The Lazy Girl's Guide To Throwing A Party

Photographed by Nikole Herriott for Oh Joy. Party Popcorn
Fact #1: Everyone loves popcorn. Fact #2: Everyone loves sprinkles. Which leads to the obvious conclusion: There is nothing better than popcorn covered in sprinkles. This recipe from design blog, Oh Joy, has a few hard-to-find ingredients, but in a pinch, you can just leave them out, and simply combine popcorn, butter, and sprinkles for instant party snack.

A to Z Paper Plates
The worst thing about a party at home is the following day’s clean up (especially, if you are an unlucky soul without a dishwasher). Our solution? Urban Outfitters’ paper plates. But, these aren’t just any old white paper products — every plate in this set is decorated with a different letter of the alphabet, so you can create personalised table settings that will impress your guests. (You might have to get a little clever if know more than one Nigel.)

Urban Outfitters A - Z Paper Plates, £15, available at Urban Outfitters.

Photo: Courtesy of Babble. Cake In A Jar
Throwing an impromptu party for a friend’s birthday? Babble’s ingenious "cake in a jar" is a charming — and speedy — alternative to baking a whole cake. All you need is sprinkles, cake mix, frosting, and some neon food colouring. You’re practically Nigella.

Photo: Courtesy of Studio DIY. DIY Confetti-Dipped Balloons
A balloon is a balloon — unless it’s covered in glorious gold glitter. Then it’s a party-ready masterpiece. Follow the easy-peasy how-to on Studio DIY to add much much-need sparkle to your fete.

Photo: Courtesy of A Pair & A Spare. DIY Tassel Garland
Here’s a crafty idea for decorating your abode: make your own garland! According to A Pair & A Spare’s Geneva Vanderzeil, all you need is coloured tissue paper (easily attainable from a stationery shop), tape, string, and some slightly nimble fingers.

Crossley Keepsake Turntable
Your party tunes will sound so much better when played on this fabulous floral turntable. It's so much chicer than an iPod dock, don't you think?

Urban Outfitters Crossley Keepsake Turntable, £160, available at Urban Outfitters.

Graham and Green Moroccan Leather Pouffes
If space is at a premium, invest in a couple of these nifty Moroccan leather pouffes. They're easy to store and can double as extra seating at your next soiree.

Graham and Green Moroccan Leather Pouffes, from £130, available at Graham and Green.

Striped Paper Straws
If you must make do with your limited drinks-cupboard supplies, jazz up your everyday glasses with these retro straws. Voilà! Party time!

Striped Paper Straws, £4, available at Peach Blossom.

Indoor Sparklers
No one will notice that the cupcakes are shop-bought when they’re covered with lots of tiny indoor sparklers.

Heals Indoor Sparklers, £2.50, available at Heals.

Photo: Courtesy of 17 Apart. Inside-Out Mojito Cubes
If you have a little time to prep the night before, we suggest you to try out 17 Apart’s recipe for inside-out mojitos. The mint-infused ice cubes are guaranteed to impress your guests.

Photo: Courtesy of Wee Birdy. DIY Confetti Wall
Let’s talk about wall confetti. All you need, according to this nifty tutorial from Beci Orpin’s fantastic DIY book, Find and Keep — via the equally fantastic blog, Wee Birdy — is some coloured paper, scissors, and blu tack. These bright dots will instantly revive a blank wall, no hammer and nails required.