When you were a trick-or-treating youngster, chances are one of your favorite parts about Halloween--besides rocking a wicked costume and stuffing your face with sugar--was checking out all the spooky decorations your neighbors tricked out (sorry) their homes with. Now that you’re--ahem--an adult, Halloween might look a little different (or maybe not...we don’t judge) but that doesn’t mean it shouldn’t still be fun.
Ah, October. This time of year is usually punctuated with crisp autumn air, the smells of apple cider and pumpkin spice wafting in every household, the sounds of crunchy leaves under your feet, and FEAR AND TERROR ON EVERY CORNER. *gulp*
That’s right folks, Halloween will be here before you know it and there’s no better way to get into the spooky spirit and show off your creative chops than covering your home in all things gore and lore. Not looking to wait in lines or spend a ton of money on decor? We’ve got 10 spooktacular ideas that are totally DIY and require at most a few household tools. Missing one? We’ve got you covered.
Read on...if you dare.
Foam Halloween Tombstones
These hand carved tombstones look totally real and are an inexpensive and creative way to spook up your entryway. All you need is Styrofoam, acrylic and spray paint, a brush, a paring knife, and a serrated knife. Once you’ve carved out your tombstone masterpiece, insert some bamboo skewers into the bottom, stick into the ground, and voila! You’ve got some tombstones to die for.
Go the extra mile and add some battery-operated candles to really make them pop. And don’t be afraid to get outrageous with the epitaphs!
DIY Halloween Candy Door Hanger
Concerned about handing out candy while maintaining social distance? Want to make sure guests can still stock up while you’re out? Just looking for a unique way to brighten up your doorway? This candy door hanger is the perfect solution. Visitors won’t be able to resist reaching in for a treat or leaving a personalized note on the chalkboard.
DIY Halloween “Eek” Marquee Sign
Less of a spooky decor person but still want to wow your neighbors? This DIY Halloween marquee is so “eeking” cute, you’ll be getting more compliments on your decor than screams. This DIY requires a decent number of supplies like string lights, a drill, and pine wood but the results are nothing short of heart-stopping.
Flying Bat Branch Centerpiece
Making this quick-and-effective centerpiece won’t actually drive you batty--the entire project takes less than 20 minutes. It’s the perfect way to liven up your dining table or foyer so you can entertain like the ghostess with the mostess. All you need are a handful of long branches, bat cutouts from thick cardstock, a hot glue gun, and a vase.
Fake Cardboard Coffin
You don’t have to be a carpenter to construct these coffins. All you need are some cardboard boxes (all the same size, please!), a box cutter, mock wood shelf liner, a cross ornament, and spray paint. No real wood or nails required! Pro tip: the creator of this tutorial saved even more money by getting all of her supplies from the dollar store.
Friendly Ghost Garland
Not all ghosts are ghoulish! Give your home a not-so-spooky treatment with this happy-faced ghost garland. Materials needed to create these peppy poltergeists include cheesecloth, a hot glue gun, and some practice golf balls.
If you want to make this project kid-friendly, you can substitute the hot glue with regular glue - just make sure to build in extra drying time.
Spooky Eyeball Wreath
Wreaths aren’t just for Christmas. This Halloween, all eyes will be on your door (lol), thanks to this DIY eyeball wreath. To bring this wreath to life, gather up some ping pong balls, plastic googly eyes, hot glue, and a foam wreath. This project isn’t difficult, but does require lots of patience for hot gluing dozens of googly eyes.
Wicked Witch Legs
You don’t have to be a Wizard of Oz fan to appreciate these disembodied wicked witch legs. These realistic gams, made from chicken wire, newspaper, mod podge, spray paint, and old socks and shoes, will have your guests marveling at the poor clumsy fool who fell into your bush...or wondering if a Yellow Brick Road is nearby.
DIY Halloween Zombie
Want to go the extra mile and really scare the legs off your neighbors? Build this DIY dismembered zombie using primarily a bucket, a fake zombie head and hands, an old hoodie, PVC pipe, and lots (LOTS) of tape and wire.
Bubbling Witch’s Cauldron with Glowing Coals
Stir up some trouble with this bubbling cauldron entertainment setup. Place battery-operated LED lights into a twig wreath, fan orange tissue paper around the top to imitate flames, and add a cheap plastic cauldron. Toss in your deadliest Halloween punch and some dry ice for real pizzaz.
Want to go even more creative with your cauldron? Check out this Youtube tutorial on how to make a hyper-realistic cauldron, complete with hanging structure!
