Corral the Clutter During a Baby Shower

Created by: Sharon Garofalow, Cupcakes and Cutlery

There is nothing more exciting than throwing a baby shower. Not only do you get to host a party where you get to plan the décor, food and party games, but you also get to celebrate a huge milestone in your friend or family member’s life. Parties get messy. You often find a ton of clutter in and around the party space. I like to keep that to a minimum by creating specific zones to keep everything in check. It will keep the party looking good in photos and keep the flow of the party moving.

With a little planning ahead, you can keep things organized and still be able to enjoy the party.

Personal Belongings: Have a plan for where to keep the guest’s personal items. Consider having a large basket for the guests to put their purses in (make sure they are easy to get to in case they need something). This will help the entryway stay organized and keep the purses from being strewn around the party. Similarly, with coats or sweaters, designate a spot to keep those out of sight but easy to get to. Guest room beds work perfect for this.

Baby Gifts: Know where your guest of honor will sit to open presents and direct guests to place their gifts here on arrival. Wrapped presents look great and help add a festive feel to the room. Prior to the party starting, grab everything that you’ll need during the present opening. Grab a clipboard, paper and pencil for someone to record the gifts, have a few trash bags on hand to clean up the discarded paper as she opens, and keep an empty plastic storage tote nearby to help the mom to be easily take the gifts with her after the party. Enlist the help of people involved in hosting the shower to delegate these tasks to.

Food and Drink: I like to keep the food and drink set up in one central area. A dining table that is close to the kitchen makes it easy to keep things stocked and tidy. Be sure to check the food area often as it can get messy and food can run out quickly. This is another place you can use a few extra hands to help out. Have them keep the drink area stocked, refill the food and clean up any messes that have been made. Keep a tray handy for making sweeps through the party rooms to pick up discarded cups and plates or other items that make the area look messy.

Party Games: Games are a staple at any baby shower. Since you will have had to plan ahead for these, it is easy to keep it organized. I usually bundle all the supplies I need for each game and keep them in another room until they are needed. That way I only bring out what I need, right then, and keep the clutter out of site. Once the first game is over, I collect all the materials that were used and whisk it out of the way again.