Now that it’s spring… and it’s hot… I will be entertaining outdoors as much as I possibly can! We have a gorgeous deck that looks over our backyard and I intend to use it for my family and friends throughout the summer!

I am always looking for outdoor entertaining tips and for some fabulous pieces to make my outdoor space beautiful! Homegoods has ALWAYS been one of my fave destinations because you can find amazing items for incredible prices. I love the score and the finds at Homegoods… there’s nothing like it!

Homegoods hosted a FABULOUS event in NYC last week where they had celebrity event planner Mindy Weiss on hand to give tips and advice for entertaining outdoors and in the spring/summer.

I’m excited to share her tips because she truly is… a total expert on entertaining!

Get a piece of paper and a pen to jot these down or feel free to print them out!

These are GREAT things to know!!

Spring Entertaining Tips:
1. Freshen up with Color: Spring is in the air and it’s time for a lot of COLOR! Don’t be afraid to add pop to your party with fun bright colors! You can freshen up a couch with new spring patterned pillows, which is a great way to give your room a new look.
2. Treat Yourself to Trays: If you are going to be passing out hors d’oeuvres or drinks to your guests, treat yourself to some new colorful trays. Not only are trays great for entertaining, but when your party is over try using them in different rooms of your home. There are an amazing selection of trays in all sorts of styles and colors at HomeGoods that I’m loving right now – and the prices are so great that you can buy a few! A tray placed on a bar is a great way to display beautiful glasses, or you can place a vase filled with flowers on a lovely metallic tray in your kitchen or dining room. When the sun is out I love to have different trays on my garden tables filled with succulent plants.
3. Invest in a Bar Cart: Freshen up your bar by adding a bar cart to the area where your guests are gathering. The bar cart can be filled with alcoholic drinks for the partiers, or for an outdoor family event try beautiful pitchers of lemonade or iced lavender hibiscus tea. Recently, I took my bar cart and filled it will fun desserts that the guests could try at their leisure.
4. Experiment with Ombre: Put away your clear glass vases and bring in a mixture of colorful containers in different sizes! Three glass vases in varying shades of the same color sitting beside a fireplace or on your window ledge looks amazing.
5. Spruce up your Space with New Seating: Ottomans are always a great idea when you want to make more seating available. Easy to carry and move around, and great for game night!

Outdoor Entertaining Tips:
1. Bring the Indoors Out! I love using indoor-outdoor pillows, poufs and rugs as ways to make the outdoors feel homey, or you can just change up your garden bench by adding a colorful blanket or throw. When hosting guests at a dinner party al fresco, I like to drape soft throws on the backs of the chairs – that way everyone can easily cuddle up if they get cold!
2. Plan a Picnic in Your Own Backyard: Surprise your guests by setting up an outdoor picnic area. Spread multi-colored throws, blankets even large quilts on your grass and add bright colored pillows. HomeGoods has a variety of prints and colors at such great prices that you can get an assortment that doesn’t all have to match – the “eclectic look” is in! Place fun trays on the blankets filled with guacamole and chips or bottles of wattle and glassed bottled soda pop.
3. Invest in New Pool Towels: Stripes, florals and polka dots all look fabulous together! HomeGoods has plush towels that are so fun and colorful, I’d even display them in a large woven basket and keep by the pool! Think plastic-ware by the pool – kids running, lots of bare feet and no worries about broken glass falling in the pool!
4. Make Your Table Settings Pop! Purchase a fun, colored table runner for outdoor tables and a set of patterned napkins for a fresh look.
5. Light up the Garden with Lanterns: Lanterns placed throughout your outdoor area are always noticed! They can hang from gazebos or line the walkway into the party. For outdoor lanterns, I love using battery-powered candles as an alternative to regular candles… they look great and are safe too!