6 things a calm, gracious hostess gets done before family walks through the door

SALT LAKE CITY — As we head into the busiest season of the year, most of us want our home to feel warm. We want people we love gathered around our table and we want to be present enough to actually enjoy it.

That calm, gracious hostess we picture in our heads usually does a few things ahead of time. So before calendars fill up and family starts coming through the door, Mackenzie Roberts suggested six things you can do now to set up for a season that feels meaningful.

Stock Your Hosting Pantry

One of the easiest ways to reduce last-minute holiday stress is to take a closer look at what's already in your pantry. Go through your shelves now and stock up on the things you know you'll need so you don't get stuck without ingredients the moment you're preparing a meal.

Think about the things you use regularly, plus the things you know will be a part of your holiday recipes. Having those basics on hand means fewer emergency grocery trips when your schedule is already full.

Roberts also suggested keeping enough pantry staples around to make spontaneous get-togethers possible.

"If you go through it now and look through all the things that you use often and that you will use a lot of come the holidays, you'll feel a lot less pressure to last-minute shop then, because you can do it all now," Roberts said.

Have what you need for planned holiday meals while also keeping a few basics around for those last-minute invitations. That way, if friends or family decide to stop by, you can just enjoy the time together without having to run to the store.

Practice Your Go-To Meal

Holiday hosting probably isn't the best time to experiment with a recipe you've never tried. Roberts said to stick with dishes you already know and give them a practice run before the season gets busy.

Even if you've made a particular recipe dozens of times, taking a little time to go through it, review the steps and make it again can help that muscle memory kick in when things get rushed before a get together.

"I think the more we know from muscle memory, the less stressed we are the day of, especially when we have a kitchen full of people and might be a little distracted," Roberts explained.

Have a Backup Plan

Unexpected problems can pop up even for the most organized hostess. Maybe dinner doesn't turn out quite right, something gets overcooked or you just need an easy meal to fall back on. Roberts said every hostess should have a reliable plan B.

For Roberts, that backup meal is chili. She keeps the ingredients on hand so she can quickly make a pot if something goes wrong.

"I burn things. I tend to forget about things in the oven because I'm just chatting away," Roberts said. "I have the ingredients always so I can make a pot."

When you already have a solution in mind, a setback doesn't turn into a hosting disaster.

Tackle the Big Cleaning Jobs

Cleaning is another task that quickly gets overwhelming if you leave everything until the day of your gathering. Roberts makes a point of getting her least favorite chores out of the way early.

Identify the jobs you tend to put off and find time to get them done in advance.

"If I were to leave it all to the day of, I'd be running around like a crazy woman," Roberts said. "Cleaning out the microwave, which is gross, and baseboards, and all of those things I'll find time to do ahead of time so that come the day before or the day of, I'm not feeling crazy and stressed and can just kind of settle and enjoy."

Set Up Your Space

Roberts also recommended looking at the spaces where people will gather and considering changes that could make them more comfortable and inviting.

Take a look at your living room, dining area or wherever you typically entertain. Is there anything you could add, remove or rearrange to make the space feel cozier? Do guests have enough room to sit and visit? Are there small adjustments that would make everyone feel more at home?

You don't have to make this a major decorating project or an excuse to buy a bunch of new things. Sometimes, creating a more welcoming space is just about noticing what works and what could use a little attention.

Settle In Now

Roberts' final suggestion is to settle in and focus on the parts of the season that matter most to you.

It's easy to get caught up in all the details of hosting, especially when you have a picture in your head of what the perfect holiday hostess should look like. But Roberts said to take a step back and consider what you actually enjoy about the holidays.

"I think settle in for your favorite parts of the season. Like what do you love about the holidays? What do you love about people coming into your home? And focus on those things so you don't get bogged down by details that maybe you don't need to be bogged down with," Roberts said.

She emphasized that hosting should be about enjoying the traditions and experiences that make the season special for you and your family.

Find more advice from Mackenzie Roberts on Instagram, @thehousethatholds.

This story originally aired on KSL TV and has been reformatted for a digital audience using artificial intelligence.