showing us some ways to keep it simple. Welcome my new friend Mandy Ballard:
Mandy is a follower of Jesus, the wife of one very wonderful man, and
the homeschooling mama of four little ones eight years old and under.
In her “spare” time she loves to shop at thrift stores, teach
kickboxing and weight lifting classes, bake sweets, have friends over
for dinner, and work on all sorts of DIY projects around her 116-year-
old home.
You can find Mandy writing each week about faith, family,
fitness, food, fashion, and more at her blog, Biblical Homemaking.
Imagine inviting your friends over for dinner 30 minutes from now, or
even 2 hours from now.
Would you be breaking into a cold sweat? (I know there are times I
have!)
Hospitality should be natural and easy, right? These days, our must-
have-it-all-together culture has made entertaining much more difficult
than it should be.
What if I told you having people over could actually be simple?
I am, and it really can.
Being prepared for hospitality will make those spur-of-the-moment
invitations possible. Here are three ways to simplify your
hospitality:
1. Try to keep a clutter-free home.
Easier said than done right? I know! I have four small children under
8 years old. Hospitality seemed far from easy or simple when we
started inviting people over for dinner as a family with several
little ones.
Here’s what I’ve learned: having less “stuff” to clean in your main
entertaining rooms will make it easy to do a quick pickup before you
leave home, and keeping the living area and the kitchen semi-
presentable most of the time can make it easy to have others over on
short notice (and don’t even worry about the bedrooms and
closets!).
And don’t be afraid to cheat on your housework a little here or there:
wiping down the counters in the kitchen and a quick run of the vacuum
will make your house seem neat, even when it isn’t! And don’t worry
about the dishes in the sink- we’ve all seen them before, right? It
really doesn’t matter in the big scheme of things, and worrying just
makes hospitality less fun.
2. Serve simple meals.
Our favorite last-minute meal to share with others is homemade subs:
French bread, lunch meat, shredded lettuce, cheese, and a side can be
picked up in quick stop at the store. Sandwiches are so simple, and so
filling. Maybe you like to serve spaghetti, or something else-
find your favorite easy dish to make and use it as your go-to for
simple hosting.
Serving a simple dinner can actually put your guests at ease,
too. A few years ago, I invited our new neighbors over and I
decided to bring a home a take-and-bake pizza for dinner that night
instead of cooking.
After dinner, my sweet neighbor told me she felt so relieved we had
pizza because she wasn’t a cook and she’d been worried that I was
going to make a fancy dinner! The Lord knew exactly what I needed to
serve that night.
3. Relax and enjoy your time with others.
You’ve kept cleaning and serving simple, and now it’s time to relax.
Light a candle and put on some sweet worship
music. You might find you’re starting to enjoy yourself a little more!
Make your guests comfortable by welcoming them in, and if you’re still
working in the kitchen, invite the ladies to come and chat while you
work. Not being ready is okay, really!
No one expects or even wants perfection. If your friend invited
you to her pristine home and made the most delicious dinner ever, how
would you feel? :)
When your guests arrive, try to turn off the to-do list and just enjoy
being in their company! Listen to their stories, ask them questions,
and don’t worry about how everything looks and tastes. It’s not about
you, anyway, right?
Be a light to your friends by loving and focusing on them in
your time together.
Keep it simple, allow yourself to be imperfect (we all are!), and have
fun, and chances are, you will be the perfect hostess.
Thanks Mandy!
Now, to be entered in today’s giveaway, a $15 Bath & Body Works gift card for you to buy a candle for your home, leave a comment with what you have most enjoyed about the study or the book so far.
Have you snagged a new recipe, a decorating idea, a fresh perspective on some aspect of hospitality?
Do tell…
I have enjoyed it that everyone has kept it pretty simple. I have a friend who has a sign in her kitchen that says Martha does not live here. With all the decorating books and magazines we have today it makes us think we have to be so fancy. I feel that away about wedding receptions to. I have talked to my own kids and told them when the time comes to keep the reception simple. We only had cake and punch at our wedding. When did it all get so out of hand.
I agree with so many others to keep things simple so we can focus on our guests rather than how things look/preparations to do that just stress us out. Thanks for all the great ideas.
I love how people are reminding us not to worry about perfection, we don’t have people over often because the house doesn’t look perfect and I don’t want it to reflect badly about us. People don’t care they remember the experience.
It has taken me a long time to realize it, but you hit it on the nail about it is okay to be finishing up when company arrives. I like how this study is relating this and that we do not have to be perfect, just loving and sharing.
I definitely have trouble keeping things simple! We NEVER entertained growing up and I always want to make my guests feel special. In my mind, that means everything being perfect! I’m working on giving myself grace to just be and enjoy the time with guests…I’m sure that means more to them in the end, anyway!
Thanks for the tips. I struggle with keeping things simple even though that is what I start out to do; then things snowball.
I loved the post from Courtney about how we use our hands is what makes them beautiful. And all the great ideas like putting verses around your home! I haven’t been able to get a copy of the book yet but am planning on it and have still enjoyed all the posts!
I love it all so far…..but just knowing that everyone else is in the same boat makes you feel better. I also love the part of keeping it simple. Sometimes we really complicate things for ourselves.
The entire study has been a blessing to me. We’ve had four different families over since the study started and I have grown so much with each new day and deck. Thank you!!
All are great reminders, but I loved the challenged to incorporate scripture throughout our home!
I am loving the constant reminders to keep it simple! I come from a family with very hospitable ladies (2 in particular) who no longer have young children so they tend to have the time to keep everything “near perfect” or at least, they have the time to practice faking it ;) Between this reminder to keep it simple for guests and the one before about not putting your family second, it’s looking like I’m faced with either relaxing for guests or REALLY amping it up for my family. While my hospitality for my family could definitely use a tune up, with 4 kids and the busy schedule that comes with the kids and an active church life, I just don’t have time. It will be easier (not to mention a HUGE stress off!) to bring guests down to “family” level.
The guests should be my main focus.
KISS
Keep It Simple Sisters!!
I haven’t been able to do the study, but I’ve enjoyed the daily emails and posts – I’ve learned so much. Thank you all for sharing.
Love the ideas about posting scripture verses around the home!
Your post reminds me of something my sister-in-law told me once, when she stopped in unexpectedly when my kids were very litte. The house was a disaster, and I couldn’t help but apologize for how everything looked. She said she came to see ME – not the house. That’s always stuck with me.. So now if I get ‘caught’, with a house that’s not company ready, I refrain from apologizing – and just focus on the time I have to visit with them.
I don’t have to impress… just love! Thank you for encouraging those of us who can’t always be the “hostest with the mostest.”
The tip that has stuck with me the most is to clear the kitchen counters and light a candle which I have been doing this week. Ahhh!
Great reminder to keep things simple and spend more energy on the relationship.
I absolutely love how I feel after reading these simple tricks and tips on how to make hosting a stress free situation! I struggle with feeling my house will never meet people’s standards when really I need to just relax, do what I am capable of….then enjoy our company. Thank you for reminding me of what is really important!
I love the simplicity of this hospitality teaching, it is so easy to see myself doing some of these things. I will be married in 2 months, and I am marrying again to the last actually decent and wonderful Christian man on the planet, in my eyes! We are both senior citizens and are stepping into a whole new season of our lives. This study has helped me become more confident, thanks!
I like the idea of having a “go-to” meal for guests. I’ve tried preparing some meals in advance and putting them in the freezer so I can have them ready on quick notice.
Love your ideas for keeping things simple. I also love candles. thanks for your amazing ideas!
Fresh perspective.
I’ve really liked the reminders that everything doesn’t have to be perfect, and that yes, people actually do feel a bit more comfortable when it’s not! I’ve also loved the simple tips in making our homes more comfortable, and especially the easy decorating tips.