Halloween is right around the corner — have you started planning your holiday decorations? While party supply stores have great options, personalized Halloween decoration DIY styles are fun and a cheaper way to deck your halls. Even if you aren’t the best artist or crafting expert, you can let your individualism show and create artwork all on your own. Spending some time crafting with the family is also a great way to bond with each other. While movie nights and Netflix binges are fun, it can be refreshing to have a screen-free evening.
Get ready to unleash your inner child with these inventive, beginner-friendly DIY Halloween decoration ideas, so you can create with the whole family.
For the yard
Carved pumpkins are classic Halloween decor, but there’s always room to add even more spooky aspects to your yard. For a fun scene, set the stage of a few cute ghosts holding hands around a fire pit. All you need are a few simple items:
- Old white bed sheets or tablecloths
- Foam circle (available at any local craft store or on Amazon)
- String
- Garden shepherd’s hooks
Tie the sheet around the foam ball, attach a string or ribbon around the base of the ball, and connect the shepherd’s hooks to both ends of the string to lift the two “arms.” Set the ghosts around in a circle to create the illusion that they’re holding hands. You can draw faces on them to match their personalities (spooky or happy) and the whole thing will cost under $20.
While you’re outside
If you know you won’t be home this Halloween or don’t plan to participate in trick-or-treating, don’t leave the neighborhood kids hanging. Line your carved pumpkins with a small plastic bag and fill them with candy. To direct kids to the sweet treats, decorate a piece of cardboard and make a sign that says “Please take one.” Tape the sign onto a stick or paint stirrer and place it in the middle of the pumpkin for a DIY candy bowl.
You can even get more creative and designate one pumpkin for chocolate candy, one for hard candy, and another for gummies so the kids can easily pick their favorites without rifling through the entire bowl.
In the house
Pull out your antiques or head to your local thrift store to DIY some fun Halloween decor. Old books are fantastic pieces to set on tables or the fireplace mantle. Paint the sides with phrases like “Spellbook” or “Potion recipes” to celebrate the spooky season. Vintage lanterns, wrought-iron pieces, and antique dolls can also be eerie touches for those looking to transform their living spaces for the holiday.
Another clever decor idea is to use plastic skeletons and create unique scenes around the home. If you have a spare chair, set it up in the corner and place a skeleton on top. Add a newspaper in its hands so it looks like he’s reading. Or, add a bathrobe and eye mask to simulate the skeleton relaxing at the end of the day. The options are endless, and it can be a fun activity for the kids during the spooky season.
Reuse those wine bottles
If you have any old wine bottles lying around, don’t recycle them just yet. Instead, transform them into perfect DIY candle holders by painting them black.
- First, remove any labels using Goo Gone or a similar solution.
- Then, rinse and dry the bottle completely before applying a coat of black paint. (You may need more than one coat to make it opaque.)
- Once the paint is fully dry, place an orange taper candle through the top to create the perfect Halloween ambiance for any room.
Paint everything
If you have a well-ventilated space to paint safely, buy a couple of cans of spray paint in metallic colors like gold, silver, and copper. Take your regular, store-bought decor like plastic pumpkins, skeletons, and candlesticks and give them a makeover. We love repainting small table-sized pumpkins because they can be so versatile. They work as table centerpieces, lawn decor, mantle decoration, and so much more. This is another project that can engage the entire family, as long as everyone is old enough to handle paint safely.
For a more kid-friendly option, opt for regular paint instead. Then, little ones can use small brushes to add color to the decor instead of spray paint, which can be more difficult to control. You can also cut out clip art ghosts, goblins, pumpkins, witch hats, and anything else that reminds you of the holiday. The younger kids can spend some time coloring and decorating them, then you can tape them to the doors and windows for an extra personal touch.
Not mentioned above are all the tasty treats you can create that are also DIY-friendly, like a spiderweb cake or eyeball cupcakes. Plus, with all the crafting you’re doing, you are bound to work up an appetite. You can’t go wrong as long as you’re spending time with loved ones and celebrating the harvest season. This weekend, get the family together to watch a spooky movie, eat too much candy, and decorate the house. There are no wrong answers when it comes to DIY — the only thing holding you back is your imagination.
