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Summer is almost here and you have a big pool in the backyard you absolutely love to spend time in, especially on those scorching days where all you want to do is stay in the cool house or in the water. If you are looking to throw a pool party regardless if it’s a special occasion or not, throwing a budget-friendly, low-maintenance party is the way to go. Taking the party outside allows everyone to stay busy for hours. There are a few techniques to throw the best pool party without breaking the budget.
Clean The Pool
You don’t’ want your guests to arrive at a dirty or green pool. As you are preparing for the party, you may not necessarily have the time or energy to clean the pool. Contacting a pool cleaning company that does swimming pool maintenance in Windermere can help you do a full service of the pool by checking the pool for any holes, cleaning the filter and skimmer, checking and balancing all the chemicals, and vacuuming the pool. This will give you peace of mind the pool is in tip-top shape for the party.
Decide On A Theme
It could be very basic if you are only having a couple of friends over and you do not need to do anything fancy. However, if there is a special event such as Independence Day, a birthday party, or graduation, you may want to spruce up the pool area. Grabbing a couple of decorations from the dollar store will bring more brightness and excitement to the party. Decorations can consist of graduation items, beach towels, tableware or even throw together a Hawaii theme pool party. The more brightness you add to the party, the better. Towels will help guests dry off if they forget their towel. Plastic cups, paper plates, napkins are easily accessible and will prevent you from doing a lot of dishes afterward.
Provide Food
Swimming makes people hungry and if you don’t feed them it could lead to grouchy people. Since it’s summertime, think of food items that are easy, keep people hydrated and cool. Providing easy appetizers doesn’t take a lot of time away from your party. Providing fresh fruits, water, veggies and dip, watermelon, salad, cheese and cracker platter, juice, and other beverages to keep people hydrated will make your guests happy. If you are having a larger party and want to fire up the grill poolside, grilling chicken wings, burgers hot dogs, or meat skewers are quick and will fill up those bellies. If the main dish is off the grill, it’s always best to provide a side to go with the main dish. Coleslaw, macaroni salad, grilled corn on the cob, or salad are all perfect sides to go with the main dish.
Sunscreen Station
The summer sun gets hot and being around water will enhance the sun’s strength causing friends and family to be prone to sunburn. When throwing a pool party, have a sunscreen station and remind guests to apply sunscreen on a regular basis to avoid painful sunburn. The sweating and repeat swimming will eventually wash the sunscreen off which is why it’s important to apply sunscreen. Setting a timer at two-hour increments can remind everyone to apply sunscreen. Placing a couple of different brands and strengths of sunscreen on a table will give guests that have a preference the option to use what they feel is best.
Set Up Lounge Chairs
Not everyone is going to want to swim every second of the party. Further, when it’s time to eat, your guests will want to sit down on a nice comfy chair to eat. Swimming can certainly be tiresome and providing lounge chairs will give guests the opportunity to relax. Lounge chairs that can recline will allow guests to recline in different positions and relax.
Add Pool Floats
If kids are going to be at the party, offering life jackets, pool noodles or a float allows the kids to have a good time. There are some trendy pool floats out there such as the flamingo and unicorn pool float. The ring floats are also a great option for those adults or kids the just want to relax in the pool and not actively swim.
Play Music
Have a playlist ready or the radio available to play some music as it can be uplifting to the general party environment. If you pay for a subscription such as Apple Music, Spotify, or Pandora, you can choose your favorite songs and ask guests what they would like to listen to.
Having a pool party is a lot of fun and it’s important to give your guests the ultimate experience. These simple tasks will give your guests a lot of fun in the sun, full bellies, and the time in nature they desperately need. The preparation can be as easy or difficult as you want to make it. The ultimate goal is to have fun, enjoy each other’s company and have fun splashing around.