Inside-Out Hospitality

This is a guest blog post by Audrey Sibenu. Enjoy!

I remember a few years ago, when a friend hosted our group of former secondary-school classmates. I was newly married, so everything about her home fascinated me! As soon as I entered, it felt like a breath of fresh air—literally.

The floral fragrance, cosy citrusy candle scent—it felt like walking into a botanical garden! Even more amazing? She was already done cooking (many meals, and might I add, before 1pm!) and was elegantly dressed to receive us.

I was used to the classic, “Sorry, oooh, I’m still in the kitchen,” or the half-hug from a sweaty host rushing off to take a shower (ain’t we all guilty of this at some point? 😅). But here was this serene woman, welcoming us like a seasoned pro. When I asked her how she did it, she simply said:

“I started preparing last week.”

When thinking about hospitality, many people focus on food, forgetting many other aspects to consider when hosting. We can do many things to offer our guests a pleasant moment. This includes making the house conducive, welcoming, and adequate for quality conversations. I will be sharing 6 tips (split into 3 posts) on how I do this for my guests.

Part 1 is on planning. Are you ready? Let’s go!

Why do you need planning?

Growing up, I saw mums go to the market the same day they were expecting guests. They’d rush home, sweating, and still have to cook from scratch. With kids in the picture, I’ve realised that planning is not optional—it’s essential for survival!

“Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity, but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.” —Proverbs 21:5 (NLT)

• Planning is essential because it will ‘deliver’ you from the ‘African Time Syndrome’ and help you manage your time well.
• Some meals may require you to start preparations days in advance (cooking cow legs, for example, or if you have many meals on the menu).
• Good time management will help eliminate kitchen odours before your guests arrive (more on this in the next post).
• Planning saves you money and avoids waste because you know exactly what you need.
• Your mood as a host will be serene and free of anxiety when time is well managed. Nobody likes a distracted host!

Planning Tips

• Having a planner is very useful when you host. I use my phone most of the time. I keep an updated list of groceries that I add to as time goes by. You could also use a physical notebook (as opposed to a piece of paper that can develop wings when you need it most).
• You should also keep budgets of past hosting sessions handy, as they can help when making new plans.
• Keep a contact list of all essential plugs and service providers. I have some contacts stored in my phone as “Fried Rice Plug” and “Fixed Njama Njama” (Huckleberry) plug. (hihi, don’t judge; it’s just easier to find the numbers when I need them)

Call to action

Get a hosting planning notebook or open a note folder on your phone. Take a few minutes this week to update your grocery list, go-to meals, and save ‘plug contacts. You’ll thank yourself later!

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Find the entire series here.

• Part 1: The Art of Prepared Hospitality: Why Planning Makes You Shine (You Are Here)
• Part 2: The Art of Prepared Hospitality: A Fragrant Welcome and Gentle Order
• Part 3: The Art of Prepared Hospitality (Part 3): Appetisers, Atmosphere, and Appearance