Comments on: How to Get the Dishes Done After a Dinner Party

By: JB

JB — Sun, 25 Nov 2018 15:00:34 +0000

I just attended TDay at SNL – found it really rude when she and her side of family completely cleaned up and chatted away merrily in kitchen leaving us – husband side – alone in living room in front of tv for quite awhile – she refused any help from us – told us to sit – and so we basically sat and waited. They didn’t even put dessert or coffee out to distract from all the clamor in the kitchen. We felt uncomfortable after awhile and made an exit. You shouldn’t ignore your guests to clean up completely. Or at least kick your family out of the kitchen to mingle. We are there for such a short time. She does this at every function at her house.

By: best clean comedy

best clean comedy — Thu, 12 Mar 2015 05:43:55 +0000

I am from a long time searching for this website and i always like to do fun and comedy.i always like to make people happy and entertain them .If you want more fun and comedy then you can come and visit us..

By: Tara G.

Tara G. — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 05:20:23 +0000

All of the above?! It depends on who is here and what type of gathering we’re having. On Saturday, for example, I placed a tub with a little dishwater detergent in it by the sink and when we cleared the table, we put all the silverware in there to soak with water and quickly rinsed the dishes in the sink. I put the food away and then just enjoyed our company, cleaning up after they left. Last night, we used paper, we all hung out in the kitchen and it was uber casual!

By: marlis

marlis — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 23:06:16 +0000

oooh E-F all the way. I never let my guests touch a dish unless it is to bring it to the kitchen and I refuse to get up to a dirty kitchen. My husband helps and it takes us 1 hour to do the dishes after the last guest leaves. It’s one more hour we can sleep in the morning. However.. I love the idea of running the dishwasher after the meal and before dessert.. Man how easy is that!! thanks for the great tips.. xo marlis

By: Dayle

Dayle — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:24:48 +0000

If it’s a holiday family gathering, I go with H. If it’s a small party of non-family and/or family, I go with E. I do agree it’s easier, though, if you work as you go. My mom is the queen of that. ;)

By: Noelle

Noelle — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 14:34:57 +0000

Sandy you are the best!! I am so glad to know that I am not the only one who thinks about stuff like this!! Lately my hubby and I do the dishes afterwards, it has really made for quite a bonding experience, who would’ve known, you could enhance your marriage by cleaning dishes :)) Anyway, after a big shindig, like Thanksgiving or something, it usually takes a couple of days to actually get the kitchen back to “normal”, although I do like for all the dishes to be clean, and I am ok with them sitting out on the counters, as long as they’re clean. BTW your kitchen is beautiful!! So inviting!!!!

By: Julie @ The Family CEO

Julie @ The Family CEO — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 21:19:24 +0000

I’m so glad addressed this, because it can be hard to know what to do. I don’t like to ignore my guests or for them to feel like they have to help, but I don’t want stacked, dirty dishes in the kitchen all night. Normally, what I do is start one dishwasher load right after dinner, put as many more dishes as I can into a sink full of suds to soak, and then let it go until the the guests are gone that night or even the next morning. (Our guests tend to stay late too. :))

By: Hannah

Hannah — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 18:36:10 +0000

Sandy,

Thanks for posting this. This can really make or break your time with guests.

I prefer C & G. I know how it is when at someone’s house. I always want to help because hosting meals is a lot of work. So I let guests help if they offer, this helps them feel a sense of involvement in the meal and cleanup. I also load as I go, it one takes but seconds or maybe minutes and there is less piled up later. I like having the family room and kitchen connected because I can still entertain while doing dishes and cooking.

Thanks!

By: Nita

Nita — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 02:47:37 +0000

This is sometimes difficult in our family because I was raised to clean up right away. So I pretty much have to sit on my hands to refrain from clearing the table and doing the dishes If this is not custom to people I am visiting. At my own home I try to get as much of the big stuff out of the way before dinner. Cook and mash potatoes put in oven proof bowl and cover, meanwhile wash out the kettle before it gets to dried on. I do that with all the kettles so they are out of the way. I hate sitting around a table full of dirty plates while visiting so the dishwasher is empty and ready to be loaded up. Its too noisey to run while company is here though. Dessert is served and we can visit without a mound of dishes waiting for me.
A helpful hint though is to put a little of your dishwasher soap in the kettle and fill with water soak 10 min and you wouldn’t believe how easy clean up is! Dawn now has a dish soap for that also and it works well too.

By: Barbara | Creative Culinary

Barbara | Creative Culinary — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 00:40:28 +0000

I used to enjoy hosting and doing it all; thoroughly taking care of my friends and family. But then things changed. You know…I broke my leg. I didn’t entertain for a year and when I started to have people over again, in order to do that…they had to help. They helped mix the salad and get it to the table, might help by grilling the steaks and often were pulled into duty to set the table. So dishes were a given.

Now that I’m better but not 100% I have had a moment of clarity. I am the entertainer; I’m the one who loves to have people here and they love to come to my home and I think eat my food. But seldom is the effort reciprocal. Not because we’re not friends but because, if I’m honest…I’m a hard act to follow and I think some people are anxious about having me over. That’s the impression a friend shared with me.

So…since I’m the one who loves to do it…and they are the ones who love to participate; I’m letting go of that notion that I have to do all of the work. I’m enjoying my guests as much when we’re cleaning up as if we were sitting around the table and I know I enjoy getting up the next day and not having hours of work ahead of me. Sometimes it takes a life challenge to put some of this into perspective; if it’s about being together…well, we can do that too. In the kitchen, washing up dishes!