Backyard cookouts are one of the most beloved summer activities for homeowners. Not only do they give you a chance to get together with some of your closest friends and family, but they also allow you to show off your beautiful yard. As such, it’s safe to assume that you’ll see a lot of these gatherings as the weather continues to heat up. However, putting together an event of this size can be challenging if you don’t know where to start. Read up on how to plan the perfect backyard barbecue to ensure that you don’t miss anything.

Prepare a Menu in Advance

Firstly, you want to plan out what you’ll be cooking and how much you’ll need well in advance. Doing this allows you to prepare some of the food before the event, which can save you time and stress. Planning out a menu also ensures that you’ll have enough for everyone. You could even ask guests to bring their own side dishes to save yourself some of the hassle.

Maintain Your Lawn

The next step to planning the perfect backyard barbecue is to get your lawn in shape. After all, if visitors will be spending a lot of time out in your yard, you don’t want it to be overgrown and unappealing. As such, this definitely isn’t a task you want to put off until the last minute. Fortunately, with the right type of mower, you can get your lawn ready to entertain and looking its best in no time at all.

Purchase a Bluetooth Speaker

Another thing you should do ahead of time is to find yourself a quality Bluetooth speaker system. No party is complete without a bit of atmospheric music. In fact, backyard gatherings are the perfect opportunity to crank up the volume. But entertaining outside requires a wider range of coverage and a system that’s quick and easy to set up. Look for something wireless and simple to connect to your phone for maximum control.

Determine Trash Locations

Then, pinpoint where you’ll put all your trashcans. Lots of food often means a lot of garbage to throw away. You want to make sure that there’s always a container nearby for someone to use. Having one within reach at all times reduces the chances of your guests leaving their plates to pile up on tables, thereby saving you trouble when cleaning up afterward.

Leave Space for Yard Games

Take the time to plan out where you want to put your yard games. Whether you have a bag toss or lawn darts, these activities require space to work properly. For this reason, you’ll want to arrange your yard so that partygoers can partake at their leisure but still be close to the food.