Transform Your Tailgate With These DIY Hacks

Hosting a tailgate party is primarily about preparing the tastiest, classic pre-game foods: Burgers, Buffalo wings, ribs, chili, pulled pork, and potato salad are all tailgate essentials. Once you've planned out and prepared all the food, drinks and decorations come next. There's no better way to get everybody in the party spirit than by fueling your feast with chilled drinks, dressing up in your team colors, and by adding a football twist to your whole tailgate. This year, it's time to transform your tailgate into an even more spectacular party, without too much effort at all, with these simple DIY hacks.

Place a cupcake liner upside-down on your glass or plastic cup, and stick a straw through the middle of it. This nifty little contraption will stop any bugs and insects from flying into your drink.

Tailgating is mainly about the food and drinks, but by decorating your tailgate with football-related items, you'll make your own party so much more fun. Cover your table in a piece of AstroTurf (fake grass), and use tape, ribbon, and pens to make the tablecloth look like a football field.

There's no need to cart lots of games to your tailgate, as your beer bottles will end up creating plenty of entertainment. Use your empties to play ring toss for simple, easy tailgate fun.

Once you've created your football field tablecloth, it's time to set up beer pong. Just set up the plastic cups, pour in the beer, and find the only extra thing you needed to bring to be able to play this game: a ping pong ball.

Tailgating requires a lot of equipment, food, and drink, so it's important that everything is worth its weight. Bake cookies into triangles, decorate them with your team's colors and mascot, and hang them up on a ribbon so that they double as decoration and dessert.

Show your team pride by filling your cooler with frozen water balloons in your team colors, and use them instead of ice to keep your drinks cool throughout the day.

Avoid dropping or spilling any drinks by simply using a muffin tin as a perfect bottle-sized tray to transport drinks and make sure they stay upright.

You'll need plenty of paper towels for everybody to wipe their hands, clean up the cooking mess, or save any spillages. Make sure paper towels are easy to access (and that you pack plenty of them), by using a simple bungee through the paper towel roll and hanging it from the tent struts.

Condiments are obviously game-day essentials. Make it easier to pack them and take them with you without them spilling everywhere by using an empty six-pack carrier and filling each slot with a different condiment.

Toolboxes, with all their different, spacious sections, are a key piece of tailgating equipment. Use all the different slots for different items, so that everything from flatware, to trash bags, to seasonings, to grilling tools are all easily accessible, can be found without a problem, and can remain organized.

Don't limit your colorful team support to your clothes and party decorations: Make batches of Jell-O shots in your team colors and fill a bucket or cooler with them. Everybody will be thrilled to support their team with these boozy sweet treats.

Obviously, you'll need a cooler for your drinks and uncooked food, but you'll probably also want a warmer to keep the cooked food warm throughout the day. You don't need to invest in some fancy new equipment to achieve this, as your cooler can easily be turned into a warmer. Simply wrap a few garden bricks in aluminum foil, and place them in the oven for about 30 minutes at 400 degrees F. Line the bottom and lower sides of your cooler with damp tea towels. Remove the bricks from the oven, and place them on the tea towels. They'll stay warm in a sealed cooler for at least 6 hours.