Parties are messy affairs. They usually end in a roomful of drunk and merry guests, along with dirty plates, used glasses, and a few new stains in your living room rug. Cleaning up is a chore, and a sure-fire way to ruin the host’s party mood!
But if you have lots of outdoor space, then why are you hosting parties indoors? Your patio and yard are perfect for hosting guests. You can serve them drinks and food, play games, enjoy some time in the hot tub, and at the end of the evening, you don’t have to worry about spills and stains.
To make sure that your outdoor space is party-ready, look at these ideas for accessories and furnishings.
Hot Tub
Hot tubs are the ultimate patio centerpiece. They will impress your guests—and convince them to join the party in the first place—and keep them warm and relaxed throughout the night.
They are also surprisingly affordable, and as the demand increases and manufacturers look at more ways of reducing costs and making hot tubs available to a wider market, they’re getting even cheaper.
A luxury hot tub will cost you upwards of $12,000 and even the “entry-level” options are listed at around $2,000 to $4,000, but that just covers the large high-quality units, similar to the ones you’ll see in spas and ski-resorts. If you just want something that will sit in your backyard and keep a few guests happy, you can pick up an inflatable hot tub for less than $500.
“Inflatable” doesn’t mean it has all the durability and strength of a child’s paddling pool. They’re very well built, and they come with motors that heat the water and create the famous bubbles. Of course, you will be sacrificing some quality, as well as size, and you won’t get dozens of powerful jets, either. But if you only have a few hundred bucks to spend, it’s better than nothing.
Fridges
An outdoor fridge is more convenient for you and your guests. It means that you don’t need to keep running into the house to grab a cold bottle of beer or soda. Your guests will have access to drinks right there on the patio, and you can keep their dirty shoes out of your home!
As with hot tubs, the price of outdoor fridges can vary considerably, but there are many great options for just a few hundred bucks. You’ll be able to store a few dozen bottles of beer or soda and they don’t require a great deal of power, either.
Alternatively, grab a cooler. It will do the same job and can also double as a seat. It’s not quite as sleek or stylish, but it’s much cheaper and it will keep those beverages cool.
Firepits or Heaters
A firepit should be one of the first things you consider when designing your patio. It’s relatively inexpensive, but it’s essential for adding some heat and light to your patio.
A firepit is exactly what it sounds like—a pit with fire! You can opt for a homemade pit built with bricks and insulted with a metal ring or you can purchase a cheap metal bowl. There are also more expensive options, including fire tables, where the firepit is built into the table, so it all depends on your patio design budget.
Firepits are very safe if you keep your distance, but if you’re looking for something that isn’t reliant on open flames, investigate patio heaters instead. Patio heaters are often favored by outdoor dining establishments. You can get close to them without singeing your hair or your clothes, and they will keep you and your guests warm all evening long.
Patio heaters, just like firepits, come in all shapes and sizes. There are tall units that cost upwards of $1,000 or simple portable units that are available for just $50.
Projector
The popularity of projectors has faded somewhat over the years. TVs are getting cheaper, and everyone can watch films and TV shows on their phones and tablets. There was a time when watching a screen of more than 50 inches was only possible on an expensive and grainy projector, and that’s just not the case anymore.
However, projectors are still a great party piece. You can hang a white sheet in the backyard and use one of these machines to project films and even home movies.
The best projectors are still very expensive (although the quality is much better than the old-school projectors from the ‘90s and early ‘00s), but there are cheaper options out there. We found some great projectors for less than $300, and the more you spend, the bigger and better they will be.
Amazon also sells a giant 20 ft inflatable screen, which is every bit as weird and wonderful as it sounds. It’s available for just a few hundred bucks and gives you a 20 ft viewing window, perfect for those late-night horror films or even for streaming weekend football games.
Candles and Lighting
Don’t rely on the light from inside your house and don’t assume that the moon will light the way for you. As the night encroaches, it will get very hard to see your food and drinks in front of you, and if you’re trying to chat with friends and play games, it will make for a frustrating experience.
Get plenty of candles and lights to provide a cozy and warm ambiance without making your patio too bright.
Music or Karaoke
Karaoke is something that people love and hate in equal measures. It’s joyous, it’s fun, and there’s nothing funnier than watching your best friends murder popular songs. Karaoke is also more accessible than it has even been, and you can get a complete portable kit for just a couple of hundred bucks.
You can also download karaoke apps onto your tablet or smartphone, but the portable machines are much better, giving you a microphone, speaker system, and a screen that displays the lyrics. It’s an all-in-one machine that won’t break the bank but is sure to make your party memorable.
Just remember to warn your neighbors and check that they’re okay with your tone-deaf friends committing hate crimes against Coldplay.
If you have any musicians in your friendship circle, invite them to bring their instruments along and have a real live singsong, instead.
You can buy some small portable amplifiers to plug-in electric guitars and keyboards, pick up a simple Cajon (or any old wooden box), and grab a mic. You will have everything you need to rock out in your very own backyard band. Alternatively, if none of you can sing but you’re all handy with an axe, just have a jam session instead.
Lawn Games
In their most basic form, lawn games are giant versions of popular party games. It’s Twister, but with a giant mat; Darts, but with giant darts, and Jenga with towers the size of a small child.
They can bring life to any outdoor party and they’re simple enough for all ages and skill levels to get involved. Cornhole, horseshoes, croquet, and softball are also games you will be familiar with and games that can be played outdoors. Some of our personal favorites include Giant Connect 4 and Giant Yard Pong, the latter of which is played with bucket-sized cups.
Table Games
If you have a little patio and don’t have much of a yard, lawn games are not the best option. Instead, pick up some simple table games or board games.
You can swap the tiring Twister and chaotic Jenga for some friendly games of Poker or less-than-friendly games of Monopoly. Quiz games (Pub Quiz, Trivial Pursuit) and strategy games (Risk, Settlers of Catan, Diplomacy) are also great for a gathering of friends.
Garbage Cans
A garbage can is not exactly a party centerpiece, but it’ll make your life easier at the end of the night when you need to clear up the mess that your guests have made.
Keep at least one garbage can on the patio to ensure that paper plates/cups and empty bottles aren’t left on tables, chairs, or the lawn.
Candies, Cupcakes, or Cake
You can’t have a party without some sweet treats! Buy a cake, get a stack of cupcakes, or purchase a few bowls of candy, instead. By the end of the night, when the alcohol is flowing and the dinner has been digested, there will be a lot of grumbling stomachs and sweet-tooths that need to be satisfied.
Take-home Containers
Last but not least, make sure you have some take-home containers or bags on standby and encourage your guests to take some food (and treats) away with them.
There always seems to be way more food than anyone can eat, and while you convince yourself that it will get eaten over the following days, it always ends up in the trash. Rather than filling your fridge with half-eaten pasta dishes and cake wrapped in foil, just stack it in take-home containers and give it to your guests.