Summer Party Ideas: Outdoor & Indoor Summer Tips

Now that summer is here, it seems like all parties take place outdoors – barbecues, block parties, dinner parties. However, when you choose to entertain outside, there’s always a chance that the weather could get in the way of your celebration. If you find yourself needing to move things indoors in a hurry, don’t fret. These summer party ideas will help you restart your fun in just a few minutes and keep you calm during the transitional chaos.

Summer Party Ideas: Outdoor & Indoor Summer Tips

Summer party refreshment bucket that can easily be moved

Image via: Hubub

Prepare Your Home Beforehand:

If the weather for party day looks anything less than inviting, it’s a good idea to prepare your home in advance. Be honest with yourself about which areas of your home you would feel uncomfortable with guests invading and block those off accordingly. While you’re at it, take a few moments to put away and valuable or sentimental items that you would hate to see accidentally damaged. Then, give the rest of your house a quick spruce up. It doesn’t have to be a deep clean, just enough to leave you feeling like you’re ready to show off your home.

Have a Moving Plan:

As soon as the rain starts to fall, you’re likely see chaos. Guests will start grabbing anything within arms reach and running for cover. But, once they get there, they’ll look to you for instruction. Things will go much more smoothly, if you know what to do. Consider having them put all the food on your kitchen table and countertop space to create a buffet that guests can enjoy at their leisure. Have chairs spread out through different rooms of the house so one space doesn’t feel overcrowded. Pick a designated space for people to store their belongings.

Set the Ambiance:

Even though the location of the party has moved, it should still feel the same. Pump up the music, dim the lights or light candles. If it’s appropriate for the occasion, move some furniture to the side and create a makeshift dance floor. Try to bring as many outdoor elements of the party in with you as possible to keep things cohesive.

Lanterns are beautiful and can easily be brought inside

Image via: Bridesmaid.com

Provide Backup Activities:

One of the greatest features of an outdoor party is the ability to just chat with different groups of people all day long. However, a move indoors can sometimes bring the chattiness to a halt because guests feel unsure of where to go. Keep a few backup activities in mind to get the ball rolling again. Put a game on to keep the sports fans entertained and leave a few board games in the rec room to occupy rowdy kids.

Make sure to have some games that can be played inside if needed, like giant jenga

Image via: Gather TogetherEvents

It’s easy to see how the thought of moving a party indoors is stressful. Piling lots of people into a confined space is rough. However, with a little planning, you can have just as much fun as you would outside. Use these summer party ideas to make your next bash a hit, regardless of the weather.

For more entertaining ideas on Stagetecture, click here.