Your best friend is having a baby, and you’ve been tasked with hosting the baby shower in your apartment. Now what? While staging your small space for a baby shower may sound like a big undertaking, the great news is that it doesn’t take a lot of space or expensive party props to give your apartment a baby-shower feel.
Before you start shopping and tackling DIY décor projects, do this: One, invite a few friends or family members to help you host so costs and prep work are shared. Second, choose a theme for the shower to keep your décor cohesive.
Décor Ideas
Diaper cake: This popular baby shower centerpiece blends a fun decoration with a useful gift if the mother-to-be is going to be using disposable diapers.
Fabric pennant banners: DIY fabric banners are a simple way to add to the décor of a space, and they’re easy to hang without harming the walls.
This burlap name banner was made by hot-gluing small wooden letters onto pieces of burlap fabric, then gluing the fabric flags to a length of burlap twine. It can be customized to any color scheme and can be repurposed in the baby’s nursery after the shower.
Fabric tassel banners: DIY décor doesn’t get easier than this fabric tassel banner, which is made by cutting strips of fabric, then tying them to a piece of twine.
Paper banners: Another type of banner can be made by cutting or punching shapes out of patterned paper, then stringing them together. This is not only quick and easy, it’s budget-friendly!
Gifts as décor: Plush toys or clothes that will be given as gifts double as shower decor.
Baby clothes hung on a line dresses up a blank wall, adding a genuine “baby shower feel” to any room. To create this look, hang two adhesive hooks on the wall. Tie a piece of burlap twine from hook to hook, then pin the baby clothes to the twine using small clothespins.
Food and Drink
A cute bar station and a table covered with colorful snacks immediately adds a festive feel to your small space.
If the shower is a mid-morning or mid-afternoon event, you don’t need to feed the guests a meal; a few simple party appetizers and a cake will suffice. Since the mom-to-be can’t enjoy cocktails, consider setting up an equally fun non-alcoholic party bar like this.
A Few Extra Tips
Need more seating in a small space? Arrange large decorative pillows around a coffee table to serve as floor cushions. To dress up folding chairs, swag smaller paper or fabric banners across the chair backs.
Also, ensure that no guest gets stuck sitting alone: Arrange the chairs in groups of two or more to encourage conversation.
To hang and arrange decorations without damaging walls or furniture, use either Command adhesive strips and hooks or decorative washi tape. The pretty designs of the washi tape are an added bonus.
Are children included? Plan ahead to keep the kids occupied and the apartment baby-proof. Create an art station by wrapping a small table in brown paper and setting out a bowl of washable crayons.
In the end, it doesn’t take a lot of money or a lot of space to throw a fabulous baby shower. A few simple crafts, a few finger foods and a hostess who makes sure all guests are included in conversation guarantee a party where everyone leaves happy!