How to Have an Effort”less” Outdoor Party

Enjoying Your Party Instead of Missing it from Working so Much

Spring, Summer and Fall are the perfect times to enjoy hosting a relaxing and fun outdoor party.

The smell of barbecue always livens up the neighborhood with great food cooking on the grill.

These days there are less outdoor events happening in neighborhoods as the cost is overwhelming if you’re doing it alone. However, there are solutions to make it easy to prepare the festivities and include your guests to participate.

After reading this article you’ll be better prepared to host your own outdoor party and I also share a link to get a complete outdoor party planner checklist!

Here’s some tips for planning your next outdoor party:

Pick A Date

Party planner calendarApril – October are great months and shouldn’t be limited to humid July/Aug.

You can easily check the forecast by Googling a monthly weather calendar for your area – it may not be 100% on the money, however it’s a good guide to check rain and humidity expected. Consider picking a rain date if forecast looks iffy.

Send Out Invitations

After picking a date, send out your invite by email including date and start/grilling time. Definitely put an end time to prevent laggers.

People enjoy participating and this can be stress-free by taking them up on their offers of what to bring.

Make it easy by using this outdoor party shopping list and assign tasks by name so they bring exactly what you need without duplication.

This makes your party “easy breezy”  for you to enjoy and not shoulder the work and cost, which is why I’ve heard people have cut down on summer barbecues.

This list makes it super easy to make a budget for the party so you don’t go over your $ limit.

Pre-Party Preparations

Before the party, here’s some considerations to keep in mind for your pre-party preparations:

  • Request set-up and clean-up volunteers who you know are reliable.
  • If you have a pool, make sure it’s cleaned the day before and guests bring their own towel.
  • Have the lawn cut and leaves raked to make your yard inviting and free of debris.
  • Have enough chairs for guests. Rent or have guests bring folding chairs.
  • Rent a canopy if shade is needed.
  • Outdoor lighting needs to be sufficient for your front/backyard and walkway safety.
  • Make sure extension cords are not in pathways or near seating areas.
  • If decorating, you can use piñatas, hang lottery tickets, or string lights.
  • Fans keep guests cool and flies away. Avoid putting them in walking paths or too near food.
  • Keep music at reasonable levels if using a DJ, boom box, iPod dock, or laptop. Do you need dance area?
  • In case of injuries have ice packs and Band-Aids handy.
  • Have fire extinguishers available in kitchen and in yard near the grill.
  • Keep grill area apart from guest seating area.

Bottom line is for you to want to host a party at your home so YOU can enjoy entertaining without feeling overwhelmed.

The new norm is for guests to contribute and share in the planning as it’s a well-known fact entertaining these days is expensive but easy to do so all can enjoy.

“Pot luck” dining is always a good option too. If you’re worried about running out of food, you can simply suggest a “chip-in” pizza delivery for those late stayers but get the approval and $ collected ahead of time.

Keep in mind, most people won’t see the tiny details of how things look so budget, plan, execute, sit back and ENJOY!

And be sure to CLICK HERE to  download the Ultimate outdoor Party Checklist.
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