There's still time to host a Cinco de Mayo fiesta!

Today is Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for “Fifth of May”), and across America, there will be parties.

Though Cinco de Mayo commemorates the Mexican army’s unlikely win against the French at the Battle of Puebla, Americans have adopted the holiday as a good excuse to indulge in Mexican food and margaritas. If you’re hoping to host your own last-minute Cinco de Mayo fiesta, here’s how to do it the 15-Minute Party Planner way.

When time is of the essence, send a quick invitation via e-mail. There are a handful of great electronic invitation sites with Cinco de Mayo designs. Even quicker than an e-invitation?  Sending a quick text or making a phone call.  While not the traditional way to invite folks to a party, no one will mind a last-minute invite to a Cinco de Mayo party!

For quick and easy atmosphere, turn up the speakers on your computer and listen to the timely “Cinco de Mayo Party” station on Pandora, a free online radio service. As for decorations, raid your home for tablecloths, napkins, and dishes that mimic the Mexican flag, which is primarily green, white, and red.

When it comes to food and drink try easy appetizers like chips and salsa or guacamole. Serve margaritas, Coronas, or Dos Equis and indulge in Mexican food for dinner. If you don’t have time to cook it yourself, consider calling a Mexican restaurant to preorder take-out for tonight’s festivities.

Olé!

Take it easy: Rent glassware for your next cocktail party

Preparing for a wine tasting or cocktail party? You might consider renting glassware. Prices are reasonable and prevent you from having to keep large quantities of glassware on hand. You can also save time on cleanup, as some rental places will wash the glasses for you.

Wine glasses, champagne flutes, martini glasses, and beer mugs can be rented for about 50 cents a piece. You may also consider renting a bar ($25-$50) or even a bartender (rates vary). Rental companies also provide other items that may make your cocktail party planning easier; try renting serving trays (typically $2 to $12), punch bowls ($10), glass pitchers ($2), or plates (25 to 50 cents each).

Helpful hints:

• Make sure you’re getting what you expect by asking questions. If you’re requesting a punch bowl, for instance, ask if a serving ladle is included or whether you’ll have to add one to your order.
  
• Be clear about company policy up front. Get the terms of your rental in writing and include things like whether or not you will save money by picking up and returning the items yourself, (rather than having them delivered) and whether or not dishes and glassware need to be washed before returning them.
  
• Get creative!   Party rental stores offer more than just glassware.  Rent a popcorn machine, chocolate fountain, or cotton candy maker for more fun!

Centerpieces in 60 seconds

Centerpieces are probably the easiest part of party planning, since you can make them as simple or as lavish as you'd like. We here at the 15-Minute Party Planner are, of course, fans of simplicity. Here are a dozen centerpieces you can create in just a minute.

Candles
Head to your local dollar store or simply root through your cupboards to find some candles. Then, try one of these simple centerpiece ideas.

• Three is a magic number; anything in a set of three is easily arranged and easy to make look good. Set three identical pillar candles on a tray or piece of wood for a simple centerpiece. You can decorate the tray (if you wish) with items that coordinate with your theme, such as polished rocks, seashells, buttons... even walnuts (in their shells) or fresh cranberries.
  
  
• Arrange a dozen or so candles of varying heights (in a single color scheme) on a round platter or tray for a cozy centerpiece.
  
  
• Set tea lights afloat in a glass bowl for a shimmery centerpiece. (Be sure to use tea lights that are meant for water; regular tea lights won't work.)
  

Flowers
Whether you're using fresh flowers or good-quality faux flowers, decorating with blooms brightens up any table.

• One simple standby? A dozen or more flowers artfully arranged in a beautiful vase. (If you don't feel like you can arrange them yourself, simply order a bouquet from a local florist — problem solved!)
  
  
• Mimic the floating tea light centerpiece (above) with the heads of flowers floating in shallow bowls and vessels. Wide, sturdy flowers work best in this case.
  
  
• Buy large-blossom, long-stem flowers (like gerbera daisies) and set a single stem in each of several long-necked vases; then, place the vases in a line down the center of your table.
  

Food
Mother nature is a whiz in the color department; fruit and vegetables showcase vibrant colors to make a table pop.

• Fill a large glass bowl with bright citrus fruits (lemons, limes, or oranges) or colorful peppers (the shinier the better).
  
  
• Candy adds a beautiful pop of color to any table. Use jellybeans in place of pebbles on a tray of candles or fill glass containers with bright gumballs, candy sticks, or gumdrops for a sweet dash of color.
  
  
• Make dessert do double-duty. Arrange cupcakes, pastries, or other treats on a multi-tiered dessert stand for a centerpiece good enough to eat.
  

Gift guide: 10 great gifts for the party planners on your list

Have a hostess-with-the-mostest on your Christmas shopping list this year? Check out some of the 15-Minute Party Planner's gift giving suggestions for the entertainers on your list.

This Gift Tower of Sweetsis the perfect Christmas gift for any hostess. The pre-wrapped chocolate-covered cherries, salted pistachios, and gourmet pretzels come in beautiful boxes, saving the recipient from having to find serving dishes. At an affordable $21.95, this tower of sweet treats won't break your budget.


Multipurpose serving dishes like this chip and dip tray(with a dip insert that can be heated or chilled depending on what you're serving) are great for parties because the pieces stay together. There will be no more last-minute scrambling for something to hold both chips and dip with this cute tray for less than $25.


Chocolate lovers, rejoice! This basket of the best from Ghirardelli Chocolate Companypacks an assortment of Ghirardelli chocolates including various sizes of Luxe bars, Masterpiece truffles, and candy bars. The basket clocks in at $35 and ships for free, making it a great gift for the out-of-town party planner on your list. The basket's festive wrapping and wide array of chocolates make it a great gift for any hostess.



Bargain alert! This Omaha Steaks Fantastic Feastis currently being offered on Amazon.com for an incredible $69.99 (a savings of $100!). Not only does this premium food package include top sirloins, pork chops, stuffed sole, gourmet franks, boneless chicken breasts, and stuffed baked potatoes, it also saves your hostess shopping time and comes with easy instructions.



Hilarious cocktail napkins are great for any 15-minute party planner. They add some humor to the party and don't require washing and ironing like linen napkins. This set says Why limit happy to an hour?and we agree! Other funny napkin slogans include If you obey all the rules, you miss all the funand The trouble with trouble is it starts out as fun!


If you're looking to save time when it comes to mixing drinks, there's nothing easier than a cocktail shaker with built-in recipes. The Dial-A-Drink Cocktail Shakeroffers recipes for 15 popular cocktails just by aligning the shaker's arrow to the with the title of the selected cocktail. Then, just pour in the ingredients and shake it up for drinks in an instant. The fact that this cute bar accessory is made of oh-so-popular stainless steel ups the gadget's wow factor even further, making it the perfect present for the cocktail connoisseur on your list.


Teeny tiny desserts are in this year. To save the party planners on your list the hassle of cutting dessert into dozens of small pieces, give them this adorable brownie bites baking mold. The mold produces 24 brownie bites. At only $9.99 per pan, you can splurge and get two pans for easy entertaining.

This splurge-worthy meat lovers' gourmet food gift basketincludes smoked salmon, sliced Italian salami, fire-roasted salmon pate, Wisconsin cheddar cheese, jalapeno hot pepper cheese, jalapeno cheddar biscuits, and both sesame and stoned wheat crackers. The $49 basket comes ready to give with a decorative ribbon and a personalized gift message.

Tired of listening to the kids' iPod on shuffle while you're trying to enjoy a sophisticated cocktail party? Replace the hostess's teen-tunes with a grown-up, metropolitan mix of jazzy songs like the ones featured on the Cocktail Mix 2: Martini Madnessor Jazz Moods: Cocktail PartyCDs. Or, grab an iTunes gift cardso that your friend can pick out some snazzier songs herself.


Finally, when your favorite hostess isn't looking for recipes from the 15-Minute Party Planner, she'll need another resource. Easy cookbooks like Party Snacks! 50 Simple, Stylish Recipes to Make You a Popular Party Hostmake party planning a cinch. For just $10, you'll get A.J. Rathburn's recipes for "stuffed, skewered, baked, dipped, spreadable, and speedy party snacks." (Try gifting the book along with a few party snacks for an instant-use holiday present!)

3 things you need for easy Christmas entertaining

Winter is on its way and Christmas will be here before you know it. Having the proper tools and treats will help you host holiday parties without slaving away in the kitchen or spending all of your time preparing, instead of enjoying your party.

To get you started, here are three must-haves for any 15-minute party planner.

• Easy serving dishes
  Dishes with multiple compartments mean fewer items to arrange and fewer items to wash. Try a four-compartment divided dish to make serving a snap.
  
  
• Fancy no-prep food
  A box of nuts and chocolates, a container of caviar, or a spread of smoked fish makes for elegant entertaining without the prep work.
  
  
• Signature drinks
  Serving a special cocktail, fancy hot chocolate, or mulled cider makes your holiday party memorable without requiring a lot of effort.

Time for turkey: A Thanksgiving checklist

We're two weeks away from Thanksgiving Day and it's time to start some serious party preparations. We've created a day-by-day checklist that boils down your to-do list to 15 minutes per day.

Two weeks in advance

• Finalize the menu and make a shopping list.
  (Thursday, November 11 — 15 minutes)
  
  As you pin down your final menu, make a master shopping list. You can sort the list into two categories — non-perishable items you can pick up between now and Thanksgiving and perishable items you should pick up a day or two in advance.
  
  
• Make sure you have enough seating, serving bowls, utensils, etc.
  (Friday, November 12 — 15 minutes)
  
  While you're waiting for dinner to cook, scrounge around your cupboards. Do you have enough serving dishes to plate your Thanksgiving dinner? Are there ladles, tongs, and serving forks to match up with the foods you're serving?
  
  Make a list of any items you still need (including an extra card table or folding chairs!). You'll use the list tomorrow.
  
  
• Confirm your guest list.
  (Saturday, November 13 — 5 minutes)
  
  Send a quick e-mail this morning to confirm your guest list. You'll want to include four things in your e-mail: 1) remind folks when they should arrive on Thanksgiving day. 2) Include a list of "assignments" if people have volunteered to bring part of the meal with them. 3) Using the list you created yesterday (of items you need to borrow in order to serve dinner), ask your guests if anyone has the platters, chairs, or utensils you need. 4) Instruct your guests to RSVP and confirm whether they are still bringing the dish they were assigned. Also, ask guests to let you know if they can bring the serving items you still need.
  
  
• Confirm any outside orders.
  (Saturday, November 13 — 10 minutes)
  
  If you're ordering pastries, floral arrangements, or other goodies for your Thanksgiving dinner, spend 10 minutes calling the various vendors to make sure that you're order was received and will be ready to go in time for the holiday.
  
  
• Gather decorations.
  (Sunday, November 14 through Wednesday, November 17 — Less than 15 minutes/day)
  
  Spend 15 minutes on Sunday gathering your tablecloths, holiday decor, and centerpieces. For each of the next few days spend a few minutes tossing linens in the wash, dusting off decorations, and prepping centerpieces.
  

One week in advance

• Arrange seating.
  (Thursday, November 18 — 15 minutes)
  
  If dinner at your place is a less-than-formal affair, you can skip this step (and tomorrow's step, too)! If you want to have a pre-planned a seating arrangement, however, spend 15 minutes today to figure that out.
  
  
• Create place cards.
  (Friday, November 19 — 15 minutes)
  
  If you're planning on a seating arrangement, spend 15 minutes today creating your place cards. For instant inspiration, check out 5 easy DIY place card ideas.
  
  
• Freeze food.
  (Saturday and Sunday, November 20 and 21 — 15 minutes/day)
  
  Breads, pie crusts, many casseroles, and even stuffing can be made in advance and frozen to save prep time on Thanksgiving day. While the baking and cooking of these items undoubtedly takes longer than 15 minutes, prepping them for the freezer does not. Spend a half hour this weekend filling up the freezer.
  
  
• Clean the living room.
  (Monday, November 22 — 15 minutes)
  
  Don't think you can clean the living room that quickly? Follow our instructions for a party-perfect living room in 15 minutes. Then, make sure the rest of your family members pick up after themselves until dinner is served on Thursday.
  
  
• Clean the bathroom.
  (Tuesday, November 23 — 15 minutes)
  
  You know the drill — get another room clean and keep it that way. Handy hints for 15 minutes worth of cleaning can be found here.
  
  
• Empty the refrigerator and restock.
  (Wednesday, November 24 — 10 minutes)
  
  Spend 10 minutes this morning clearing out the fridge to make room for Thanksgiving food. Then, refill the refrigerator with any drinks or condiments that need to be chilled when served tomorrow.
  
  
• Make a mental run-through.
  (Wednesday, November 24 — 5 minutes)
  
  After the fridge is clean, take five minutes to run through the list of things that still need to be done. At this point, your list should be mostly whittled down to cooking and setting the table!

Thanksgiving Day

• Last-minute shopping.
  (Thursday, November 25 — 15 minutes)
  
  With the list you prepared two weeks ago, pop into the grocery store (go as soon as they open, if you want to keep this trip under 15 minutes!) and grab the last of the perishables you need for today's dinner.
  
  
• Give thanks and enjoy!
  

Unless you order in, there's no way to reduce all that Thanksgiving cooking to 15 minutes, but hopefully our Thanksgiving checklist will help you get ready for the big day with little fuss over the details.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Stress-free plans for the holiday season

Now that we're into November, the holiday season is upon us. For many, the frenzy to plan and prep Thanksgiving dinner gives way to Christmas chaos.

Relax and enjoy the season instead of getting frazzled. There's nothing on your holiday to-do list that can't be boiled down to easy steps that take 15 minutes or less. In the upcoming weeks, the 15-Minute Party Planner will make your holiday party-planning easy, with easy timelines and to-do lists.

You can squeak 15 minutes of party prep into your day in half-a-dozen places -- make your shopping list in the car while you wait for the kids to get out of school, grab a few extra groceries this week instead of shopping for the holiday in one fell swoop, or dig out the holiday decorations while you're in the basement swapping over a load of laundry.

Stay tuned for more stress-free party planning tips from the 15-Minute Party Planner!

15-minutes to a party-perfect living room

Today we tackle the living room. At most parties, guests hunker down in the living room, so to speed-clean it, follow these helpful hints to finish in about 15 minutes.

Clear out clutter. (5 minutes)
Here at the 15-Minute Party Planner, we love the "out of sight, out of mind" method of cleaning. First, grab a large basket (try a laundry basket or a shopping bag). Then, walk around your living room filling the basket with items that need to be relocated to other rooms. You may also want to remove table-top photographs, candles, or other knick-knacks, so that you have more space for food or decorations at your party. Once the basket is full, stash it in an unused closet, the basement, or another out-of-the-way room. You can sort through it after the party.

Wipe down surfaces. (5 minutes)
You could get yourself into a dusting, mopping frenzy, or you could simply run a microfiber cloth over the tables, shelves, and other furniture in your living room. Microfiber cloths are designed for dry dusting, so you don't need to waste time searching for sprays and cleansers. Most microfiber cloths will also attract pet hair, saving you valuable vacuuming time.

Vacuum. (3 minutes)
The average living room shouldn't take more than three minutes to speed-vacuum. Now is not the time to worry about moving the furniture so that you can clean under the couch. Simply run the vacuum over the floor to pick up any obvious dust, dirt, crumbs, or pet hair.

Freshen up. (2 minutes)
Febreze Fabric Refresher is on the 15-Minute Party Planner's list of favorite products. A quick spritz over upholstered furniture, curtains, and carpets eliminates odors and freshens a room's scent. Our favorite Febreze Fabric Refresher? The Allergen Reducer, for its ability to freshen a scent while reducing your home's allergens.

Check out more of The 15-Minute Party Planner's ideas for quick-cleaning with articles like Speed-clean your kitchen in 15 minutes and Get your bathroom party-ready in 15 minutes.

Speed-clean your kitchen in 15 minutes

When you're expecting company, you can speed-clean your kitchen in mere minutes. Just follow these tips and you'll be party-ready in no time.

Clear out clutter. (4 minutes)
Clear off counter tops by stowing away any appliances you won't need at the party. By tucking away the food processor and the toaster, you'll have more room for food prep and easy-access to dishes. Fill a basket with any other miscellaneous items (stray cookbooks, mail, half-eaten boxes of cereal) that would get in the way of your party. Tuck the basket away and sort after the guests have gone home.

Wipe down surfaces. (4 minutes)
The 15-Minute Party Planner unabashedly loves Clorox cleaning products because of their ease and efficiency. Grab some Clorox Disinfecting Wipes and give a quick cleaning to all surfaces -- counter tops, stove tops, cabinet doors and handles, faucets, tables, and the handles and doors of your appliances.

Empty trash and recycling bins. (2 minutes)
By emptying your trash and recycling bins pre-party, you'll not only have a fresher-smelling kitchen, but you'll have more room for guests to toss their empties during the party. Want to keep your bins smelling fresh? Sprinkle baking soda at the bottom of each bin to soak up odors.

Clean floors. (4 minutes)
No one likes to mop, but an all-in-one product like the Swiffer SweeperVac or Clorox ReadyMop makes the chore a little easier and quicker. Go over your floors quickly, then pop off the cloth and throw it away. There are no messy buckets of water to dump out and no dust pans to empty.

Light a food-scented candle. (1 minute)
Nothing makes a party more inviting then the smell of food wafting from the kitchen. If you don't have anything cooking when guests arrive, consider lighting a candle to add to the kitchen's appeal. Consider lighting a pumpkin candle for a Halloween party or a Christmas Cookie candle for your next holiday gathering.

Free giveaway: Fantastic cocktail recipe book!

Because the 15-Minute Party Planner has been on a bit of a hiatus, it’s time to come back full-force with a giveaway! Since the 15-Minute Party Planner is all about the belief that party planning should be quick and easy, I've selected a great book, Fantastic Cocktails & Mixed Drinks, which shows the reader step-by-step directions to producing delightful cocktails. And, because the book is broken down by the type of spirits featured, it’s a great resource for any 15-minute party planner, who won’t be running to the store to stock up on crazy ingredients.

I’d like to reward my faithful following with this giveaway! I’d also like to boost readership and comeback full-force. So, if you’d like to win, here are the rules:

• The contest is open to everyone. You’ll get one entry just for leaving a comment on this blog with your favorite quick-and-easy party planning tip.
  
• You’ll get additional entries for each of the following (just note which ones apply in your comment on the post):
  +2 entries for becoming a fan (or having already been a fan) of The 15-Minute Party Planner on Facebook
  +2 entries for following ITandO on Twitter
  +5 for reposting this contest announcement on a social networking site (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) Just send me the link for your announcement! (And sorry, but only the first post on each site counts for the extra points.)
  
  
• Once all of the entries are in, I'll give each entry a number and then feed them into an online random-number-generator. The entrant whose number corresponds with the generated number will be the winner!
  
  
• Of course, in order to get you your prize in a timely fashion, I’ll need a way to contact you. Please provide your e-mail address, website/blog contact page, or some other way to contact you, provided you win.
  
  
• The contest ends Saturday, August 21st at 11:59 p.m. EST.
  

Good luck!

A-tisket a-tasket: a well-planned bathroom basket

Whether you're hosting a party at home or in a banquet hall, try to anticipate the needs of your guests. Visitors may find themselves in need of supplies like band-aids, breath mints, and tissues, but might not have them on hand. You'll prove to be something of a clairvoyant hostess if you arrange to have the necessary items waiting in bathroom baskets.

Bathroom baskets provide your guests with thoughtful necessities. You'll find many of the necessary supplies at home and can pick up the rest at a dollar store. Simply find baskets large enough to hold your supplies (but not large enough to be in the way), and fill with them with incidentals your guests would appreciate. If you're hosting a party at home, one basket should do it; if you're out at a banquet hall, however, consider putting a basket in each bathroom and customizing baskets for the men's and women's rooms.

Recommended supplies for bathroom baskets include:

• Antacid (such as Rolaids or Tums)
  
• Band-aids
• Breath mints
• Combs (you can get a dozen plastic combs for $1 at the Dollar Tree)
  
• Cough drops
• Dental floss
  
• Earring backs (especially helpful at formal parties)
• Eyeglasses repair kit
  
• Hairspray (and extra bobby pins or hair elastics)
• Lint brushes
• Lotion
  
• Nail files (and clear nail polish for stocking runs)
• Pain relievers (try to have a variety of options, so that people who can't take one kind of pain reliever can have other choices)
• Q-tips
  
• Sewing kit (or at the very least, safety pins)
• Spray deodorant
  
• Stain remover (such as Shout Wipes or Tide to Go Sticks)
• Static cling spray (or dryer sheets!)
• Tampons or pads
• Tissues
• Toothpicks

Feel free to customize your bathroom baskets based on the needs of your guests and type of event by leaving some items out and adding in others. Depending on the venue, you may want to add bug spray, for instance, or hand sanitizer. You could even throw in a few AA batteries for those whose cameras have died.

Can you get everything together in about 15 minutes? Chances are yes. Raid your closets for travel-size lotions, tissues, and hairspray. Check out the pantry for gum, breath mints, or toothpicks, and find dryer sheets and static cling spray in your laundry room. You can track down the other necessary items by hitting the travel and toiletry aisles at a local dollar store; by limiting yourself to two aisles, you're likely to get in and out of the store in mere minutes.

Get your bathroom party-ready in 15 minutes

Whether you're simply busy with other aspects of party planning, or you find yourself suddenly expecting guests, getting your bathroom clean enough for company should take a mere 15 minutes. Here's how to do it:

Gather supplies. (2 minutes)
Grab disinfecting wipes (the 15-Minute Party Planner likes Clorox-brand wipes), a toilet brush, clean linens, a candle, and a basket of some sort and bring them to the bathroom.

Remove unnecessary items. (2 minutes)
This includes dirty towels and bathmats, extra magazines, and any medications or supplies you don't want to hanging around during the party. Put the extra supplies in the basket and throw the laundry in a hamper.

Clean the toilet. (2 minutes)
If you use a toilet brush with a disposable head (again, the 15-Minute Party Planner prefers Clorox Toilet Wands), clean up is quick. Plus, the head includes a disinfectant and it can be thrown away after use, doing away with the need to keep a drippy toilet brush stored in your bathroom.

Wipe down surfaces. (4 minutes)
Disinfecting wipes are quick and easy for cleaning. Simply wipe down all the surfaces in your bathroom: the mirror, counter tops, sink, door handles, toilet (top, handles, exterior), tub, and shower curtain (if it's not made out of fabric). You're not deep cleaning here, you're simply killing germs and making the bathroom look presentable.

Air out the bathroom. (1 minute)
Crack open a window and light a candle. You don't have to leave the window open long, nor the candle burning all night, but both will help to freshen your bathroom.

Replace linens and supplies. (2 minutes)
Hang new towels and replace the bathmat if necessary. Make sure soap dispensers are full. Replace any close-to-empty rolls of toilet paper. It's also nice to leave additional toilet paper and tissues where they are easily accessible for party guests.

Stash the clutter. (2 minutes)
If you'll be returning magazines and prescriptions to the bathroom after your guests leave, simply stash the basket of extras in a closet until the party is over. Then, you'll have easy access to everything once everyone leaves. You'll also want to empty the trash, so that the room is fresh when guests arrive.

Voilà! A clean bathroom in hardly any time at all!