This post was adapted from Rental Report: Summer Entertaining in an Apartment. You can find the original post here.

Now that we are in our first official week of summer, DC is in full “summer mode.” Many residents leave for the local beaches on the weekends, and many tourists flock into the city center. If you stay in town, there’s no shortage of outdoor activities in this area for you to soak up every minute of the warm weather. As fun as some of these activities can be, sometimes it is nice to kick back, relax and have a few friends over to hang out at your apartment.

If you live in an apartment building with a pool, patio or rooftop deck, you are in luck! We have a few tips to take advantage of your building’s amenities and throw the perfect summer soiree.

Book Early

Odds are you aren’t the only one planning to host a summer get-together on the roof or at the pool of your DC apartment, especially on a Friday or Saturday evening. Contact your management office ASAP to reserve the space, if they allow exclusive reservations. If they don’t, find out if you can section off a certain area for your party. It can’t hurt to offer a snack or refreshment to the rest of the neighbors hanging out. They may not take you up on it, but they will feel better about all the extra bodies on their otherwise quiet pool deck.

Consider the Guest List

Keep the guest list reasonable, especially if you don’t have exclusive use of the facilities. Remember there is a maximum capacity for game rooms and roof/pool decks at most apartments, so you have to consider your guest list and the neighbors. Not to mention, you don’t want your nice gathering turning into a scene from “Animal House.” The more is not always the merrier, particularly in small spaces.

Tell the Concierge

If you have a concierge, make sure he or she is aware of your gathering. Give that person a copy of the guest list so he or she knows who to let in. Maybe bring down an hors d’oeuvre or two since the concierge is going to be dealing with a few extra folks coming to the door that night. If you don’t have a concierge, but you do have a controlled access apartment building, be sure your guests know what to do when they get to your building. Nothing puts a damper on an evening faster than not being able to get into the party.

Gather Party Supplies

Since you’re going to be hauling your stuff up and down either via the stairs or elevator, be sure to plan accordingly. Also, know the rules of the deck. Check to see if glass is allowed. If not, you might have to rethink your beverage menu. Keep everything lightweight. Snatch up a few trays to help you carry things up and down as well as for serving. Don’t forget to clean up. Be sure to have extra trash bags. It also can’t hurt to have an extra trash can can or two out (maybe one for trash and one for recycling) so you don’t have to spend the whole time cleaning up everyone’s trash.

Man the Grill

If you are planning to use the grills before the party, double check what you need for the grills to work. You should be aware of the fire codes. Make sure you have something to clean up the grill when you are done (and unfortunately maybe before too).

Keep it simple. Remember the key to enjoying an outdoor party is being with your guests — not running back and forth to your apartment for supplies and things you forgot. Be clear on your invites and tell your guests what type of food to expect. It’s a bummer heading to a party expecting some delicious burgers and showing up only to find crackers and watermelon.

Don’t have an apartment with a view? We have many apartments with pools and roof decks.