10 SIMPLE – AND CHEAP – PARTY DECORATION IDEAS

If the seven kids’ birthday parties currently on our calendar for the next 3 weeks are any indication, party season is upon us.  If you’re planning on hosting a party in the near future, you may enjoy these 10 simple and inexpensive decorating ideas to add some flair to your event.

As is probably not a surprise, when I was gathering ideas for this post, I came across a lot of ideas involving balloons – a LOT.  And why not?  They’re cheap, easy, have big visual impact, and kids love fighting over them and crying when they pop.  Here are a few of the most creative I found:

1.  Golf Tee Balloon Garden.  Add some balloons to the lawn for an outdoor party or shower by just tying the strings to golf tees.

http://greengardenblog.com/2013/01/03/use-golf-tees-to-stake-balloons-to-the-ground-awesome-for-partiesshowers/)

2.  DIY Balloon Garland.  Carefully string some balloons together with needle and thread and voila.  Use helium-filled balloons and you can create an arch!  (Source:http://www.agirlandaboy.com/journal/archives/008330.html)

 

3.  Balloons on Goody Bags.  Avoid the end-of-party panic each child experiences at the terrible thought that they might somehow be the only kid who doesn’t get a balloon to take home.  And if you really want to make your life easy, use the same color for each one to avoid color battles. (Source:

http://domesticgoddesque.com/2012/03/rainbow-themed-birthday-party/)

4.  Ice Cream Cone Balloons.  Add a simple cone of craft paper to regular latex helium balloons to create some floating ice cream cones. (Source:

http://thecraftsdept.marthastewart.com/2010/08/lauras-baby-shower.html)

5.  Balloon Wall.  This one is courtesy of the party maven herself, Martha Stewart.  Tape or weigh down balloons at different heights to create a wall of balloons – an easy way to separate a large party space into different “zones,” and a cool backdrop for photos to boot.  (Sorry for the tiny picture; Martha knows her decorating, but apparently not photo resolution.  Source:

http://thebridesguide.marthastewartweddings.com/2012/01/behind-the-scenes-champagne-part-3.html)

But of course, there’s more to party decorating than balloons.  Here are some other clever ideas I came across:

6.  Wrapping Paper Table Runner.  Instead of spending money on a character-themed plastic tablecloth that will end up in the trash, buy a cheap roll of wrapping paper at the dollar store and use it as a table runner – plus you can recycle it when you’re done.  (Source:http://amybart.wordpress.com/2011/07/27/caleighs-pink-and-orange-lollipop-birthday/)

7.  DIY Ceiling Swirls.  You could buy party store decorations, but these will take just a few minutes and cost a lot less – get a few pieces of posterboard, cut spirals, and then hang them from the ceiling for a fun and festive look.  (Source:

http://www.shindigz.com/party-supplies/holiday-party-supplies/spring-party/spring-decorations/44984)

8.  Glow Stick Cotton Candy.  Two kid favorites, combined.  Just stick a glow stick into the white paper cone before wrapping it up in spun sugar.  Especially cool for a night party. (Source:http://www.stylewhipped.com/stylewhipped/2012/05/danielle-aspromatis-fairy-floss.html)

9.  Glow Stick Ice Bucket.  The glow stick fun continues… add some glow sticks to your ice buckets to add some color and also make it easier to spot the drink you’re looking for.  (Source:http://www.celebrations.com/content/glow-stick-summer-party-ideas)

10.  Water Balloon Ice Bucket.  If you’re not a fan of plunging your hand into frigid water to try to find that last can or bottle at the bottom of the bucket, try freezing water balloons and using them to keep things cold instead.  No mess as the ice melts!  (Source: http://homeconfetti.blogspot.com/2012/03/this-weeks-tip-off-balloon-ice.html)

And if you have a way to decorate for a party on the cheap, please share it below!

Happy partying!