1. Clear the fridge so people can park the food they’ve brought in it until it’s time to eat.
2. Be prepared to offer serving spoons for anyone who forgets to bring their own.
3. Remember any vegetarians in your group, and make sure there’s food that they can eat and enjoy.
4. Offer simple tent signs (rectangles of stiff paper folded in half that will stand up straight) and pens for contributors to write the names of the dishes they brought. Place them in front of the dishes so guests know what they’re looking at.
5. Plan in advance where you’ll line up the dishes of food—and in what order. (Should the Salads go before the Hot Dishes, or after, and so on.)
6. Set up a drink station at a location away from the buffet table to prevent traffic jams.
7. Put out several trash receptacles that are easy for the guests to find. Have a back-up supply of trash bags so you can empty them throughout the event if they get full.