How to Organize a Home Bar Like a Sophisticated Adult
Summer is the time for cocktails and dinner parties, and now that we can have more meetings again, we need to tidy up the home bar. If you’re like me, your home bar was a vital resource during the pandemic, and chances are, it got a little cumbersome during your 15-month social outage. It’s time to get rid of the clutter, change things, and streamline the spirits for proper entertainment. Here’s how to get your home bar ready for your next home party.
Clean up the clutter of your existing home bar
Take an inventory of the spirits you have at your home bar. Everyone has a bottle of whiskey or a mixer that they haven’t used in years. Get rid of any items you never use to start over. What should be left behind? Cocktail site Saucey advises to “start slowly” with three to four bottles of your favorite spirits. You can always add more variety by planning your meeting and taking into account the different tastes of your guests. It is also worth taking a closer look at the dishes and accessories. If you’ve never touched a red wine aerator, give it to someone who will put it to good use to make room for a shaker, strainer, or stirrer.
Bar tools you should have and where to put them
By the way, every truly functional home bar requires a few bespoke tools: stirrers, bar wrench or bottle opener, cocktail shaker, corkscrew, and other essentials. Saucey also recommends a muddler, a sip of booze , a small chopping board, and a good knife. If you want to go the extra mile, take a look at the bar elements below.
- Blender
- Red Wine Bottle Aerator
- Electric corkscrew
- Wine bottle stoppers
- Citrus press for easy preparation of fresh juices
Even if you are not a professional bartender, you can impress your friends with the right outfit. And once your bar is well equipped, you will need to organize it for fun and functionality. If you have a smaller bar in the corner of your house, buy bins with partitions to keep everything in its place. The Urban Simplicity home decor website recommends placing everything in designated areas. Keep liquors together and next to their respective mixers. Openers, shakers and jiggers fit together in the bar area where there is ample mixing space. Coasters, napkins, and straws should be closer to the most open area for easier serving.
Position the bar for proper flow
Where you place your bar will determine how you interact with your guests. If you put it in a corner, it won’t be the center of attention, but it won’t be ideally served either. If you’re creative with your bar style, place it on a kitchen island where people often congregate. House Beautiful offers a variety of unique home bars, including a free- standing wardrobe that can be placed anywhere. If your bar is in something portable, such as a chest, place it in the center where visitors feel most comfortable.
If you have room for a more traditional bar, consider an open-style, island-style setting rather than a club-style L-shaped bar. The food and drink website Serious Eats explains that the L-shaped bar can make it difficult to drink and socialize at the same time. The island bar provides easy access from either side of the bar, ensuring optimal interaction with your guests.