Utilize Your Garage This Hosting Season with These Transformative Tips

The holiday season is a host's Super Bowl—whether it's for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Eve, or maybe all three, the load of hosting (and feeding) friends and family at home can be daunting, to say the least. Besides the stress of a turkey burning or ice running low, those with large families or groups of friends are also often bursting at the seams in terms of space. Finding comfortable seating for everyone while having enough room for games, gifts, food, and children can seem nearly impossible in just one living room.

This holiday season, extend your party to an underutilized area of the home—the garage. Don't fret, there are plenty of ways to spruce up the space and make it feel like an extension of the house.

Keep It Toasty

In most states, the holiday months can be quite chilly—too chilly for guests to gather comfortably in the garage without an added heat source. Even if your garage is insulated, it still might be a good idea to bring in a small space heater or ceiling-mounted garage heater. If you don't need a ton of added warmth, a space heater should do the job, but be sure to keep the heater away from any flammable materials.

For high-power heat in a large garage, a ceiling-mounted heater is ideal for keeping guests warm and cozy. These heaters are safer than typical space heaters and heat the room quickly, even in the coldest weather. Check the product's description to make sure it's the correct wattage for your garage's square footage.

To keep all of that warm and toasty air in, consider repairing or replacing existing weather-stripping, or caulking where possible leaks might be hiding around windows and doorways.

Decorate for Coziness

To make your garage feel more homey and festive, there are a few ways you can conceal garage ceilings and walls. For an exposed ceiling, drape fabric with string lights or seasonal garland across the beams. And shimmery fringe wall coverings mixed with string lights add a festive and warm touch to garage walls. To make the space feel more inviting, borrow accessories from your home's interior. Your decor doesn't need to be fancy but even a little effort goes a long way to make your garage more hospitable for guests.

Ensure Enough Tables and Seating

Folding tables and chairs work best for large crowds; they also prevent you from having to lug your dining room table to the garage for just one day. While the tables and chairs might not be special themselves, you can embellish them with a holiday tablescape—just like you would indoors.

For an easy tablescape, start with a neutral tablecloth and style the center of the table with a combination of taper candles, seasonal florals, and natural elements. Think pumpkins and gourds for Thanksgiving and pinecones and evergreen boughs for Christmas. Just a few simple (and affordable) accents make a table setting feel intentional and thoughtful.

Prepare Food and Drinks for a Crowd

Make hosting easier by prepping big-batch meals that can be served family or buffet-style. Meals like casseroles and soups are always crowd-pleasers and easy to make ahead of time in the oven or slow cooker.

For drinks, pick a spot in the garage to stock all of your necessary supplies: ice, cups, mixers, liquor, and non-alcoholic options. To make it even easier, make a single pitcher of a holiday cocktail and set out cups so guests can serve themselves. Add a few bowls of pretzels or candies for an easy pre- or post-dinner snack.

Have Games Ready to Go

With all the extra space available, your guests are sure to want to have activities and games to play throughout the evening. Be prepared for all age ranges with things like puzzles and kid-friendly games already set up at one table and adult-friendly games at another. Setting out games that are easy to play over conversation, such as Jenga or other tabletop games, can provide hours of entertainment. Plan ahead by requesting everyone bring a gift for a game of white elephant for an after-dinner activity.