5 tips for organising a picnic

On Friday I had a picnic to celebrate my 18 birthday, and even though the picnic was great the road to achieving that wasn't smooth. So, I thought I would share a few tips with you that I wish someone would've told me before I dived into the organisation process.

Plan ahead

This may sound self-evident, but let me tell you that I didn't think about booking a place for picnic until the start of September, even though I knew I was going to have a picnic that month. So, when my friend and I started calling around in the beginning of the month we couldn't get a single place. Eventually we settled for 7th of October which wasn't ideal, but at least it was something. 

Make lists

Always write down ideas. Even if you are just brainstorming about what might come handy at the picnic, write it down. It will come in handy at the store when you are wondering if you forgot something. I had a list of things I should buy written down in notes on my phone, so when I was freaking out at the store, I just pulled out my phone and checked what I forgot to pick up. 

Take time for shopping

Make sure you are not in a hurry when you are picking up stuff you'll need. You'll end up forgetting something or you'll buy overpriced stuff because you don't have time to check the same thing at a different store. 

For example, I had to buy charcoal for grilling and at a store, where I was picking up food, it cost 20€. Luckily I had enough time to drive to a nearby store, and guess what? I got the same amount of charcoal for 3€! 

Price over looks

I don't know what your budget for picnic is, but as a student, my budget was pretty tight. So I tried to save up on as much things as possible. At the beginning my friend and I were talking about buying really pretty plastic plates, and decorations, but when you get down to it you have to ask yourself if you really need it. Plastic plates are going to end up in trash anyway, so why spend enormous amount of money on the colourful ones if you can get a normal white plates for the lowest price possible? 

Have fun 

One of the biggest problems you will face when organising a picnic is not being able to let go and enjoy. However, even if you don't do anything, if you just let things play out, people will still have the best time. Try to remember that the whole thing is supposed to be fun and relax, so there is no point in being stressed out. And you can always ask people for help. All those people are there because of you, not because of food or the place or the decorations or anything else, and more than anything they will appreciate if you spend some time with them.