We’re going to be spending a whole heap more time in our own backyards this year what with all the chaos going on around the world. Far safer and simpler to keep it at home as much as possible and soak up some of the glorious weather we’re blessed with on this side of the planet. But of course, we’re all now experts at the house party game.
So, in order to spice things up and take your stay-at-home party game to the next level, we’ve put together this handy guide with our top tips for bringing the party to you.
Think About the Finger Food
This one sounds like you’re going to try and class up the joint but really it’s all about simplicity and keeping your guests happy. While you might think that whipping up a solid BBQ with all the trimmings is an excellent idea, chances are that when you actually get down to it you’ll discover it’s a lot more hassle than you thought. That doesn’t mean don’t do it; barbecuing is the national sport, albeit a difficult one to do properly and to do something properly takes time.
While you’re mastering the flames, make sure you’ve got a whole lot of chips and dips on offer (we suggest giving Smith’s Chips new Beef Burger and Special Sauce plus the stellar Hot Wings and Ranch) for your guests to munch on. Sparking up the BBQ at 12 when you’re planning a 12:30 sit down is a recipe for disaster so keep the team on side by keeping them grazing on the crunch.
Don’t Ignore the Drinks
Drinks are of course probably the most important part of the whole event. The key here is getting enough to please everyone and then getting enough ice to keep it all cold. Ice will run out so make sure to get at least one more bag than you think you’ll need and keep it somewhere out of the heat in a bucket to top up your esky when you need.
Cocktails are another great idea for a party but only at the start. It’s fun to have a shaker set and all the garnishes and liquours to make up some fancy drinks and break the ice a little amongst people who may not know each other but after a while, it’s best to put all of this away and switch people to the easier drinks.
Keep a good stock of the staples: wine, beer, and spirits plus a couple of mixers and remember that you can never have too much fruit as you will run out and you don’t want to be garnishing with apple slices. We hear everyone this summer will be drinking seltzers, so maybe have a few of those on ice, too.
Get on the Decorations and Lighting
Lighting can totally transform the scene at a party. Getting yourself some laser lights and a disco ball vs a few tasteful lamps is going to really decide the direction your party will be heading. You can’t go too wrong with fairy lights however and when it comes to fairy lights, the more the better. Big rolls of these can be picked up for cheap at most big stores but try and get ones that plug into a power source rather than the battery or solar powered options as these have a habit of dying on you really fast.
A fire pit out the back is also a great option both for light, heat, and a bit of a conversation starter. It gives people something to bond over if they don’t know each other too well. Fair warning though, fire and drunk people do not mix so make sure to keep an eye on it and be prepared to do laundry tomorrow as everything will smell like smoke for days afterwards.
Smash Out the Clean Up
Obviously the dreaded clean up is the last thing you want to think about but it will be the thing that you’ll have to focus on when you wake up and you do not want your first action of the day to have to be a trip to the supermarket.
Make sure to stock up on bin bags and figure out your nearest soft plastic recycling centre. If you don’t have it set up already, composting all of your food scraps -or, at least, the stuff that can be composted – is definitely the way to go and you can also have a look online for nearby places or people who will take food scraps from you to compost.
If that all sounds too hard you can always take the easy way out and hire a cleaner for the next day.
