I love to host parties at home. Well, actually big dinners, but they always end up being a (dance) party. I make real invitations, send fun messages as the date approaches, and on the day itself, I always stand in the kitchen with my friend Merel and happily pour bubbles as a welcome drink.

So I am gradually becoming familiar with the do's and don'ts of organizing such an evening, and I can definitely give you some tips on how to behave during the party. Unfortunately, I can't guarantee that the police won't show up at your door, because there always comes a point where you don't realize how incredibly loud the music actually is, and then I have to agree with the neighbors. I always leave the talking to those folks to someone else because I'm not good at it, but that's beside the point. On to the tips for a successful party. Maybe you're hosting a year-end dinner or a New Year's gathering. Here they come:

– Make mise en place lists of what you're going to cook and what you need to set up. Preparation is half the work.

– Always inform your neighbors a day in advance, that way it takes the longest before they start complaining. Even better: invite them. There's a good chance they won't come, but then they feel welcome and will complain less quickly.

– Save nice bottles for flowers and candles, it looks nice.

– Ask a few friends to help with the preparations and during the evening, they will feel responsible right away.

– Oh yes, a really silly one actually, but this helps. Ask everyone to take off their shoes if you have a nice wooden floor (mine is pure white). Believe me, it saves you five times less mopping the next day.

– Don't stock up on expensive wine, because most people don't care much about it, and after a few hours, no one can taste it anymore. Only for yourself, of course, a special bottle.

– Buy glitter stickers at Hema so everyone can put their name on their glass. Just be careful: I once passed around buckets with those letters, and T-shirts and faces got stuck too. I still find letters in my house. So also take WITHOUT glitter.

– Provide a large tub of ice where you can put bottles, that allows for a bit of self-service.

– When the party is over, you must make everyone help clean up and take a trash bag outside.

– Always throw away ashtrays. Leaving dirty ashtrays gives an awful smell the next day, and that stench is really half as bad if you throw away the butts and wash the ashtrays with soapy water. Even better: DON'T let anyone smoke inside. Gross.

– CLEAN UP before you go to bed. Really, you will thank me.