Getting ready for a party involves more than invitations and food. You want the whole space to show the right atmosphere, starting with the front and back porch.
The front porch is the first place people will see when they show up for the big event, so it must be festive and inviting. And the back porch will be the popular hangout for anyone looking for fresh air and a break from the crowd.
Whether they’ll be on it for a few seconds or most of the evening, you want your guests to have a good time anywhere in your house. Even an outside experience at your home will be memorable if you follow these four tips to get your porch party-ready.
1. Start With a Deep Clean
The first step to getting any room party-ready is deep cleaning the whole place, and this includes your porch areas. Clean off the surfaces, throw out any garbage, and dust off the cobwebs and outside debris.
We don’t thoroughly clean our porches too often. They get neglected, but they’re constantly exposed to the elements. Give your door, frame, and wall a good scrubbing, and sweep and mop the porch floor.
If you have porch or patio furniture, those items must be cleaned, too. Put couch and chair cushions, area rugs, and other linens in the washing machine or wash them by hand. Your guests will be dressed nicely. They don’t want to get dirty when they sit on your furniture.
When both porch areas are immaculate, then you can begin the fun part: decorating!
2. Redesign the Layout
How you currently have your porch set up is fine for you and your family. But if you’re going to have a lot of people visiting, you should rethink the layout.
When you have a small space, you can make the most of what you’re working with by adding bold or warm colors. A wreath on the door, a seasonal welcome mat, and a large potted plant are easy ways to make every entrance feel welcoming.
For larger areas, keep the wreath, mat, and plant close to the doorway. Then, spread out your furniture toward the sides of the porch. This gives your guests a pleasurable first impression and still allows for privacy if anyone needs a little quiet time.
Once you have all the furniture where you want it, and you know what your party theme is, bring some of your decor out onto the porch.
You don’t need much, but some matching party decorations, a few napkins on the table, and some potted plants create a festive look without going overboard.
3. Add Some Light
Spending time outdoors in the evening is a tricky thing. On the one hand, nature’s beauty is best viewed, well, naturally. However, your guests will want to see each other and feel comfortable, and lots of people don’t like sitting in the dark.
But, the not-so-fun part of nature, the bugs, are attracted to light. So, you need to be cautious about what kind of lighting sources you use on your porch.
Instead of your standard porch light fixture, opt for outdoor lighting options that won’t attract insects. Certain colors in the light spectrum aren’t visible to bugs, especially warmer hues like red, orange, and yellow. You’ll find bulbs in these shades marketed as lighting that doesn’t attract insects.
Of course, some seasons and areas are more prone to swarms of mosquitoes and noseeums. If you know you’re dealing with this problem, make your porch festive and repel the bugs with a bamboo tiki torch. These products burn citronella candles, and the scent is a strong pest repellant.
4. Let the Music Play
The porch is clean, the furniture is set, your decorations are on point, and the lighting is perfect. The only thing missing is the music.
With Bluetooth speakers, this is an easy fix. Pipe your playlist to every room in (and out of) the house, but keep the porch sounds on low unless it’s your party area.
The right music has a way of cutting through tension and connecting people. Let the music play, make room on the porch or in your yard for a dance floor, and your home is party-ready!
Conclusion
No matter how big or small your front and back porches are, if you’re having a party, you must include them in your planning. These simple tips will help you get your porch party-ready quickly so you can concentrate on having fun!
