Host a party on a common area sundeck
When you live in an apartment complex, there are some tradeoffs for the convenience and social aspects of that lifestyle. For one thing, you share several spaces. The laundry room, the parking lot, perhaps even a patio or rooftop deck. Navigating this style of sharing with your neighbors can be a little bit tricky, but it shouldn’t be too hard to come to some sort of consensus with proper communication. You might want to do that sooner rather than later, since it’s the perfect season for hosting a party on your building’s deck or patio. Here are a few tips to making sure it’s a success:
Invite your neighbors.
As we mentioned, the most important part of sharing a space is making sure everyone else is on the same page. So when you plan to use a common area for an extended period of time, it’s a nice gesture to invite your neighbors—who you’ll likely want to get to know, anyway. Even if you don’t see them RSVPing yes, you should still give everyone a heads up at the very least.
Decorate-but make it snappy.
Since you’re already taking over the deck for a few hours, you don’t want to spend another couple decorating. So keep your decor simple and make sure it’s easy to set up and tear down. If it’s a Fourth of July bash, add some mini American flags to the mix. If it’s just a general summery affair, you can’t go wrong with fresh flowers or candles on the buffet table and any other available surfaces.
Forego a full bar.
You don’t really need to spend the time or money on a full bar for a party with friends. Instead, stock a cooler with plenty of beer, and then mix up big batches of one or two summery cocktails and dispense them using cute glass containers. Bonus points if you provide mason jars for sipping (although disposable cups will work just fine).
Set up a buffet.
On the same note, serving a full meal on the patio probably isn’t practical. Instead, set up a buffet with a mix of snacks and heartier eats. Just make sure there’s nothing out there that needs to be kept extra chilled. Fruit that can be kept at room temperature (think grapes and watermelon) is a good option.
Consider finger foods.
When you mingle in an environment like a rooftop deck, even a tiny hors d’eouvres plate can seem a hastle to some guests. With finger foods, you offer the opportunity to grab a snack at the table and then rejoin their conversation.
Always have a plan B.
When you host any event outside, you’re taking the chance that it might get rained out, so be ready for anything. If you have enough room in your apartment for all of your guests, you can make preparations in case you need to move the party inside. However, when there’s not quite enough space indoors, you should just have a rain date already in place for your bash.