Hosting This Christmas? Here’s Your Essential Kitchen Kit List
Get ready for guests this festive season by kitting out your kitchen with everything you need to make life easier
Having guests to stay over Christmas can be lots of fun, but it can also take its toll on your kitchen. If you prepare in advance, however, making sure you have these essential elements in place, your kitchen should be ready for action.
Air-tight containers
With all the extra ingredients and food items you’re going to need for you and your guests over Christmas, your cupboards are going to get pretty full. It makes sense, then, to clear some room.
Take a look through your food cupboards and fridge to see if any items are out of date. Throw these away, then decide which of the remaining items you’re not going to need over the festive period.
Invest in some air-tight storage (glass or ceramic jars and containers ideally) and, if you can, move them temporarily out of your kitchen. Find a spot somewhere else in your home where you can store them, such as on top of a wardrobe, in the garage, or under the stairs… or in a dreamy pantry like this design by Paramount Bespoke Furniture.
With all the extra ingredients and food items you’re going to need for you and your guests over Christmas, your cupboards are going to get pretty full. It makes sense, then, to clear some room.
Take a look through your food cupboards and fridge to see if any items are out of date. Throw these away, then decide which of the remaining items you’re not going to need over the festive period.
Invest in some air-tight storage (glass or ceramic jars and containers ideally) and, if you can, move them temporarily out of your kitchen. Find a spot somewhere else in your home where you can store them, such as on top of a wardrobe, in the garage, or under the stairs… or in a dreamy pantry like this design by Paramount Bespoke Furniture.
A breakfast station
Make it easy for guests to help themselves in the morning by setting up a separate breakfast-making area. If possible, put your coffee-maker, kettle and toaster together in a convenient corner of the room, ensuring they’re not in the way of the chef.
Make sure you include everything else your guests will need for making breakfast here, too. It’s a good idea to set out a tray with spoons, knives, sugar, butter, jam and anything else you can think of. By providing an area like this, your visitors should feel comfortable enough to help themselves.
Thinking of renovating? Find everyone you need, from interior designers to builders, carpenters and decorators, on Houzz.
Make it easy for guests to help themselves in the morning by setting up a separate breakfast-making area. If possible, put your coffee-maker, kettle and toaster together in a convenient corner of the room, ensuring they’re not in the way of the chef.
Make sure you include everything else your guests will need for making breakfast here, too. It’s a good idea to set out a tray with spoons, knives, sugar, butter, jam and anything else you can think of. By providing an area like this, your visitors should feel comfortable enough to help themselves.
Thinking of renovating? Find everyone you need, from interior designers to builders, carpenters and decorators, on Houzz.
Tableware for everyone
As soon as you know how many guests you’re expecting, you can do an inventory of your cutlery and crockery. Work out which type of tableware you’ll need for each meal, and make sure there’s enough of each item for everyone.
To be super-organised, factor in the possibility that some items might be in the dishwasher when you need them. It’s wise to have a few spares to account for washing-up, and also for breakages.
Having somewhere beautifully organised to store them, like this drawer in a project by Halcyon Interiors, is a distinct bonus!
As soon as you know how many guests you’re expecting, you can do an inventory of your cutlery and crockery. Work out which type of tableware you’ll need for each meal, and make sure there’s enough of each item for everyone.
To be super-organised, factor in the possibility that some items might be in the dishwasher when you need them. It’s wise to have a few spares to account for washing-up, and also for breakages.
Having somewhere beautifully organised to store them, like this drawer in a project by Halcyon Interiors, is a distinct bonus!
A bar area
A dedicated drinks zone is a brilliantly handy thing to have when you’re entertaining. Stock up a surface with glasses, drinks, ice bucket and stirrers, so guests can help themselves whenever they fancy.
You can set up your bar area anywhere you have a spare surface, such as on a sideboard or butcher’s block. Alternatively, invest in a drinks trolley, like this one in a scheme by Matthew Caughy Interiors, which can be moved from kitchen to living room whenever you need it.
If you don’t have room on your trolley or butcher’s block for bottles, position it next to a cabinet where you can house larger items.
A dedicated drinks zone is a brilliantly handy thing to have when you’re entertaining. Stock up a surface with glasses, drinks, ice bucket and stirrers, so guests can help themselves whenever they fancy.
You can set up your bar area anywhere you have a spare surface, such as on a sideboard or butcher’s block. Alternatively, invest in a drinks trolley, like this one in a scheme by Matthew Caughy Interiors, which can be moved from kitchen to living room whenever you need it.
If you don’t have room on your trolley or butcher’s block for bottles, position it next to a cabinet where you can house larger items.
Prepped appliances
Your fridge, freezer, oven and dishwasher are going to be working hard over the Christmas period, so make sure they’re prepped and ready for action, as in this kitchen by Sheffield Sustainable Kitchens.
Ensure everything is in working order, giving yourself time to get any repairs done. And give each appliance a thorough clean before family and friends descend.
To keep your fridge fresh all Christmas, pop an open packet of bicarbonate of soda inside to absorb odours.
Your fridge, freezer, oven and dishwasher are going to be working hard over the Christmas period, so make sure they’re prepped and ready for action, as in this kitchen by Sheffield Sustainable Kitchens.
Ensure everything is in working order, giving yourself time to get any repairs done. And give each appliance a thorough clean before family and friends descend.
To keep your fridge fresh all Christmas, pop an open packet of bicarbonate of soda inside to absorb odours.
Time-saving gadgets
Make life easy for yourself by investing in those small appliances you think you’re likely to use often. A food mixer, for example, could halve your baking time, or a processor can quickly and efficiently chop ingredients.
Be realistic, though, about how much cooking you do over the year, and only purchase appliances you’ll really need.
Once you’ve decided on your essential cooking kit, make sure it’s positioned in a spot where you’ll use it. If it’s lurking at the back of a cupboard, you’ll waste time and energy trying to access it.
Make life easy for yourself by investing in those small appliances you think you’re likely to use often. A food mixer, for example, could halve your baking time, or a processor can quickly and efficiently chop ingredients.
Be realistic, though, about how much cooking you do over the year, and only purchase appliances you’ll really need.
Once you’ve decided on your essential cooking kit, make sure it’s positioned in a spot where you’ll use it. If it’s lurking at the back of a cupboard, you’ll waste time and energy trying to access it.
Ambient lighting
Give your kitchen a cosy, festive feel with some low-level lighting. If you don’t have under-cabinet lighting already, as seen in this Wren Kitchens design, it’s possible to retrofit LED strips to the bottom of your units, which will provide an atmospheric glow and some very useful worktop illumination.
If this isn’t an option, make the most of Yuletide decorations by hanging fairy lights around your kitchen cabinets or windows. You’ll quickly and easily give your space a magical, festive feel.
Tell us…
Are you hosting this Christmas? How are you preparing your kitchen for guests? Share your ideas in the Comments.
Give your kitchen a cosy, festive feel with some low-level lighting. If you don’t have under-cabinet lighting already, as seen in this Wren Kitchens design, it’s possible to retrofit LED strips to the bottom of your units, which will provide an atmospheric glow and some very useful worktop illumination.
If this isn’t an option, make the most of Yuletide decorations by hanging fairy lights around your kitchen cabinets or windows. You’ll quickly and easily give your space a magical, festive feel.
Tell us…
Are you hosting this Christmas? How are you preparing your kitchen for guests? Share your ideas in the Comments.
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There’s no way around it, your kitchen is going to get cluttered, so before anyone arrives, make sure you’ve cleared the worktops. If the space is already messy, any extra bits and pieces will only add to the chaos.
Keep out only those items you really need over the Christmas period, and put everything else away. Let this clean, serene Jack Trench bespoke kitchen inspire you.