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Party Checklist

You said yes.Let’s do this.

Everything you need to host — in the order you need it. Tell us a few things about your party and we’ll build the countdown: every task and every supply, timed and ticked off, with the food and drink math one tap away.

Hosting a crowd? Send one link — guests RSVP with what they’re having.

How this works

  1. Step 1: Tell us the party

    Occasion, venue, day or night — and what’s in play: pool, grill, kids, drinks.

  2. Step 2: We build the countdown

    Every task in order, two weeks out to go-time. The safety stuff arrives cited, not vibes.

  3. Step 3: Tick it off

    Progress saves on your device — no account, no nagging — and the food math is one tap away.

What’s the occasion?
Where's it happening?
When?
At your place or out?
Anything else?

Hosting readiness

Deep breath. Start at the top — we'll pace you. (0 of 32 done)

Share your card

Preview of your Pinterest pin card

2 weeks out

0/3

1 week out

0/4

A few days before

0/6

The day before

0/8

Day of

0/10

As guests arrive

0/1

The supplies nobody sizes for you

The food and drink math is linked below — these are the logistics bits that always get forgotten.

Buy local — grab these fresh

Best straight from your grocery store.

Frozen

  • 4 bagsbuy it the morning of — about one bag per 4 guests, more in the heat

Buy on Amazon — ship it

Shelf-stable — order ahead and skip a trip.

Add 4 items to my Amazon cart

Opens the Amazon app with everything added. Open in the browser instead.

Paper & supplies

Other

  • 1keep one for drinks and one for food so the food cooler stays shut
  • Sunscreen (for the station)2Shop — search Amazon for Sunscreen (for the station) one bottle per ~8 guests by the door or the drinks
  • 1plus aloe for the inevitable sunburn
  • enough for your crowdpick one or two — skip metal lawn darts, they're banned in the US

As an Amazon Associate, Host Anyway earns from qualifying purchases. Links may be affiliate links — it costs you nothing. How this works.

Now do the numbers

We don’t duplicate the food and drink math — our calculators size it exactly.

Cookout calculatorfor exactly how much meat, buns, and sides to buy Drinks calculatorice and bottles by the numbers, sized to your crowd and the heat S'mores bar calculatorif there's a fire — the exact bags, boxes, and bars Party games pickergames that actually fit your group size and ages

Stuff people ask.

How far ahead should I start planning a party?

About two weeks out for a casual party. Menu first — if you collect RSVPs, guests order from what you’re serving, so it has to exist before the invites go out — then invites with a reply-by date about a week before. The week before is chasing stragglers and buying everything that keeps; the day before is the fresh shop, then prep. We lay the whole countdown out — 2 weeks out to go-time.

How long can food sit out at an outdoor party?

No more than 2 hours — and only 1 hour above 90°F (FDA guidance). Toss anything that’s sat out longer, keep cold food cold in a cooler until you serve, and use separate plates for raw meat. We surface these for any outdoor party, with the source linked.

What supplies do people always forget for a party?

The logistics, not the food: bagged ice (about a bag per four guests, bought the morning of), a separate drinks cooler, extra trash bags, sunscreen for a sunny day, bug spray and lights for the evening, a first-aid kit. We size the logistics; the calculators handle the food and drink.

How do I keep kids safe around a pool at a party?

Assign a sober, undistracted water watcher and rotate every 15–30 minutes — watching the water with no phone is one of the simplest ways to reduce drowning risk. Make it a no-glass zone, keep towels out, check the gate. We link the CDC source — it’s risk reduction, not a substitute for supervision.

Can I save or share my checklist?

Yes. Tick items off as you go — it remembers your progress on your device, no account. Tap Save / copy my plan for a link that reopens your exact checklist; text it to your co-host.

The rest of the party, mathed.

Every tool is free — no accounts, no upsells, no fine print.

Charcuterie BoardCheese, meat, wine — math included.BBQ CookoutRaw weight, buns, ice. No guessing.Drinks & IceHow much to pour, how much to chill.Backyard GamesA game plan for the kids and the adults.S'mores BarExact bags, boxes, and bars — no guessing.
Done guessing? Let them RSVP.Send one link — guests tap what they’re having, you get the exact list and a grill cook-sheet. Rather drive? Plan the whole night yourself in one pass.