How to Decorate a Small Balcony of an Apartment With Lanterns

Measure the area where you want to hang your lanterns and plot where each one will go. If you’re hanging a string of lanterns, make sure you know exactly how much space you have for the entire string, so you don’t end up with an obvious gap at the end or awkwardly placed extras that you don’t quite have room for. Plan to suspend the lanterns from the roof or awning of the balcony so they hang overhead.

Locate your power source. An outdoor outlet is ideal. Measure the distance from the outlet to the point where the closest lantern will be, and purchase appropriate extension cords if needed. If you don’t have access to this type of electrical outlet, look for solar-powered lanterns or those that hold candles instead.

Hammer a nail into the trim along the top of your balcony for each lantern. Hang the lantern directly from the nail or use a lantern hook to suspend the lantern further down.

Use a staple gun to secure the wire between lanterns to the trim so it doesn’t hang down. When the wire reaches the edge of the balcony, secure it to the wall or vertical trim to guide it down to the outlet.