BBQ weather is right around the corner, and if you’ve got a patio this is the best time of year to use it.
But sometimes, it feels like summer is the same parties again and again. If you’re looking to spice up your patio party life, check out these seven great tips for alfresco partying.
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Get your patio in order
Now before you get to the more advanced ideas, you need to get your space in order.
Clear out the clutter and tidy your garden or lawn, clean your pool (if you have one) and prep as much as you possibly can before the party kicks off. Those are the basics.
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Get your patio in order – part II
Now if you’ve lucky enough to have a great patio, complete with a louvered patio cover, then you might want to take a few extra steps.
- Painting your deck a fun color can create natural separation between outdoor areas
- Adding lots of small tables gives people a place to put their drinks
- Hit up restaurant auctions to get a great deal on LOTS of outdoor patio furniture
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Throw a ‘backyard sports’ party
While not everyone is into competitive intramurals or follows a pro sports team, backyard sports are fun, relaxed, and a great way to while away the day. All you need is some basic (very basic!) sports gear and some open space. That’s it!
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Build your own giant Jenga set
You can build your own giant Jenga set quickly and easily with some two by fours and a table saw. With a little bit of paint, you can make it look great too, and if you treat the wood with a coat of varnish it’ll last basically forever.
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Rent a projector for an outdoor movie night
Did you know you can rent projectors?
Just Google around and you’re sure to find some local rental companies carrying projectors. Some will even rent you a screen, but if not, a draped sheet will do just fine.
Get everyone around early for some light snacks while it gets dark enough to start the movie, then have your very own outdoor movie theater!
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Buy a pizza oven for an outdoor pizza night
You can buy small, high-quality portable pizza ovens for extremely cheap these days, but that will still rip the 500-degree temperatures you need for a great pizza.
Invest now, practice making dough, and when you’ve got your system down, get everyone around for some truly incredible pizza.
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Move away from wine and beer and get into the cocktails
Have you got a great patio but you’re not sure what to do with it?
One super simple thing you can do is move everyone off the beer and wine for a night and throw a cocktail party!
This works especially well for a great summer night since there are so many fun, fruity cocktails you can make using fresh ingredients.
Wrap up
There you have it. Seven great ways to make the most of your patio this summer. Now get out there, and start enjoying some sunshine!