Memorial Day is right around the corner, which means outdoor entertaining season is officially underway!  If you haven’t had your first barbecue yet, then maybe this weekend is a good time to start.  It’s not as daunting as it may seem, and your friends/family are sure to appreciate all your efforts!  Here are a few tips to help you prepare.

Make a Plan

Now this will vary depending upon your entertaining style.  It could be as simple as picking the time/date for the barbecue or as elaborate as choosing a party theme, deciding on decorations, and mapping out a complete guest list—with seating arrangements, of course.  Regardless, finding a weekend where your friends/family can all attend is a good place to start. 

You may also want to answer these pertinent timeline questions:  When will it end?  When will people eat?  Will you have activities for your guest?  Naturally, there’ll be food, but creating a rough draft for a menu enables your guests to help!  For barbecues, it’s not uncommon for the host to provide the main dishes and then ask attendees to bring their favorite sides and/or desserts in a potluck fashion.  So, figure out what staples you’d like to prepare and then let your guests supply the rest.  It’s not a bad idea to load up on snacks, though, to ensure you don’t run out of food on the day of the party.

Start Preparing Early

Now, there are definitely things you can do in advance to get ready.  If your outdoor space needs a thorough cleaning, for example, you may want to start that a week or more before the party.  Especially if you want your deck or patio to be power washed, you’ll need to allow a few days for drying.  Don’t forget to clean your grill too before trying to barbecue!  Rearranging furniture, setting up additional tables or seating, and buying decorations can also be accomplished in the week(s) leading up to the event.

When it gets to the day before or the day of, then you can start on the food.  Try to marinade your meats, cut up your hors d’oeuvres, and generally get yourself ahead of the game as much as you possibly can.  While some dishes have to be prepared during the actual barbecue, you don’t want to be trapped in the kitchen or behind the grill the whole time.  After all, it’s your party!  You should enjoy it too.

Once the party is underway, remember to relax.  Hopefully, if you’ve done all of your prep work, it’ll just flow from activity to activity.  If you need any help, remember your guests are also your family and friends.  So, you can always ask them to lend a hand—they won’t mind!  At Peak Power Wash, we can help, too.  Let us clean up your home’s exterior so you can entertain outdoors without worry.  Call us today for an estimate!