Halloween is my absolute FAVORITE holiday of the year! As my family will attest, I go all out decorating for the "spooktacular" day at the end of October. But, as my family will also confirm, I am CHEAP when it comes to spending money. So imagine my delight in finding this great list of creative and cheap DIY Halloween decor ideas to turn your home into the spookiest haunt on the block.
1. The mummified door
Turn your front door into a bona fide mummy with toilet paper and masking tape. This project is easier with a helper, so get your kids in on it! Open your front door to a 90-degree angle. Take a roll of toilet paper and tape the first piece to the upper right-hand corner. Start wrapping your door tightly from top to bottom, carefully pulling the ends through the crack between the door and the doorpost. If you’re working with a partner, it’s easiest if you stand on opposite sides and you pass the toilet paper back and forth.
Once your door is wrapped, secure the end with another piece of tape. Your door is mummified!
2. Glammed-up pumpkins
Turn your gourds into sophisticated centerpieces with black acrylic paint, white acrylic paint, paintbrushes and round, gold studs.
Start with your stripes. Take one pumpkin and use the white paint to create stripes on every other ridge of the gourd. Let it dry for 30 minutes and then use the black paint for the remaining spots. Next, take another pumpkin and press your gold studs into its skin, creating stripes that run parallel to the natural lines on the gourd. This should take just a few minutes. Set up your glammed-up pumpkins together for an adorable centerpiece.
3. Floating light-up witch hats
This one takes more time, but the end result is a real show-stopper on your front porch!
Supplies:
- 6 cheap witch hats: Depending on space, you may want to make more or fewer hats. Adjust all quantities as necessary.
- Fishing line
- A long needle
- 6 battery-powered, lightweight LED light sticks
- Safety pin.
- 6 outdoor Command hooks
Directions:
- Decide where you’re going to hang your hats, measuring spaces as necessary.
- Attach the Command hooks to the ceiling of your porch. Let the hooks set for 15 minutes.
- String three feet of fishing line onto the needle. Push the needle through the outside point of a witch hat and gently pull it to the inside of the hat, being careful not to pull the line all the way through.
- Remove the needle from the inside of the hat and tie the fishing line around a safety pin.
- Use a safety pin to attach the fishing line to a light stick, making sure it’s secure.
- Tie a loop around the other end of the fishing line (on the outside of the hat) and hang it on a hook.
- Repeat with the remaining hats.
Your floating witch hats are ready to spook the neighborhood! Tip: Your LED lights will likely not last for a full month. You can turn yours off each night, or leave the floating hats up all month and only turn on the lights on the night of Halloween.
Make Halloween decor a family project this year instead of an expensive shopping trip. It’s fun, creative, and easy on the wallet!