Over the years (and many projects) I have tried a plethora of ways for hanging party decorations. Some ideas work better than others. Most of the time we want a way to display our decorations temporarily, without damaging our walls or our home in general! We also want to know that our decor will stay where it's supposed to without having to bring in some heavy-duty over-the-top fixings.
Do you find yourself asking questions such as;
- How to hang decorations from the ceiling without nails?
- Wait… how do I even hang party decorations from the ceiling?
- How do I hang party decorations without damaging walls?
- What tape can I use for hanging party decorations?
- Will my party installation hold or fall down?
- Am I able to reuse my party decorations?
Let's get into the things you need to consider, in order to answer those questions.
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Identify your requirements and restrictions
Whilst I cannot guarantee how your walls will fair after you decorate them, I can give you my past experiences and suggestions on what I found has and hasn’t worked. There are some things that are completely out of your control and you will need to work with. These may include;
What type of wall do you have?
Do you have brick/masonry walls? Perhaps plaster, partition, timber or drywall (gypsum board) walls? Are there any studs? Some methods will not work with all types of walls. The weight of your supplies will also determine which method you use. Heavier decorations require a heavier-duty method.
What type of decorations are you installing?
Consider in particular, the weight of your party decorations. Fortunately, some of the methods for installing actually come with a recommended weight to make this easier. It's also important to identify surfaces, hooks, loops etc that come as part of your decorations. These may help you with the installation. A few times I have bought decorations, assuming they'd have a loop or tab for hanging, but didn't! Grrr!
How long will your decorations be displayed?
Another thing to keep in mind is how long your decorations will be displayed. Some types of applications are best removed as soon as possible. Read the manufacturer's suggestions. Some may be 24 hours, some may be a few days or possibly even longer depending on what method you’re using.
When the world (or your house) just seems against you
There are times when it seems like it doesn't matter what I do, things just never seem to work. In one house in particular that I lived in, I was never able to use painter's tape. The house was brand new and I had it professionally painted. It didn’t matter what type of tape I used or how long I left it on. It always peeled off the paint. At the time I thought I was going crazy.
I have since discovered if your walls weren't prepped correctly before painting, or there just isn't enough paint on them, then this is where problems can arise. I also suspect that things such as the quality of paint, its age or the quality of your plaster may also determine how well your party decorations will stay stuck. So if you feel like nothing works, just know that it's not you – it's your house. Haha. But the sooner you accept it and find another way for the both of you to work together, it'll be a lot less stressful! Luckily I have a bunch of suggestions you can try.
My best overall tip for hanging party decorations
No matter what decorations you are using; where you're installing them or what method you choose to display them with – use the best quality that you can afford. This goes for fixings and (ideally) decorations too. I've found oftentimes cheap is not best in these situations. I understand more than anyone that parties can get expensive. I try my best to save wherever I can. However, even if your decorations are lesser in quality, ensure that you invest in the best that you can when it comes to hooks, strips, tapes etc.
If your fixings don't hold then you've just wasted money on the decorations. Or even worse, damaged your house which is something a landlord might give you trouble over (or your partner!).
Hanging Party Decorations with Removeable Hooks
Removable hooks are one of my favourite ways to hang party decorations and home decor. I would definitely recommend Command 3M Hooks. They come in many options making them suitable for a range of different applications. You will find plastic hooks, metal hooks (that lever), Velcro and many more sizes, weights and options.
The couple of times that I have tried cheaper options, it has always been harder to make sure they come off clean. When it comes to removing Command hooks, I have found that working slowly and steadily with these works best. The angle at which you take the hook off the wall makes a difference too. However, this is something you will just pick up as you go along.
I used two large plastic Command hooks for my paper streamer party backdrop. I needed something to hang a dowel rod from. So I stuck the hooks to the wall and then used zip ties to make loops over the hooks. I threaded the dowel rod through the zip ties. This was actually a really sturdy way to create this backdrop. At the time I was living in a rental and the hooks came off clean without any problems.
Using removable velcro strips
As with the removable hooks above, I recommend Command 3M velcro. The way in which you apply and remove them is the same. They also come in different sizes and weights. I find these are good for flat surfaces like party signs and frames. I've even made an entire gallery wall of photo frames using removable velcro hooks. I left those on the wall for about two years and most of them came off pretty well.
Less temporary screw-in cup hooks
Screw-in cup hooks aren't as temporary as many of the other items on this list. However, these are definitely one of my go-to tips for hanging party decorations. I got this idea from my Mum, many, many years ago. When I was young, she would use them to hang her Christmas decorations. Now, I have them all through the house to hang tinsel and other decor.
As our ceilings are plaster, it is easy enough to screw some small white hooks into them. If you're going to regularly use these hooks for all of your parties or decorations, they're definitely worth trying. Most ceilings are white, and if you buy small white hooks I find most people don't even notice my tiny little hooks.
How to hang decorations using painter's tape
Painter's tape is a great way to attach items to walls temporarily. I used plenty of it when making a paper plate party backdrop. The only time I ran into problems was when the plates were attached too securely or I ripped them off too quickly. Otherwise, for the rest of the display, it all came off really well.
There were a couple of areas that pulled off small amounts of paint and also created tiny air bubbles in the wall. My tips for avoiding this would be to apply the least amount of pressure you can when putting your decorations on the wall. And also slowly remove the tape – don’t go at it too soon. I did take this display down within a few hours of putting it up. However, the manufacturers' instructions say that you can have it up for three days so please be mindful.
As I mentioned above, in a brand new house that I built, I could never remove painter's tape cleanly. No matter which brand I tried or how long it was on the wall. If you're worried, it's always best to test an inconspicuous area first.
Fastening light-weight decorations with washi tape
I love washi tape as an alternative and they come in so many fun colours and patterns. I found that it really never leaves a mark as long as you are using the correct type. The correct type being the translucent type of paper that tears easily. None of the fancy glitters, or anything like that.
On one occasion, I had some washi tape up for about 12 months and there was some slight damage to the paint when I pulled it off. But for the most part, this is always worked quite well for me. As a temporary fixing, this could be an option (lengthy amounts of time probably aren't ideal).
The one problem with washi tape is that sometimes it can only hold very lightweight decorations such as paper and signs. I find that success also depends on the quality of the tape too. I have tried and tried to keep A3 pieces of paper on my wall and the majority of my washi tapes just don't work, even when using 4 – 6 pieces per page. Even though the tapes have plenty of stick, many of them are quite old. I will have to splash out on some new washi tape to see if that makes a difference. I will let you know! At the end of the day, if it’s a minor application, something lightweight or small then it’s definitely one to consider.
Attaching decor using gaffer tape
Gaffer tape is a strong adhesive tape that you can find in some great colours. The tape works well on most surfaces such as plastic, cardboard, metal and painted drywall. It isn't something I have used myself so make sure you check that it works with your surface first. It won't work well with old flaking paint so you will need to look at another option if that's what you have to work with.
Many people swear by gaffer tape (I'm definitely going to have to give it a try!). Some have said that it may leave a slight residue, whilst other people have never had any issue. You could also potentially use this with fabrics or roll it over and attach balloons and other party decorations to walls.
Using sticky putty / Blue Tack
Ah, the dreaded Blue Tack! I'm pretty sure we've all suffered peeled paint after removing this sticky tack from the walls. But I do need to include it in this list. Whilst there are several names for it, sticky putty can be useful for many applications. Just make sure they're only temporary ones. It is a great option for attaching decorations to windows and glass, or cupboards.
As for using Blu Tack on painted walls, it's not impossible however, you will need to test it out. If the walls weren't properly prepared before painting, or there is insufficient paint then it will likely peel your paint off. Even if it doesn't peel paint from your walls, it can still leave a dark-ish stain where it was. Proceed with caution on that one!
Hanging party decorations with zip ties
Zip ties can be used for hanging party decorations in a similar way as the fasteners below. Given that you can loop multiple ties together, this could come in handy if you have something thin without a hook (eg. a patio pole). They come in different sizes, so don't just limit yourself to the tiny ones. You could wrap one zip tie around the pole then wrap another through that one if it's needed.
As I mentioned above, I used zip ties to hang the dowel for my paper streamer backdrop. I simply looped them around two removable hooks. Be sure you leave enough space to cut them off! Small ties will be cut easily with scissors. Larger, thicker zip ties may need a tool like a wire cutter/pliers.
Hanging party decorations with twine, fishing Line or wire
Strings, baker's twine and fishing line are great to have in your kit for hanging party decorations. Usually, these are used in combination with some other type of fixing or hook. However, sometimes they are helpful for simply looping and tieing around things. Occasionally strings that come on decorations can break so having some twine or fishing line on hand will help.
Oftentimes we forget the impact of hanging decorations from the ceiling, you should give it a go! Strings combined with temporary hooks (if needed) would be one way to do this.
I have used twine to hang party banners and garlands. Sometimes I like to use some coordinating baker's twine to hang them and other times I rather not see anything so I will use fishing line. I've usually fixed them to hooks hanging on the wall. You could use twine to pin garlands and decorations as I did with my son's Super Mario banner and a garland I used for a unicorn buffet table.
Fasteners – Pegs and Binder (Butterfly) Clips
Mini craft pegs and binder clips are popular fasteners you could use however, there are many other fastening options out there depending on what you need (U bolts, and S clips for example). I like to use small craft pegs to attach paper banner flags to twine. I also often use binder clips to attach fabric backdrops in front of windows. They clamp and hold the fabric sheet to the blinds.
On your way to enjoying a great party
To recap, below are my favourite tips for hanging party decorations. Click on the links for quick shopping options to add to your party decor toolkit!
- Removable Hooks
- Velcro Strips
- Screw-in Cup Hooks
- Painter's Tape
- Washi Tape
- Gaffer Tape
- Sticky Putty/Blu Tack
- Zip Ties
- Baker's Twine
- Fishing Line/Wire
- Mini Craft Pegs
- Binder Clips
Which will you use? Hopefully, these tips have given you some ideas. You want to be able to enjoy the party, not be fixing decorations that keep falling down! Is there a particular type of party decoration that you would like some tips on how to hang or install? Let me know and comment below!
Other Resources You May Like:
FREE PRINTABLE: Happy Birthday Coloring Activity Mat
FREE PRINTABLE: Party Action Plan + Shopping Lists
ARTICLE: Amazing Birthday Decor: Fun Backdrop Ideas for a Party
ARTICLE: Practical Tips for Planning a Party at Home
FROM MY SHOP: Printable Party Signs + Banners
