Summer is in the air, and that means graduation soirees, pool parties, Hawaiian Luaus and maybe even a few fiestas to celebrate International Friendship Day. We’ll use any excuse under the sun to hang with friends and chill to the song of the summer. But between picking a venue and date, preparing a feast and spreading the word about the party, planning what should be a fun occasion quickly becomes a procrastinator’s worst nightmare. Kick back with a watermelon margarita and forget about your planning woes, because this week’s edition of our Upgrade Your Life series has five apps that will have you raising the roof at your next party.
1. Spread the Word: Unless your name is Jay Gatsby, no one is going to flock to your party until you’ve sent out the invitations. Once you’ve chosen your venue and set the date for the party, the Red Stamp app can help you create and send beautiful digital and print invitations in a variety of designs for every occasion. Whether they’re saving them in their inboxes or sticking them on their fridges, your guests will definitely be keeping tabs on these invites.
DL It: Free on iOS and Android
2. Cure Hunger: You don’t have to be a Food Network star to whip up a delicious meal for your party guests while on the go. Evernote Food is like a virtual sous-chef: It helps you create, edit or import recipes, build and plan menus and even keep track of memorable restaurant meals for inspo. From tasty entrees to desserts, this app has you covered.
DL It: Free on iOS and Android
3. Multitask like a Pro: If you’re holding a potluck, cookout or other party where your guests will be bringing items to the venue, TickTick can help you coordinate all the details. The app’s friendly interface lets you create lists of items to bring, assign these items to individuals and send reminders to your friends to bring those items. The best part is that after the party is over, you can use TickTick for the rest of your busy life, from reminding yourself to pick up dry cleaning to keeping track of those brilliant ideas on the go.
4. Get Your Booze On: Give yourself one less thing to think about with Minibar, a clutch alcohol delivery service. These days, they’re delivering to way more areas than just NYC and the Bay Area. With someone else handling the grocery shopping, you’ll have even more time to craft amazing cocktails.
5. Decor + More: We’re gonna toot our own horn here and champion the Brit + Co app. If you don’t think your own digs are worthy of a shindig, just check out the “Events” section for all the decor inspo you need to whip your living room or backyard into the ultimate party space. You can even save your fave articles for easy access, and browse the party supplies in the Brit + Co shop.
DL It: Free on iOS and Android
Tell us about your summer party plans in the comments below!