During the summer, opportunities for spontaneous parties are pretty constant. So make sure you’ve got a party basket packed full of the goods you need to make it happen. A sturdy bucket or bin is a great vessel for your food, so nothing gets smooshed on the way.

What’s the ultimate party-on-the-fly meal? Any kind of street food! We chowed down on noodles with veggies this time. Make them yourself or pick some up from a food truck or the grocery store. Then wrap it up in some wax paper and fasten them to create cones that are easy to hold and eat from.

Another street food influence we love is tasty drinks in bags. Mix up your favourite, pour into small plastic bags (leaving a bit of space for air), add a straw and wrap it tight. You can even pop them into the freezer for a bit before you leave so they’re nice and frosty and can serve as ice packs for the rest of your food.

Portion out your desserts in advance and serve them in cardboard packaging. It’s easy to transport, and when everyone’s done eating, they can be unfolded and laid flat in the basket to take home and throw in the recycling bin.

Yes, the bucket you packed your food in did it’s job keeping everything nice and neat. But once the food is unpacked, it’s ready to start working overtime. Just play your favourite tunes on your smart phone, place it inside, and you’ve got an awesome DIY speaker.

We took the party to the next level with some solar-powered pendant lamps that you can easily hang from umbrellas or branches. Not only do they add to the ambiance, but they also help define and mark your space. Add a few cushions and seat pads and you’ll be comfy enough to keep the party going late into the night.

A party without games? Meh. We like our nights out with some silliness involved. So we took a textile and customised it to create a DIY game mat. Oh, and it can also double as a tablecloth or picnic blanket, of course.

When the party’s over, just toss everything back into the basket and head home. Don’t worry about unpacking until tomorrow. Your secret’s safe with us!

We love to see our customers get creative with our products. Go for it! But please note that altering or modifying IKEA products so they can no longer be re-sold or used for their original purpose, means the IKEA commercial guarantees and your right to return the products will be lost.

Made by

Interior designer: Emma Parkinsson
Copywriter: Vanessa Algotsson
Photographer: Kristian Krebs