With long, warm days on the horizon (we hope), it’s time to throw open the doors and throw your own summer parties for friends and family. We’ve seen entertaining at home take off as one of the biggest trends of the year, as more and more of us swap expensive meals out for dinner parties and tablescaping on our own turf.
Find hosting stressful? It doesn’t need to be with the right set up – you can use the latest tech to make entertaining easier and more fun for both you and your guests. From the all-important pre-prep to throwing the perfect bash on the day itself, there are simple solutions that will help get the organisation nailed, and leave you free to relax and enjoy spending time with your guests, without that frazzled feeling.
How to use smart home tech to up your hosting game
EE’s Smart Hub Plus helps your whole home run smoother, both inside and out – whether you’re organising your digital calendar, setting up your smart speakers, lighting and music, or just hitting pause on the Wi-Fi on your kids’ devices at bedtime. It puts you in charge of your devices and network, and strong and reliable Wi-Fi is exactly what you need to take back control. Embrace connectivity and tech to make the most of summer entertaining and let your broadband do the hard work, so you don’t have to.
1. Prepare in advance
‘The right prep before you have people over means a lot less stress on the day,’ says Ideal Home’s Editor in Chief Heather Young, who uses a digital calendar to set reminders to ensure she’s ready in plenty of time before hosting events, large or small. Share calendar invites with family and friends before the day, too, so no-one gets double booked. Heather loves having her to-do lists (complete with tick boxes) on her smartphone, keeping any planning panic at bay.
You can also add to your digital shopping list via your smart speaker. Use it to log any store cupboard essentials and ingredients as soon as you think of them, to make sure nothing gets forgotten and book regular slots for your online grocery shopping so you’re always fully stocked, even for impromptu get-togethers.
As well as readying your home for guests, Heather makes food prep a breeze by setting timers to keep her on track. ‘On the day I set timers using my voice,’ she says. ‘It keeps my hands free while I’m in the middle of messy prep.’
2. Entertain your guests
Setting the right vibe is a must when having anyone over. Curate your perfect playlist in advance, or if you’re happy for guests to get involved, let them request songs themselves via a smart home voice assistant. With a strong internet connection you can offer visitors this virtual jukebox-style option, even when you’re outside in the garden. Plus you can control the volume of smart speakers with your voice to turn it up when your favourite tune comes on, or down if you’re worried about disturbing the neighbours later in the evening.
Lighting is another brilliant tool when it comes to creating the mood. Choose smart outdoor lights that can be controlled by your voice or smartphone, so you can switch it on as the sun goes down to keep the party going.
3. Stay connected
EE smart home security powered by Verisure comes in very useful when you’re hosting outside in the summer. With a good WiFi connection, you can answer your video doorbell from the garden via your smartphone. Check who’s at the door without having to run through the house and rest easy knowing you won’t miss the arrival of any guests.
EE helps you do so much more with tech in your home. For more smarter ideas, visit ee.co.uk/home – plus save £20 a month on new, unlimited data mobile plans, when you choose EE Broadband.
