5 DIY Decorations for a Homemade Halloween

The season of ghosts, ghouls and ghastly things is upon us, and you know what that means. It’s time to transform your home into a tomb so spooky even a specter would hesitate to haunt it. Sure, you can buy decorations from the store, but where’s the fun in that?

You’ll get a greater sense of satisfaction when you craft things with your own two hands. Plus, you can involve your entire family in the fun! Here are five ideas for DIY Halloween decorations that’ll bring some spirit to your digs.

1. Spooktacular Fall Wreaths

Use fall wreaths to adorn every door in your home. Make it a challenge with your family to see who can create the best designs. You can invent different categories like “scariest” and “cutest” to ensure everyone wins.

Start with a base of either foam or sticks, both available at craft stores. Invest in some flat black spray paint and hit the dollar store for additional supplies. You can use poster board and cookie cutters, for example, to trace and cut out bats and ghosts and similar shapes. Add artificial flowers and beads or strings for a craft you’ll look forward to hanging year after year.

2. Creepy Candy Doorhanger

This craft takes a bit of hardware, including sharp objects, so save this project for the older children if you’re doing this as a family. You’ll need a hard surface like a small blackboard. You’ll also need a half-pumpkin, which you can paint into the obvious jack-o-lantern pattern. Or let your imagination run wild and make a ghost, a witch or something entirely different – as long as it makes you shudder.   

Once you mount the pumpkin on the frame with hot glue, you can carve it like you do a regular gourd. Make sure to give it a wide mouth opening to create a place to deposit your stash of candy. Get creative and make more than one for various doors throughout your home. Your kids can grab whatever they’d like whenever they feel the urge to snack.

3. Arch-Evil Archways

Is there a better way to welcome trick-or-treaters to your home than with a Halloween archway? Why stop at the door when you can do so much more?

You can make your base for your archway out of PVC pipe, wire or styrofoam depending on the look you want. Line the exterior of your arch with plastic Halloween pumpkins from your local dollar store. Or create your decorations out of posterboard, fake cobwebs or whatever else you have at your disposal. You can cut out bats to dangle or witches on broomsticks.

See also: Top Halloween Party Ideas and Essentials

4. Glow-in-the-Dark Cheesecloth Ghosts

Make your lawn so creepy even spirits will quiver before entering. Nothing screams “Halloween” more than some spooky ghosts to adorn your lawn.

First, use chicken wire to build a frame for your ghosts. Then, drape them in cheesecloth or don them in old clothes you planned to recycle anyway. Then, get out your glow-in-the-dark spray paint. When the sun sets, your lawn will transform into a haunted graveyard (fake headstones optional).

5. Groovy Goblin Garlands

Garlands make windowsills and lintels magical. And you don’t need a lot of money or time to make a great one!

You can make a simple garland with folded paper. Use a cookie cutter or stencil to trace your design. Or, you can cut black and orange links out of construction paper and adorn them with spiderweb strings and dangling ghosts, bats or black cats. You can line your garland with battery-operated string lights and add some beads for a reflective glow.

Make it a DIY Halloween

Making DIY Halloween decorations is far more fun than picking up decorations at the store. With a touch of creativity, you can have a blast with the family and transform your home into a spooktacular autumn showplace.

Featured image from MRHoffman of Wholesale Halloween Costumes