Balloon Garland Tips & Tricks

I've been raving about balloon garlands for over a year so I figured it was time to do a little behind the scenes post about them.  I'll share my tips, what works best for me and #8 is the very hardest thing about balloon arches.  I included a link to the best thing you can buy if you're planning to do a balloon garland.  It's the best air pump that I've found and it's on a big sale.  I've build several balloon arches and you learn a lot after doing that first one.  They are easy peasy - I promise!  They are such a fun addition to any party!

1. Always buy a kit

There are tons of options for under $15 on Amazon.  Seriously any color scheme or any theme balloons are available.  You get 100+ balloons with a big variety of colors and shapes.  People ask me if it's more affordable to build you own kits and I think you'd easily spend more than $15 trying to buy all the balloons and the balloon tape.  I've seen several stores have kids in store, but they all seem small and pricey so I'd recommend looking on Amazon first.

 

2. Watch some Youtube tutorials.

There are tons of them.  I've watched several different ones that are quick and super informative.  They'll help you to feel confident in building your balloon arch in no time.

3. Buy a pump that has two air spouts.

I somehow lost a balloon pump in the move so I upgraded my pump to one with two air spouts.  It allows both kids to be blowing up balloons at the same time and really speeds up the process.  Blow up all of your balloons before you start building your garland.  That'll give you a good idea of what you have to work with before you start.

 

4. Ask for help.

My big kids are great at helping me blow up the balloons.  They can't tie them on their own so I do all the tie work.  Then when it comes time to build them they hand me the colors I need.  If you can avoid blowing up balloons with little kids around, that will make your life easier.  The air pump is loud and scares my toddler so we always do this work at nap time or after he goes to bed.

 

5. Don't wait until the last minute.

Blow up your balloons at least 24 hours before your event.  That will give you plenty of time to build and hang your balloon garland.

 

6. Transporting is hard.

I've transported my balloons before and it's hard.  Even in my van with the seats down, they take up so much room.  If you can avoid having to transport your garland do that.  It's not impossible, but make sure you have tons of inside vehicle room if you plan to transport your garland. 

 

7. Try to place it in a spot where you can take pictures with it

A balloon garland makes the prettiest photo op spot.  Your garland will last for weeks if you want it to so be sure to put it in a fun spot.  A classroom balloon garland would be such a fun way to kick off a school year.

8. Have a plan for hanging it

The very hardest part of decorating with a balloon garland is hanging it.  They are tricky to hang.  I hit the kitchen jackpot at our house because the way that our cabinets are arranged allows for me to have the perfect spot to wedge a balloon garland in.  I use packing tape to hang the smaller balloon garlands on my mantle.  If you leave a tail of balloon tape at the beginning and end of your garland, you will have a much easier time hanging it from there.  You can attach it with string, nail it up or use some strong tape to secure it.  I know people recommend using command hooks to hang it as well.  I haven't tried that method.  Just remember to give yourself plenty of time and several different hanging options to see what works best for your spot.

This is the air pump I was talking about!  It's great and on sale for just $21.99 right now!

Here's my Amazon affiliate link:

Balloon Garlands that I've loved:

Blow up all the balloons!!

This is the balloon tape up close.  See how there are holes all along it!?  You just have to put a balloon in each hole, twist it on and then alternate the way you put on the next one.  If you leave the first 4 or so holes empty, this will give you a really great tail to hang it from.  Trust me.

Do you have any balloon garland questions for me??