We love to take things outside – especially parties. When the season (and the weather) permits, what better place is there to hang out and host an event than your own backyard? The comfort level is unmatched and much of what you need is already there in your home. Plus, a party is always better with a little fresh air and sunshine.
If you’re getting ready to host, there are a few items that you should add to your list to ensure things run smoothly. From entertainment for the guests to a mesh screen door with magnets to keep the bugs out, here are a few necessities to ensure your backyard birthday bash is a blast.
- Durable or Disposable Tableware
Hopefully this is obvious, but we don’t recommend using your family’s dinner plates for your outdoor party. They’re usually breakable, usually a little heavier than you’d want for a casual outdoor event, and there may not be enough of them. Rather, get some disposable plates and utensils, or consider stocking up on reusable plastic bowls and plates. These are great for an outdoor party setting because they’re light to hold for those eating while standing up and mingling, they’re nearly impossible to break (and a little sturdier for a heavy plate of food), they’re cheap, and you can use them over and over for your outdoor events.
- Serving dishes & Platters
It’s easy to get wrapped up in the food, the plates, the music, and the decor for your outdoor party. But when it’s time to set up, you don’t want to be caught without serving plates and platters. Before your party, make sure you have the appropriate dishes on hand to serve up burgers, grilled vegetables, chips and dip, or whatever else is on the menu. Getting stuck with having to just use your largest plate is never ideal, so stock up on the serving necessities beforehand .
- Magnetic Mesh Screen Door
This is an absolute game-changer when it comes to hosting outdoor events. A mesh screen door with magnets will make carrying those serving platters out to the table an absolute breeze. The mesh screen door with magnets is the no-fuss screen you need for warm weather. It covers your doorway with a mesh screen, just like a screen door, but rather than having a door handle that you need to turn to push it open, the mesh screen door with magnets opens down the middle, kept together by – you guessed it – magnets. A mesh screen door with magnets allows you to breeze in and out of the house hands-free as you set up. Never again will you need to call someone over to get the door for you; instead, you just move right through it and the magnets will close the screen behind you. And these magnetic screen doors are just as easy to install as they are to use; it’ll be the quickest DIY home improvement project you’ve ever taken on. So if you want to ensure you have the easiest set up and clean up possible as you prepare for your outdoor birthday bash, get yourself a mesh screen door with magnets.
- Beverage Dispensers
Whether you’re serving up fruit punch or lemonade for kids or sangria for adults, make your life easy and get a large beverage dispenser fit for a crowd. These are fairly cheap and typically hold a few gallons of liquid, so it’ll keep everyone satisfied throughout the party. A beverage dispenser also takes things up a notch from just serving canned or bottled drinks by giving the impression that you made a beverage just for the event (even if it’s just from a powder). Whatever you put in it, make it easy for everyone to get a drink and keep the refills coming by providing a beverage dispenser full of something thirst quenching.
- Music & Speakers
What’s a party without some music to set the mood? It’s important to have a good speaker for your backyard bash that can be used outdoors and that fills the air with high-quality sound. Portable speakers are usually best for this occasion as not everyone has outlets outside and you can move it around as needed. A portable speaker also may be a little more durable, made for bringing to the beach or for other outdoor activities, so you don’t need to worry as much about damaging it during the party. And if you don’t have one already, it’s worth the purchase as you’ll likely use it for much more than just parties.
The right playlist is also important. We recommend going with some classics curated for the crowd you’re hosting. Hosting a birthday party isn’t the time to educate your friends on the cool new music, but rather a time to play the songs people know. Are you hosting a group of millennials? Put together a 90’s and 2000’s pop playlist that everybody can sing along to. An older crowd? Go with some classic rock favorites. Subscription music services like Apple Music and Spotify typically have pre-made playlists you can find for just about any mood, so the creative playlist-building work is probably done for you already. All you need is a durable speaker to play the tunes. And don’t play them too loud; you still want to be able to talk and hear each other, but it’s nice to have some familiar songs on in the background to keep things upbeat and fun.
- Bug Repellent
If you’re hosting an outdoor event, there are likely going to be bugs. It’s just the nature of it (pun intended). There may not be mosquitos swarming at an unbearable level, but no matter where you are, it’s a good idea to have some form of bug repellent around. Citronella candles or tiki sticks can do the trick and double as decorations. There are also hanging citronella coils or other citronella products you could utilize if you don’t want to have open flames around the party. And if all of that seems unnecessary, at the very least, have bug spray on hand. Nothing puts a damper on a party quite like being swarmed and harassed by bugs.
- Seating
If you don’t have folding chairs, lawn chairs, adirondack chairs, a bench, or anything of the like, now’s the time to get some. It’s important to have a seat for everybody you know is coming to the party, whether it’s a seat on a bench, at a picnic table, or one out of a set of folding chairs. You can also utilize nature if it’s available. Are there large rocks in your yard that work as seating? Tree trunk seats? Get creative, but whatever you do, make sure you have seating for everyone, even if not everybody uses it. A set of folding chairs is useful for any time you’re hosting, so it’ll be a worthy purchase if you need to make one.
- Decorative Lighting
Even if you’re planning a day time party, it’s a good idea to have some lighting set up or available for back up. You never know when your party is such a hit that people stay past sundown. And if you’re planning an evening party, lights are a must. Fortunately, you can get creative and have fun with your lighting, making it as much of a decoration as it is a necessity. String lights on the trees, around the edge of your home, or on railings on a deck. Make DIY lantern lights with mason jars and LED tea candles, or hang unique battery-operated lamps around. Citronella tiki torches, mentioned above, can also double as a source of light after dark. Regardless of what you choose, test them out the night before if you can. You don’t want an evening party to turn into a night in the dark.
