Balloon Garland 101: How to Make One, How Long It Lasts, and Whether to DIY or Hire a Pro

Balloon garlands have been around, but if you’ve never made one, it’s all new to you! Every time I’d see a video of someone inflating two balloons at a time and then twisting them into sets of four, my brain would go blank and I’d think, “I could never make that.” So after years of trial and error, I can now promise you that it’s not that hard. You just need a little balloon garland 101.

With more than a few balloon garlands under my belt, I can say for sure that the right kit makes ALL the difference.

I test party supplies all the time (I’m an Amazon affiliate and you can see my favorite party supplies here), but I consistently choose Bashify balloon garland kits over cheaper alternatives. I promise you can create a stunning balloon garland even if you’ve never made one before.

So full disclosure: I’m also an affiliate for Bashify because I’m a huge fan! This post contains affiliate links. As always, I only recommend products I personally use and love. Your support helps me continue creating free party planning content for this community.

The Quality Difference You Can Actually See

You absolutely can find cheaper balloon garland kits on Amazon. But after using both, the difference in quality is immediately obvious. The first time I got an Amazon balloon kit was for my daughter’s Hawaiian Donut Birthday Party and I was so disappointed that I didn’t include any photos of it in my post about the party. Here is how it looked. There’s no variety in the balloons, so it didn’t have that “wave” look.

I eventually researched better options and found Bashify through their TikTok. Their videos make assembling and hanging a balloon garland make sense — enough so that I tried a balloon garland again for my Pink Halloween Party. That garland actually lasted for a couple weeks after the party and my husband finally asked, “Um… when is that coming down?”

I’d left it up to see how long it would last and it just would not deflate. Bashify balloons are professional quality and they simply hold their shape longer without that deflated, wrinkled look that cheaper balloons get.

Why Bashify Instructions Actually Work for Beginners

You can see how I used to assemble balloon garlands here, using a hand pump and a plastic balloon strip. And that worked, but the balloons looked too spaced apart and so the garland didn’t look full.

If you look at this balloon garland from my daughters’ bowling party, you’ll see better quality balloons (not from Amazon) but I still used the plastic balloon strip, and didn’t love the result. You just don’t get a lot of control from the balloon strip, and my balloons looked kind of limp.

For the bowling party, I’d gone total DIY: choosing the colors and number and sizes of balloons I thought I needed. Even though I was buying better balloons, I was still making it harder on myself than it needed to be. When you buy a 10-foot Bashify balloon garland kit, it includes everything you need:

• balloons in the colors and patterns you choose,
• the right number and sizes of balloons,
• super strong fishing line,
• command hooks for installation,
• extra large rubber bands and
• glue dots.

This image shows you what was LEFT OVER in my 10-foot balloon garland kit AFTER I made my huge Halloween balloon garland — there’s just so much!

What sets Bashify apart is that you get detailed, written assembly instructions plus a link to a video tutorial in case you’re a visual learner. Their instructions are written for real people and you get clear, manageable steps with helpful photos.

The quick and dirty process is this:

1. Blow up two balloons using the electric balloon pump.
2. Instead of tying off each balloon individually, tie them together.
3. Blow up two more balloons, tie them together. Then, take your two sets of balloons and twist them together at the ties to create a quad.
4. After you’ve made all your quads, take the fishing line and wrap it around the ties of the quads to attach them in a long line.
5. After you hand the garland in place (see instructions below), you can adjust the balloons so the ones you want to be more prominent are facing out. The glue dots included in the Bashify kit are good for this.

Installation Options That Work in Real Homes

Wall Installation

Installing balloons against a wall (like surrounding a dessert table) has always been tricky for me. It’s a challenging to mount something round and 3-D on a flat surface. And then you’re also trying to to avoid having the balloon garland crowd your dessert table. (Another reason to set up the day before if at all possible: it just allows time for any struggle.)

There are three basic ways to go about attaching a balloon garland to a wall: painters tape, command hooks, or fishing line. Bashify kits include fishing line, glue dots, rubber bands, and removable adhesive hooks that won’t damage your paint.

Regardless of the method you choose, you’ll want to anchor the garland to the wall in at least three places. Get help holding your garland against the wall so you can choose and mark those anchor points with a dab of painter’s tape or pencil.

Painters tape method: You’ll need a long, stretchy balloon (they are called 260s) tied into a circle or an oversized rubber band. Tape the balloon or rubber band to the wall, then secure either end of the tape with more tape to form an H. Hold the garland up the attachment point, then stretch the balloon or rubber band over a balloon in your garland.

Command hooks method: You’ll need a 260 balloon tied into a circle or an oversized rubber band. Tie the 260 balloon or rubber band to the hook by holding it up to one side of the hook and pulling the other end through the hook and itself. Hold the garland up the attachment point, then stretch the balloon or rubber band over a balloon in your garland.

Fishing line method: If you have a curtain rod or sconces — anything that provides an attachment point — wrap the end of the balloon garland fishing line around that to secure the top of the garland. Use the painters tape or command hook method to secure additional points on your garland.

Free-Standing Backdrop

If you’re using a backdrop stand or balloon arch frame, you’ll want to attach the garland’s fishing line to the backdrop with clamps. Just wrap the fishing line around the clamp to secure it, then attach the clamps to the backdrop. For my Dolly Parton/Weather Birthday Party (it makes sense if you know my girls), I didn’t do a full balloon garland, but I did attach foil balloons around the top of two backdrop arches.

Timing Your Balloon Garland Creation

When to Inflate

Inflate your balloons and assemble the garland the day before your party. That way you won’t feel rushed to complete a project that’s new to you. Then, store the garland somewhere safe, away from pets and small kids (like a guest bedroom). The garland will last through your party and beyond.

Essential Tool: Electric Balloon Pump

Do yourself a favor and invest in an electric balloon pump. Manual pumping dozens of balloons is exhausting and time-consuming. An electric pump makes the process quick and ensures consistent balloon sizes. I will say that it took me a little while to get the hang of the electric balloon pump, but you will get there and it makes blowing up tons of balloons so much faster.

Making Your Garland Last Outdoors

Sun is the enemy of balloons, which I learned the hard way at our beach-themed bake sale. I used Amazon balloons and beach balls to create a garland that I swear looked cute to begin with. But the garland lost its shape fast and drooped in the afternoon sun. You party and you learn.

Here’s what I know now about protecting balloon garlands from the sun:

• Create shade: Position your garland under a pergola or natural tree cover when possible.
• Avoid certain environments: Concrete or brick that gets hot or has sharp, pointy corners.
• Under inflate: Bashify recommends inflating, then gently pushing balloons against your torso to let out some air. This gives balloons a nice, round shape and also under-inflates them so they can expand with the heat.
• Morning setup: Hang outdoor garlands in the morning before the sun is at full strength.
• Backup plan: Keep a few extra inflated balloons in a cool, shaded area for quick replacements. (Bashify kits come with a few extra balloons.)

Create Your Own Design With Bashify’s Balloon Garland Customizer

This is where Bashify really shines and why I started recommending them in my themed party plans. Their online customizer lets you create exactly the color and pattern combination you need for your theme. They have loads of themes to start with, but if you are doing your own thing, the customizer is the way to go. You can see exactly how your color combination will look before ordering. You can adjust colors, see different size options, and even add foil balloons. No more guessing whether those colors will work together or ordering the wrong size for your space.

DIY Bashify Kit vs. Hiring a Professional: Making the Right Choice

Let me be transparent about when each option makes sense, because remember — there’s no one right way to plan a party.

When a DIY Bashify Kit is Perfect:

Cost: $60 for Bashify vs. $400+ for professional installation

Effort: If this is your first time making a balloon garland, allow about an hour to inflate and assemble the garland and another 30 minutes to hang the garland. The process will go faster your second time around.

When to Consider a Professional:

Large-scale events: Think graduation parties or milestone celebrations (like the one I covered in my graduation party cost breakdown) where you just want to hand-off the effort.

Time constraints: When you’re already maxed out with other party prep.

Complex installations: Multi-level or ceiling-suspended designs. Or really, anything involving a scary ladder.

The sweet spot? Most birthday parties and smaller celebrations are perfect DIY opportunities. Save the professional expense for those once-in-a-lifetime events where the scale justifies the cost.

Why This Matters for Your Party Planning

When you choose quality supplies with clear instructions, you’re setting yourself up for success. You’ll spend less time troubleshooting and more time enjoying the creative process.

The small extra investment in a Bashify kit pays for itself in:

• Confidence and less stress because you have clear instructions
• Professional-looking results that photograph beautifully
• Longer-lasting decoration that stays beautiful throughout your party
• Skills you can use for every future celebration

Ready to Create Your First Balloon Garland?

Whether you’re planning a birthday party, baby shower, or holiday celebration, a balloon garland adds that special touch that makes ordinary spaces feel magical. And with Bashify’s beginner-friendly approach, you can create something beautiful without the stress.

What’s holding you back from trying a balloon garland? Drop a comment and let me know — I love helping solve party planning challenges!