Hosting a Super Bowl Party? These Smart Entertaining Hacks Save Time and Money (And They’re Cute, Too)

If you’re hosting a Super Bowl party, you have less than a week to pull together all the festivities for the big game this Sunday. (No pressure!) You may feel like that’s not enough time, but don’t panic. We’ve gathered five clever hacks that will make entertaining a cinch. These tips will help you keep things tidy, allowing you and your guests to focus on having fun and enjoying the game. With these simple but effective hacks under your belt, your Super Bowl party is guaranteed to win big.

Ensure dip is easy to reach with a wine glass.

Pour salsa or dip into a wine glass or margarita glass and nestle it in the middle of chips or crudités, suggests Jamie Novak, author of Keep This Toss That. “The raised glass makes it much easier for guests to reach — and more likely, the dip will reach hungry mouths rather than spill on your tablecloth.”

Save money on napkins with colorful bandanas.

Instead of shelling out money for increasingly pricey paper napkins, head to the dollar store to pick up a few inexpensive bandanas in your favorite team’s colors, suggests event planner Maria Britton of TradeShowLabs.com. Not only will they feel fancier and more fun — and complement your decor — they can also be washed and reused at future parties, saving money and waste. Good for your wallet, good for the planet.

Keep drinks chilled with ice balloons.

No need to bother with an ice bucket or deal with messy melting cubes in order to keep your drinks cold and your guests happy. Just fill a few colorful balloons with water, freeze them, and use the fun “frozen balloons” to chill your beverages.

Make crumbs disappear with a football table cover.

For a festive and practical way to protect your serving area simply grab a green bedsheet, tablecloth, or piece of felt and use it to cover the table. Then mark off “yard” lines using white masking tape and white number stickers. Voilà — an adorable party decoration that you can bundle up and throw in the trash or wash when the soirée is over for easy post-party cleanup.

Create bonus seating with floor cushions.

The TV is the centerpiece of any Super Bowl party, but if your couch can’t handle your guest count, try pulling pillows from seats and beds in other rooms, says party planning chef Rafael Gonzalez. “Just scatter them as ‘floor seating’ around the screen to create a relaxed yet still comfy atmosphere.”

A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.