Sound logic
This much should be obvious: please, please, please place the
speakers to your stereo in the room where most people will be gathering.
Or even better, in every room that you’ll be using for your soirée.
There’s nothing that says that your speakers have to sit right next to
your receiver: buy speaker wire at Home Depot or the like, and you can
place your speakers just about anywhere in the house you please. Speaker
wire can be run through ductwork, or if you choose to run it along the
walls, use self-adhesive cordcover (available at Home Depot) to adhere
your wire in place, and to camouflage it neatly. Try and get your
speakers up off the ground, and well above the furniture line – you’ll
get much better acoustics if those sound waves aren’t getting absorbed
by sofas, armchairs, and the like. You’ll also want your speaker to be
at least six feet or so apart, in order to achieve that nice stereo
sound.
The little things
While the big picture is important, there are certain little details
that make a huge difference in assuring the success of your party. Once
you’re done vacuuming the floor and switching the bulbs, don’t
forget to also …
• Hang a clean hand-towel somewhere in the vicinity of the bathroom
sink.
• Make sure there’s handsoap in the bathroom.
• Stock the bathroom with extra rolls of toilet paper.
• Have a trashcan in your bathroom – lined with a plastic bag,
please.
• Empty the trash in your kitchen and line it with a fresh plastic
bag.
• Set-up a cooler (or multiple coolers) for keeping drinks icy --
there’s no way you’ll have enough room in your fridge to store all
the beer and soda. Buy big bags of ice at the supermarket or convenience
store.
• Have paper towels handy in the kitchen (for cleaning up those
inevitable beverage spillages).
• Take out a corkscrew, and place it wherever you’re setting up the
wine.
• Dig out a bottle opener, or better yet two, and keep one near the
fridge, another by the cooler.
Having accomplished all that, give yourself a little break – grab a
beer, get some music going, and relax until the guests arrive!