I try to make sure the dishwasher is as empty as possible, so I can collect dishes as I think of it and throw them in. Otherwise, I'm on the "next morning" bandwagon. I'd rather enjoy my guests than worry about dishes and the apperance of my kitchen.

It depends on how many dishes - if there are only a few, I'll do them straight away if I still have a burst of energy. If there's a mess of them, next morning is the way to go. Or afternoon - you know how it is.

Definitely next morning. On the night of, just put away food and cap the half-empties. If we've planned well, the cooking dishes are all done before company arrives so it's just plates and glasses and silverware.

I too try to have the dishwasher empty before the party. Then, I sneak away for a few minutes after dinner to fill it up and run it. That way even though there will be more to do later (serving platters, dessert dishes, glasses, etc) at least I have one load done. Then I wait until morning to finish up.

Next day, definitely! And usually not til afternoon since our parties tend to go pretty late. Even if they don't, I'm typically whipped from all the pre-party work.

I usually do them that night. Our kitchen is small so a pile of dishes just stresses me out when I see it first thing in the morning! My boyfriend and I usually tag-team the event and will take turns throughout the evening sneaking in the kitchen to wash a few dishes and clean up. We don't stay in there the whole night and as long as one of us is still in the other room with our guests, most people don't even notice.

I'm usually running the dishwasher during the party. My husband will fall on them as soon as is earthly possible, provided that it isn't after 11 p.m. I ignore them til midday the next day, unless he's started them and making me feel guilty.

i do them that night! i have friends that help, often, and live with many people which is also helpful, but i like EVERYTHING to be under control before sleep. all the food handled, surfaces cleaned, cursory sweep of all the floors, and dishes washing in the dishwasher (which, like others, i emptied before the party). i also empty the dishracks before the party, so anything that can't go in the dishwasher for space or material reasons can be easily washed and left to dry.

I keep the dishwasher empty for just this purpose. Granted, there will always be items that don't fit but the bulk of the work is done.

Plates, serving dishes and flatware in the dishwasher the night before. Glassware in the morning either loaded or washed by hand for nice wine glasses. That way when exhausted there's no chance of breaking glass and the dirtier dishes don't stand around all night. At my grandparents house there's no dishwasher, so mom and I would hand wash and dry the plates late into the night after a party since there was no space in the kitchen to leave them.

We do them at night, and while it is tiring, it's very gratifying to have them done.

I think I do half the dishes immediately after the party. And then the last half the next day. Hand-washing can be the worst.

My husband does them. He's the best.

That night, if at all possible. A dirty kitchen drives me crazy, and I don't know that I could even sleep knowing there was a mess out there! I too try to keep the dishwasher empty and load plates, glasses, silverware, etc. after we eat (or have the boyfriend do it). We might leave big serving pieces for the next morning, but I try to at least put everything in the sink to soak and wipe down counters.

I like the idea of doing them the night before, but, realistically, energy levels just don't live up to that ideal.

That said, I agree with commentors above who mention that running into dirty dishes the next morning is just draining and unpleasant, so I try my very best to gather up dishes and stack them up neatly near the sink (and soak anything that needs it) so that the dishes are at least all gathered up (nothing like dirty dishes on every flat surface...) and easy to do first thing the next morning. And, if possible, I do a batch of wineglasses/cocktail glasses so that they dry overnight.

1. Make best effort to have the dishwasher empty when guests arrive so we can fill it as we move through the party (1/2 the battle).

2. Husband can't stand dirty dishes. If we haven't had too much to drink, he insists on loading the dishwasher and handwashing the rest. At the very least, we get everything under control. He usually washes what he can in the time that it takes him to drink a beer (which sits on the counter next to the sink).

3. Garbage and taking beverage containers to recycling bin happens the next morning.

We generally do ours at night, after the guests leave. It affords my husband and I some time to laugh about different things that happened at the party, rehash how the food was, and maybe even enjoy one last glass of wine. The next day I focus on putting away all the dishes, and getting my house back to normal.

Hmm . . .

Throughout the party, a couple of my awesome friends and my sister will be in the kitchen washing the dishes as they start to pile up or towards later in the night when people are starting to leave and the real troopers are still hanging around. I heart them for that so much because I never ask or expect this of them.

After the party, I will go around collecting dishes and setting them on the counter with water so nothing sticks over night. I wake up the next day and get to doing them then.

That night, after people leave. We've usually kept dishes going all evening anyway, so it isn't too much work, and we need some time to unwind once everyone has left.

I try to do some during the party, if at all possible. Usually there are so many people, I'm not missed if I am doing dishes for part of it. I also try to finish dishes that night.

It's not that I *need* to be clean, but that I never have the energy in the morning. I wake up and look at the damage and turn right back around and go back to bed.

I have the dishwasher empty, and 99.99% of the cooking done before the guests arrive.

As the party progresses and the dishes get emptied, they get added to the dishwasher. When the party is winding down, I collect as much as possible, and usually, one or more of my friends pitch in (and when they host, I return the favor).

After everyone leaves, I do the last of the cleanup and run the dishwasher.

Very little is left for the next day. (Rearranging furniture and stuff like that).

Since I'm lucky enough to have a dishwasher, I usually do a load that night. Anything that needs to be hand washed or that won't fit in the first load gets taken care of the next day.

@happiness, I'm in exactly the same boat. I fill up the dish drainer once, which is usually about half of the dishes or glasses (or half of each), leave them to dry overnight, and tackle a seemingly more-manageable pile the next morning.

Unless you're only having a few people over, I prefer renting my dishes + glassware. It's pretty inexpensive, and you don't have to WASH them! You just put them back in their boxes and leave them out on your porch for the people to pick up.

It's great.

After the party; before bed. I can't STAND dishes piled on the counter or in the sink. I'm a night owl, so it's not terribly hard to stay up and finish them...and I'm very much not a morning person, so I don't want to see/smell a pile of dirty dishes on my way to my cup of coffee.

My husband's the opposite and always tells me to wait and he'll do them in the morning, but I secretly find this kind of dish-washing satisfying. I'm starting with an empty dishwasher and usually it's lots of the same type of dish, so it all fits in so neatly and pleasingly...yeah I'm a little OCD.

Always the same night these days. We're tired but the post-event buzz carries us through and i agree about enjoying reflecting on the festivities. Usually family or friends will do a bit (sometimes all!) So nice as I'll have already done lots of washing getting the cooking stuff clean in between tasks.

At most parties I've held and attended, guests help with everything - from cooking to setting the table, and loading the dishwasher. I would rather they just left the dishes like I do every evening. Can't face being in the kitchen once I've cooked.

I don't have a dishwasher, and I live alone, so I tend to deal with dishes the next day. It's not ideal, but I usually reward myself with breakfast in bed feasting on leftovers from the party. Pate and fancy cheese makes everything better.

I will clean up whenever I have a chance and put away the pots off the stoves.

We have very awesome friends who always help us do most of the dishes before they leave. My hubby and I then finish up what's left the next morning. :)

A certain friend insists on doing a load of dishes. That certainly helps since neither the bf or I are into washing dishes. We can't have the friend do all of them though, so we do the rest the next day.

I get a load going in the dishwasher straight away, and do one run though (fill the drain board) of hand washing. Then the next morning if I'm lucky my husband finishes up the dishes, or I face the daunting task myself. I detest waking up to dirty dishes though. :(

When the last guest leaves or collapses into bed... I knuckle down, even if it is four in the morning. I just can't face a morning after kitchen... I would rather sleep till lunchtime and wake to a fresh start.

Dishwasher is empty as the party starts. Filled during and run. Rest of the dishes are hand washed afterwards, over a review of the events of the night. Never, ever are dishes left overnight. One of my nightmares growing up was coming down to dirty dishes and a dirty kitchen in the morning--I hated the smells, the greasy and dirt, the whole event. And I am lucky to have a husband who agrees with me!

Bless you all for not using disposable, first of all. Personally I can't stand having dishes in the sink. Even if I manage to ignore them and go to bed, I'll end up awake all night until they're rinsed and in the dishwasher. Unless I've passed out from exhaustion, the dishes will get put out of sight, but certainly not washed until the next morning.

My friends will not let me touch the dishes when I have them over for dinner. I protest a little but get kicked out of the very tiny kitchen. I just make sure the dish rack is empty (no dishwasher), a clean dishtowel is on hand, and special items like cast iron pans get explained or put aside. Any stragglers from other rooms get put next to the sink to deal with in the morning.

I don't clean up. My husband does (the morning after), he gets up a bit earlier than me and when I appear, almost everyting is done. Before you think he's mister perfect, I do all the preparation and the cooking. But hey, since I adore cooking and hate cleaning up, I love this agreement !