We’ve all been there. You’ve spend weeks organizing just the perfect holiday get together for your friends and family, sending cute invites, ordering wine, preparing just the right hors d'oeuvres. You’re pretty sure you’ve got everything just right to hold the perfect holiday shindig. And maybe you do! Maybe you’ve got all the trimmings for a holiday party to end all holiday parties. But...there’s always that nagging fear in the back of your mind that something disastrous could happen to ruin your guests’ good time. While we can’t promise your party will go completely problem-free (because, truly, nothing ever really does) we can provide these tips to try and mitigate any potential issues! Disaster: Red wine spill! Solution: Take some strong paper towels or a good clean cloth and gently blot the spill - don’t scrub or rub, as that will just push the wine further into the fabric. As soon as the party has ended, try to spray the stain with upholstery cleaner before it sets in any further. Disaster: Oven troubles! Solution: The most common cause of oven or stove disaster is pretty easy to prevent. If your oven has a self-cleaning feature, try to avoid using it until after the holidays. Self-cleaning is one of the most common causes of blown fuses and broken thermostats which are, in themselves, the most commonly encountered oven issues - there will be plenty of time to clean after the big day, you’ve gotta get that ham cooked! Disaster: The toilet is clogged and the bathroom is inhospitable! Solution: Avoid flushing anything other than sewage and toilet paper - and maybe leave a polite note reminding guests to do the same, if you feel like it might be an issue. As for the smell and cleanliness issues, leave some air fresheners on the sink or in a nearby cupboard, and leave some gel toilet bowl cleaner along the inside of the bowl to help prevent any staining or unpleasantness. Disaster: Nobody has anywhere to keep their coats or belongings! Solution: The best way to make sure there’s enough room for people’s coats and personal effects is to make room! Bring in some entryway furniture to keep everyone’s coats and shoes, and if this is the sort of party where people exchange gifts you might want to set up some out-of-the-way wire shelving to hold onto everyone’s presents until the moment arrives. Disaster: It’s just too darn cold! Solution: The best offense is a good defense, in this case. Make sure your heater has been thoroughly inspected and checked out before the temperature really starts plummeting to prevent any sort of clogged vents or burned out motors to keep you and your guests toasty and comfortable. Of course, then you have to deal with guests who think it’s too warm, but you can’t please everyone, right? Good luck with all of your holiday get togethers, and we hope these tips do you and your guests some good!