HostAnyway

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.

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 34 done)

Share your card

Preview of your Pinterest pin card

2 weeks out

0/1

1 week out

0/5

A few days before

0/7

The day before

0/8

Day of

0/12

As guests arrive

0/1

The supplies nobody sizes for you

The food and drink math links out 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 5 items to my Amazon cart

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

Paper & supplies

  • 2 packsroughly one box per 10 guests — you'll fill more than you expect
  • Plates, cups, and napkins2 packsShop count on a couple of cups per person — people lose track of theirs

Other

  • 1keep one for drinks and one for food so the food cooler stays shut
  • 2one 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

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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. Send invites and set an RSVP date roughly a week before so you can shop to a real number; the week before is the menu and list; the days before are seating and the non-perishable run; the day before is fresh food and 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.

Ready for the numbers? Size up the cookout or sort the drinks & ice.