Do you enjoy having friends and family over to your home? Well, if you do, you’ll know how lovely it is to get your nearest and dearest together for quality time. Whether it’s serving up a plate of meatballs and spaghetti on a Friday night (like these guys do), or getting together for a bring-a-dish dinner party, there’s no nicer way to spend time with the people you love. But, have you ever thought about taking the party outside?
Here’s why your outdoor space should be the perfect area for socializing…
You can entertain in a larger space
Trying to cram your guests around your kitchen table can mean they have a hard time trying not to elbow each other. Socializing outside means they can sprawl out as much as they want, using every inch of your back yard so that everyone is comfortable. Arrange the patio furniture in a way that means everyone can sit down to eat (prioritizing young or elderly guests first), moving your indoor furniture outside to serve as extra seating areas. If the weather is good and the ground is dry, you can lay blankets on the lawn with scatter cushions to provide an extra space to recline. Consider lighting a few fire pits so that your guests can congregate around a focal point.
You don’t have to clean everything
Being a host is hard work, as not only do you need to shop, prepare and cook the food and drinks you’ll be serving your guests, but you’ll also need to get your home ready too. If cleaning the ground floor is just too much hard work or you’re pushed for time, taking the party outside means you can skip the cleaning! Of course there will still be one or two areas you’ll need to clean ahead of time – such as the kitchen and the guest bathroom, as these are the two rooms guests are likely to wander into from outdoors – but other than that, you can leave your home as it is.
You can socialize around your outdoor activities
Are you lucky enough to have a long stretch of lawn to sunbathe on? How about a pool with an elegant pool deck? Or how about having just enough space to play some of these fun activities? Whatever the case, inviting your guests to hang out with you outdoors means you can be active together while you’re eating and drinking, turning up the music and having great fun together. This is perfect if you’re socializing with families with children, teens or even the dads who get a little competitive after a beer or two…
You can create a relaxing atmosphere really easily
It’s true that your indoor space can be made to feel welcoming and relaxing for your guests, but if you’re stuck with overhead lighting in your dining room or hard chairs in your kitchen, there’s a limit to how cozy and laidback you can make it. Socializing outdoors, however, is way more easy-going, and it’s easy to keep that vibe going. Leave a basket full of blankets on the lawn, string some simple festoon lights in the trees and set up a speaker to play whatever music your guests like. Encourage people to kick their shoes off and sink their toes into the lawn, and rest assured they’ll chill out – after all, they won’t be worrying about spilling their wine or accidentally dropping food on to your cream carpet! Here are some more tips on turning your back yard into a relaxing outdoor area.
So, will you be socializing in your back yard now?
