With the warmer air comes outdoor parties and BBQs! I love entertaining and throwing a summer outdoor party but I hate the stress that can come along with it. There are some really easy ways to throw an outdoor party so you can have more fun and spend more time with your guests, instead of spending all of that time cleaning up.
Whether you are just hosting an outdoor get together or a full summer backyard bbq, these tips should help keep things simple on the host or hostess.
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Preparing to Throw a Great Outdoor Party
You want to throw an outdoor party that both your guests and yourself can enjoy. The main thing to focus on is the prep work.
Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to plan things out and make it clear on the invites what your guests need to do/bring.
To make it really easy on you as the host, have your party potluck style. Put every guest that RSVPs in charge of an item to bring. This will take so much of the stress off of you!
Make it clear on the invites when the food will be served, set a specific time like: “The Grub will be Served from 1:00-2:30” or something similar. This will prevent you from having to fire up the grill over and over for any late comers.
Also, another good party idea is to determine if it will be BYOB or if you will be providing any beverages or cocktails.
If you will be serving cocktails at your outdoor party, choose one or two drinks to make ahead of time in a large pitcher. Sangrias, margaritas, or mojitos are great options for this. Just make it ahead of time and then add ice to the pitchers once the guests have arrived to prevent it from tasting watered down.
This gives guests drink options while still allowing you the time to enjoy your outside party without having to constantly make individual drinks.
Lastly, clean out your fridge and dishwasher a day before the outdoor party. You want to make sure that you will have enough room for any food that has to be refrigerated or for left overs. With the dishwasher already empty, you can clean the dishes as you need.
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Summer Outdoor Party Ideas
A great way to keep everyone entertained at a summer outdoor party, is to have some fun games that are quick to set up. I like outdoor party games like corn hole, ring toss, horse shoes, etc. because they are great for both kids and adults.
If kids are going to be at the party, pull out a slip and slide and they will be entertained for hours!
Mosquitoes can be a real buzzkill at your summer outdoor party or bbq. There are several ways you can outsmart mosquitoes that are simple and affordable to use all summer long.
Instead of renting chairs or pulling out all of your indoor seating, you can simply lay out some picnic blankets or quilts.
I personally like using the Monkey Mat, it’s a portable waterproof blanket that is made especially with kids in mind but anyone can use it. It covers a lot of ground and is perfect for your backyard or even at the beach.
After Party Cleaning
To keep the mess to a minimum during your outdoor party, hang a sign on the front door instructing your guests to head straight to the backyard. This will help keep the inside of your house free from most of the dirt and debris they could track in.
Lay out a mat inside and outside of your back door in case people have to go in and out to use the restroom.
During the party, use a spill-proof tablecloth to cut back on the mess. You can simply throw them away or wash them after the party without stressing about it getting ruined. There are a lot of cute prints available now!
Set up several trashcans in the backyard so that people can easily find them and you can even set up one just for recyclables. Label them and keep extra bags in the bottom of the cans so you don’t have to go in and out of the house when they need to be replaced.
These ideas should make your after party cleaning quick and easy once your guests have left.
By using these tips and ideas, you now know how to throw an outdoor party without creating unnecessary stress for yourself as the host. It all comes down to being prepared and getting as much done before hand as you can.
Make it easy on yourself and don’t stress out over decorations or making your backyard look like it is from Pinterest. Your friends are there to see you and to have fun. You should focus on having fun, too!
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