It’s officially summer time in the Midwest and your backyard is ready to be put to use. One of the best ways to utilize your outdoor space this summer is with a backyard party! Regardless of the occasion, gathering your friends together and enjoying this beautiful weather is always a great idea. We know that hosting a party can be stressful, and we want to help. Here are some of our best tips for hosting a successful backyard party!

Create A Checklist

To plan a party with as little stress as possible, you’ll want to create a checklist. There is nothing better than checking items off of a list. It makes you feel a sense of accomplishment and can relieve a lot of your stress. Make your life a little easier and download this checklist before you begin the party planning process.

Send Invitations

As will any good party, it’s important to get the word out early! Whether you send your invitations through Facebook, e-mail, paper card, or carrier pigeon, make sure you give your guests a heads up about your event!

Menu Planning

In our opinion, this is the best part of party planning. Food is something that everyone enjoys and one of the most important elements of any successful shindig. While you’re planning your party menu, think about all of the options that you have. Cook on the grill and make some food ahead of time if you can! Check out this article from Northern Backyard featuring 10 easy party foods. If you’re looking to do a little less work, you can pay a caterer or host a potluck-style party and have each of your guests bring a dish! While food is crucial for hosting a great party, what’s even more important is that you have time to mingle with your guests.

Get Prepared

There are so many things that you can do before your party begins to make your life easier. For example, you can set up a few coolers to store and chill all of your favorite beverages. Hot tip, if you forget to pre-cool your drinks, add a layer of water to your cooler and add in a little salt. Additionally, you’ll want to have several trash cans and bags scattered around your backyard. You’d be surprised at how much time this will save you during the party clean up! Finally, get a few games out! Set up bags, Jenga, and your favorite drinking games (if you are of age) and enjoy some time with your guests.

Set The Mood

One of the perks of owning a Gerstad Home is the size of your backyard. You have plenty of room to host a great backyard party with your favorite people, food, and games. Here are some ways you can dress up your outdoor space. First, we recommend that you hang some string lights over your deck, in your trees, or on a fence if you have one! Another great addition to the backyard party is a fire pit! Keep your guests warm and entertained with s’mores around the fire. Finally, add some music to your outdoor party with portable speakers! Consider making a public playlist on Spotify and have your guests add their favorite songs to it! One of the options that we offer in our Gerstad homes is SMART technology. This includes the option of adding speakers throughout your home. This allows you to stream music, TV, and games in and out of your home.

With these great tips in your toolbox, your backyard party is guaranteed to be a huge success! Start your planning now and let us know how it goes! If you are looking for the perfect home for your future outdoor shindigs, consider Gerstad Builders! We have beautiful homes in Illinois – McHenry, Poplar Grove, and Richmond – as well as Williams Bay, WI! Fill out our contact form or give us a call at 815-385-4495 to learn more about our homes!