90 Easy DIY Halloween Decorations to Spookify Your Home for Less
Ghosts, zombies, witches and bats will spruce up your indoor and outdoor decor on October 31.
Celebrating Halloween can easily put a dent in your wallet if you're not careful. From family costumes and spooky dinners to satisfying candy and ghoulish decor, every purchase adds up. So, as you prepare for this fangtastic season, consider saving money with Halloween crafts that double as DIY Halloween decorations. We share a range of fun ideas below, from homemade pumpkin carving ideas and festive wreaths to impressive table settings and door decor.
Your indoor and outdoor Halloween decorations can be as extravagant or simple as you'd like. Think candlesticks dripping in fake blood or floating lanterns and tombstone chair covers. As kids stop by your door to trick-or-treat, give them a scare with creative outdoor DIYs, like paper bat garlands and creepy crawler pumpkin spiders. While many of the ideas, like the googly-eyed produce and spa pumpkins, are easy for kids to join in on the crafting fun, other projects such as webbed placemats and tissue ghosts may require more time and craftsmanship.
No matter what homemade Halloween decorations you choose to add to your decor on October 31, you're sure to spook your guests. Plus, if you're amping up the scare by transforming your home into a haunted house, these ideas are guaranteed to bring on the fright.
'Batty' Pumpkin
Don't shy away from bold hues this year. Spray paint pumpkins a neon pink or bold red, then hot glue paper bats to create a unique and "batty" display.
Spiderweb Drink Umbrellas
Use a Cricut machine and 12x12 black craft paper to DIY these adorable spiderweb umbrellas for your drinks. Then, hot glue the center of the webs to skewer sticks. When the night ends, you may find a few of them missing because they're oh-so-cute!
Spa Pumpkin
An easy and quite silly decor idea is dressing your pumpkin in spa attire. Think cucumbers for eyes and blue paint in the center to represent their facial expression.
Puff Paint Pumpkins
Use puff paint to give your pumpkins all sorts of designs. In this case, we painted the pumpkins white, then used white puff paint to draw on the leaf designs.
Crepe Paper Garlands
These snake-like garlands are made with dark RIT liquid dye and an orange party streamer roll. All it takes is sewing a basic running stitch down the center of the streamer. Keep the process going until your garland is long enough to drape over the mantel or bar cart.
Headstone Pumpkin
This eerie pumpkin design is inspired by old cemetery headstones. Start by carving out our headstone template onto a tall, dark pumpkin. After adding lights, you can place your new headstone in the yard, porch or lawn.
Crow Pumpkin
To create this stunning look, pick out a fresh pumpkin, wipe away the dirt and clean it with a water and vinegar spray mixture.
- Using a good pumpkin carving knife, keyhole saw or sturdy serrated kitchen knife, cut a round opening from the bottom of the pumpkin (this makes it easier to add lights).
- Scoop out the inside pulp and seeds and trace this crow template onto the pumpkin using washable chalk markers.
- Use a craft knife set to cut along the template's lines before placing the carved pumpkin over string lights or a LED votive.
Day of the Dead Pillow
Blogger Holly created this colorful pillow design using felt and a sugar skull printout. You'll also need fabric glue to attach the felt sheets and dimensional paint.
Candy Cave Pumpkin
This decoration doubles as an easy way for kids to take their treats. Create a hole at the bottom of the pumpkin and scoop out the guts inside. Carve out a hole in the pumpkin's front, before painting the entire pumpkin black and filling it with delicious candy that trick-or-treaters will want to eat.
Halloween Lanterns
Light up the night with these crafty paper lanterns. We have various designs to choose from, including mummies, spiders and full moons.
Scalloped Edge Pumpkins
After carving these designs, place them on your tables and mantels.
- Cut your round opening from the bottom and scoop out the insides using a spoon or measuring cup. Keep carving the opening until you've created your desired bowl shape.
- Cut out V-shaped slivers and widen them until you have your scalloped edges.
- For this idea, you can add a tealight inside or place another pumpkin on top.
Eye Mask Pumpkins
One of the easiest of these ideas, these pumpkins only require one thing to make them pop: eye masks!
Carved Candlestick Pumpkins
Carve these cool candle designs on your tall squashes. After cutting a round opening from the bottom of the pumpkin, scoop out the insides. Download and trace this candlestick template with washable chalk markers. As the final touch, cut along the template and place your new candlesticks over string lights.
Haunted House Lantern
After DIYing these paper haunted house cut-outs, place flameless tea lights inside to evoke that spooky glow when the lights are dim.
Flame Pumpkins
Illuminate your space with these glowing flames. Find various pumpkins in all sizes, then download, trace and carve out this flame template. Cut the pumpkin's opening out from the bottom to place the tealights inside.
Cupcake Liner Pumpkin
You likely have everything you need in the house already to create these stylish pumpkins. Once you gather your tools, begin by folding cupcake liners in half. Starting at the top of the pumpkin, attach a matte black folded cupcake liner as close to the stem as you can with double stick tape. Overlap liners slightly as you fill a vertical line into the bottom. Using the metallic folder liners, make another vertical row being sure to overlap slightly to get a nice textured look making sure the rounded edges are what show. Repeat steps until you completely cover your pumpkin.
Magic Potion Bottles
Make your own potions and turn your home into a magical witch's cottage. Fill a glass bottle (you can even reuse an old candle jar) with fake bloody fingers or use foods like gummy candies and beef jerky to create the appearance of severed body parts. Use a funnel to pour water, food coloring and glitter into the jars, so the creepy parts float around.
Spiderweb Pumpkin
Let's put a spin on traditional pumpkin carving — cut out an oval shape in the front of your pumpkin instead of carving out the top. Scrape out the seeds and pulp. Spray paint the entire pumpkin black (be careful around the stem). Then, use an awl tool to punch holes around the edge of the opening. Thread string through the holes to create a web. Finish your creepy pumpkin by hot gluing a plastic spider to the web.
Creepy Candles
Give your home a haunted makeover with this simple DIY. Use bright red candlesticks in matte black candle holders, and then add drips of red hot glue to resemble dripping blood.
Painted Baby’s Breath
Instantly add some drama to your space by spray painting branches of dried baby’s breath black and using them as your centerpiece.
Alyssa Gautieri (she/her) is the associate lifestyle editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers all things home and interior design. Prior to joining GH in 2022, she wrote for publications including ELLE Decor, Chairish, BobVila.com, Unique Homes Magazine and LODGING Magazine, in addition to crafting product copy for home brands like BrylaneHome and VIGO Industries.
Mariah Thomas (she/her) is an assistant editor for Good Housekeeping, where she covers home and lifestyle content. Mariah has more than four years of editorial experience, having written for TLC, Apartment Therapy, Women's Health and Avocado Magazine. She received her master's degree in journalism at the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism and published her first book, Heart and Soul: Poems of Thoughts and Emotions, in 2019. She's also the founder of RTF Community, a platform for creatives of color to connect, learn and showcase their work.
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