30 Cheap & Easy Halloween Decorations You Can Make Tonight

The spooky season is upon us, but you do not need to spend a fortune or have expert crafting skills to make your home look festive. The best Halloween decorations are often the simplest, born from a clever idea and a few common household items.

Here is the summary table for the 30 cheap and easy Halloween decorations.

Decoration Idea	Visuals	Summary of Idea	DIY Tips
Ghoulish Greetings: 5 Minute Entryways
1. Floating Witch Hat Luminaries		A magical entryway with glowing witch hats that appear to float.	Use fishing line to hang inexpensive witch hats and battery-operated LED tealights from a porch ceiling or tree.
2. Spooky Spider Web Doormat		A quick, creepy makeover for a plain doormat using paint.	Use black acrylic paint and a small brush to draw a simple spider web and a spider onto a plain coir doormat.
3. Ghostly Draperies from Trash Bags		Create a tattered, haunted house vibe for your doorway with a black trash bag.	Cut a trash bag into a flat sheet, cut it into long vertical strips, and then stretch and tear them to look aged and gauzy.
4. “Beware” Boarded Up Windows		Make your house look abandoned with faux wooden planks made from cardboard.	Cut cardboard into plank shapes, paint them with a messy brown and black wood grain effect, and tape them over windows.
5. Swarm of Paper Bats		A dramatic, high-impact display of bats appearing to fly up a wall or door.	Cut dozens of bat shapes from black paper, fold the wings slightly for a 3D effect, and attach them with poster putty.
Creepy Crawlies & Eerie Creatures
6. Climbing Wall Spiders		The illusion of a spider infestation crawling up the side of your house.	Use black plastic plates for the body and punch holes to attach bent pipe cleaners for the legs. Stick to walls with removable adhesive.
7. Mason Jar Mummies		Adorable and spooky glowing luminaries made from simple glass jars.	Wrap a mason jar in gauze or cheesecloth, glue on two googly eyes, and place a battery-operated LED tealight inside.
8. The Tomato Cage Ghost		A life-sized, ethereal ghost greeter for your lawn or porch.	Invert a tomato cage, place a foam ball on top for a head, drape with a white sheet, and draw a face. Place lights inside for a glow.
9. K-Cup Ghosts		Upcycle used coffee pods into tiny, cute hanging ghost decorations.	Drape a tissue over a clean, empty K-Cup, tie a string around the “neck” to secure it, and draw on a face with a marker.
10. Lawn Ghosts from Trash Bags		Populate your entire yard with a host of simple, billowing ghosts.	Stuff the corner of a white trash bag with newspaper to form a head, tie it off with string, and prop it up on a garden stake.
Spooky Silhouettes & Shadows
11. Window Silhouettes		Turn your windows into spooky scenes from a horror movie with black paper cutouts.	Cut spooky shapes like zombies or monsters out of black poster board and tape them to the inside of your windows for a chilling nighttime effect.
12. Ghostly Mirror Message		A hidden, creepy message that only appears on a mirror when it steams up.	Write a message like “Help Me” on a mirror with a bar of soap or a wax candle. The writing is revealed when the mirror fogs up.
13. Shadow Bat Chandelier		Create the illusion of bats flying around a light fixture, casting spooky shadows.	Cut out several black paper bats and attach them with removable putty to a light fixture and the surrounding ceiling.
14. Floating Head Illusion		A creepy “head in a jar” effect for a dark corner of a room.	Place a black and white photo of a creepy face inside a large, clear jar and fill it with water to magnify and distort the image.
15. Spider Web Window Clings		Make your own custom, removable spider web clings using school glue.	Draw a spider web shape with white school glue on a piece of wax paper. Let it dry completely, then peel it off and stick it to any glass surface.
Petrifying Potions & Creepy Decor
16. Apothecary Potion Bottles		Turn old glass bottles and jars into a witch’s collection of creepy ingredients.	Fill bottles with colored water, add glitter or small plastic toys (spiders, eyeballs), and attach printed vintage-style labels.
17. Dripping “Blood” Candles		A super simple way to make ordinary white candles look gruesome and spooky.	Light a red candle and let the hot wax drip down the sides of plain white pillar or taper candles.
18. Ghostly Family Photos		Give your regular framed family photos a subtle, creepy, temporary makeover.	Use removable tape to stick tiny “demon eyes” cut from red or black paper onto the people in your photos.
19. Floating Cheesecloth Ghost		Create a stiff, ethereal, and free-standing ghost that appears to float.	Drape cheesecloth over a bottle/ball form, completely saturate it with liquid starch, and let it dry overnight until it’s stiff and holds its shape.
20. Cobweb Covered Everything		The fastest and cheapest way to make your entire home look spooky and abandoned.	The secret is to stretch the spider web material as thin as possible. Drape it over furniture, bookshelves, and in corners.
Quick & Creepy Yard Decor
21. Ghostly Ring Around the Rosie		A spooky circle of ghostly figures that look like they are dancing on your lawn.	Place styrofoam heads on garden stakes arranged in a circle, then drape tattered white sheets or cheesecloth over them.
22. Zombie Hands Reaching from the Grave		A classic and unsettling yard decoration made from a few cheap supplies.	Buy a few plastic skeleton hands from the dollar store and stick them in the ground so they look like they are reaching up from the earth.
23. Glowing Eyeballs in the Bushes		An easy and effective way to create an eerie, glowing stare from within your bushes.	Cut spooky eye shapes into cardboard paper towel or toilet paper tubes. Place an activated glow stick inside and hide them in your bushes.
24. A “Murder” of Crows		Create an ominous flock of crows perched around your porch or yard for a spooky effect.	Buy a handful of inexpensive black crow decorations and use floral wire to attach them in groups to fences, railings, or tree branches.
25. Ghost Face on a Tree		Turn any tree in your yard into a spooky creature with a simple face.	Use paper plates for the eyes and cut a mouth from black poster board. Use a staple gun or outdoor tape to attach the face to a tree trunk.
Last Minute Indoor Touches
26. The Bloody Handprint Window Cling		A classic horror movie decoration that’s easy to make and peels off cleanly.	Mix red food coloring with white school glue. Press your hand in it and then onto wax paper. Let it dry completely, then peel and stick.
27. Spider Ice Cubes		A fun and creepy surprise to add to your party guests’ drinks.	Place a small, plastic spider in each section of an ice cube tray, fill with water, and freeze as usual.
28. A Witch’s Broom		A perfect, rustic decoration to lean by the front door or fireplace.	Gather a bundle of thin twigs or tall grasses and use twine to tie them tightly around the bottom of a larger, sturdy stick from your yard.
29. Vampire Bite Napkins		A simple, spooky, and elegant touch for your Halloween dinner table settings.	Drip a tiny bit of red food coloring or paint in two small “fang” marks on the corner of a folded white napkin.
30. Ghost Lollipops		A classic craft that serves as both a decoration and a treat for visitors.	Drape a single square of tissue over a round lollipop, tie a ribbon around the “neck,” and draw on two simple eyes with a marker.

This collection of 30 cheap and easy DIY projects is designed for last minute creativity. Each of these ideas can be made tonight with minimal supplies and maximum spooky impact, ensuring your home is ready for trick or treaters in no time.

Ghoulish Greetings: 5 Minute Entryways

Your front door and porch are the first things guests will see. These ideas create an instant impact with almost no effort.

1. Floating Witch Hat Luminaries

Create a magical entryway that looks like it is straight out of a wizarding world.

DIY Tips:

• You will need inexpensive black witch hats, fishing line, and battery operated LED tealight candles.
• Use a needle to thread the fishing line through the point of each hat.
• Tie the candles to the inside of the hats and hang them from your porch ceiling or a tree branch at varying heights.

2. Spooky Spider Web Doormat

Give your plain coir doormat a quick and creepy crawly makeover.

DIY Tips:

• Use black acrylic paint and a small paintbrush to draw a simple spider web design, starting with a few lines radiating from one corner.
• Connect the lines with curved, scalloped strokes to create the web.
• For an extra touch, paint a single, large spider in the center or a few smaller ones crawling up the side.

3. Ghostly Draperies from Trash Bags

Shredded, gauzy fabric creates an instant haunted house vibe, and a black trash bag is a perfect, weather proof substitute.

DIY Tips:

• Cut a black trash bag along the seams to create a large, flat sheet.
• Use scissors to cut long, vertical strips, leaving the top few inches intact.
• Gently stretch and tear the strips to create a tattered, ancient look, then drape it over your doorway.

4. “Beware” Boarded Up Windows

Make your house look like an abandoned, haunted cottage with this simple illusion using cardboard.

DIY Tips:

• Cut long, plank like shapes from old cardboard boxes.
• Use brown and black paint to create a faux wood grain effect. The messier the better.
• Use strong, removable adhesive tape to attach the “planks” in a crisscross pattern over your windows or door.

5. Swarm of Paper Bats

A colony of black paper bats creates a dramatic, high impact look, especially against a light colored front door or wall.

DIY Tips:

• Find a simple bat silhouette online and print it out to use as a template.
• Trace and cut out dozens of bats from black cardstock or construction paper. Fold the wings slightly to give them a 3D effect.
• Use a small piece of double sided tape or poster putty to attach them in a swooping, flying formation.

Creepy Crawlies & Eerie Creatures

These classic Halloween creatures are easy to craft and perfect for placing in unexpected corners to give guests a fun little fright.

6. Climbing Wall Spiders

Create the illusion of a spider infestation crawling up the side of your house with simple party supplies.

DIY Tips:

• You will need small black plastic plates for the body and black pipe cleaners for the legs.
• Punch four holes on each side of the plate. Thread a pipe cleaner through each pair of holes and bend them to create jointed legs.
• Use strong, outdoor removable adhesive strips to attach the lightweight spiders to your siding or front door.

7. Mason Jar Mummies

These little luminaries are adorable, slightly spooky, and incredibly easy for kids to help make.

DIY Tips:

• Wrap a clean, empty mason jar with strips of cheesecloth or white medical gauze, securing the ends with a dab of hot glue.
• Leave a small gap in the wrapping and glue on two googly eyes.
• Place a battery operated tealight candle inside for a safe, glowing mummy face.

8. The Tomato Cage Ghost

Create a life sized, ethereal ghost to greet your guests using just a few simple garden and craft supplies.

DIY Tips:

• Place a tomato cage upside down. Place a foam ball on top of the prongs to create the head shape.
• Drape an old white sheet over the top. Use a black marker or black felt to create two large, spooky eyes.
• For a glowing effect at night, place a string of battery operated white lights inside the tomato cage.

9. K Cup Ghosts

Do not throw away your used coffee pods! They make perfect, tiny hanging ghosts.

DIY Tips:

• Clean out the used coffee pod so it is just the white plastic cup.
• Drape a single square of tissue or a paper napkin over the pod.
• Tie a small piece of string or thread around the “neck,” and draw on a face with a black marker.

10. Lawn Ghosts from Trash Bags

Create a whole yard full of ghosts with a box of white kitchen trash bags.

DIY Tips:

• Stuff a crumpled up piece of newspaper into the corner of a white trash bag to form a head.
• Tie a string around the neck to secure it.
• Use a garden stake or a stick to prop them up in your yard, and let the rest of the bag billow in the wind.

Spooky Silhouettes & Shadows

Harness the power of light and shadow to create an eerie atmosphere that is both simple and incredibly effective.

11. Window Silhouettes

Turn your windows into scenes from a horror movie with some black paper and a little bit of imagination.

DIY Tips:

• Find spooky silhouette templates online for things like zombies, monsters, or a creepy cat.
• Trace and cut the shapes out of black poster board or cardstock.
• Use a small amount of clear tape to attach the silhouettes to the inside of your windows. At night, when the lights are on, they will create a chilling effect.

12. Ghostly Mirror Message

Leave a spooky, hidden message on your bathroom or hallway mirror.

DIY Tips:

• Write a creepy message like “Help Me” or “I’m Watching You” on the mirror with a bar of soap or a wax candle.
• The message will be nearly invisible until someone takes a hot shower, and the steam will reveal the ghostly writing.
• This is a perfect, harmless prank for your family.

13. Shadow Bat Chandelier

Create a swarm of bats that appear to be flying around your dining room light fixture.

DIY Tips:

• Cut out several black paper bats in different sizes.
• Attach them to the light fixture and the surrounding ceiling with removable adhesive putty.
• When the light is on, the bats will cast spooky, dancing shadows around the room.

14. Floating Head Illusion

A spooky and fun illusion for a dark corner of a room.

DIY Tips:

• Print a life sized, black and white photo of a creepy face.
• Place the photo inside a large, clear jar filled with water.
• The water will magnify the face and create a distorted, “floating head” look. Add a few drops of green food coloring for extra creepiness.

15. Spider Web Window Clings

Create your own custom window clings with a simple bottle of school glue.

DIY Tips:

• Draw a spider web shape with white school glue on a piece of wax paper. Let it dry completely overnight.
• Once dry, the glue will peel off the wax paper as a single, flexible piece.
• You can stick your homemade “cling” to any glass surface, and it peels off easily.

Petrifying Potions & Creepy Decor

Transform a simple shelf or side table into a mad scientist’s lab or a witch’s apothecary with these creative crafts.

16. Apothecary Potion Bottles

Collect interesting glass bottles and jars and turn them into creepy potion ingredients.

DIY Tips:

• Fill the bottles with water and a few drops of food coloring. Add glitter for a “magical” effect.
• Print out spooky, vintage style labels online with names like “Frog’s Breath,” “Wolfsbane,” or “Poison.”
• For a creepy specimen look, drop small plastic toys like spiders, snakes, or eyeballs into the colored water.

17. Dripping “Blood” Candles

This is a super simple way to make your regular white candles look extra gruesome for your Halloween table.

DIY Tips:

• Use simple white pillar or taper candles.
• Light a red candle and hold it over the white candles, allowing the red wax to drip down the sides.
• The more drips, the spookier the effect. This is a perfect centerpiece for a Halloween dinner.

18. Ghostly Family Photos

Give your regular family photos a spooky, temporary makeover.

DIY Tips:

• Take your family photos out of their frames.
• Cut out small, spooky “demon eyes” from red or black paper and use a tiny piece of removable tape to stick them onto the photo subjects.
• Put the photos back in their frames for a subtle, creepy detail that will make guests do a double take.

19. Floating Cheesecloth Ghost

Create a stiff, ethereal, and free standing ghost using just cheesecloth and starch.

DIY Tips:

• Drape a piece of cheesecloth over a small bottle with a styrofoam ball on top to create the ghost shape.
• In a bowl, mix liquid fabric starch with a little water. Completely saturate the cheesecloth with the starch mixture.
• Let it dry completely overnight. Once it is stiff, remove the bottle and ball, and you will have a hollow, floating ghost.

20. Cobweb Covered Everything

A bag of stretchy spider web is the cheapest and fastest way to make your entire home look spooky.

DIY Tips:

• The secret to making it look good is to stretch it as thin as possible. A little goes a long way.
• Drape it over bookshelves, light fixtures, corners of rooms, and house plants.
• Add a few small plastic spider rings to the web for a classic finishing touch.

Quick & Creepy Yard Decor

You do not need expensive animatronics to have a spooky yard. These simple ideas make a big impact.

21. Ghostly Ring Around the Rosie

Create a spooky circle of ghosts that look like they are dancing in your front yard.

DIY Tips:

• You will need several white styrofoam heads from a craft store and some garden stakes.
• Place the stakes in a circle in your yard and put a foam head on each one.
• Drape a piece of cheesecloth or an old, tattered white sheet over each head to create a circle of ghostly figures.

22. Zombie Hands Reaching from the Grave

A simple and classic yard decoration that is always a little unsettling.

DIY Tips:

• Buy a few plastic skeleton hands from the dollar store.
• Stick them in the ground in your garden or front lawn so they look like they are reaching up from the earth.
• For an extra touch, pile a little bit of dirt around the base of each hand.

23. Glowing Eyeballs in the Bushes

A spooky and fun surprise for trick or treaters that is incredibly easy to make.

DIY Tips:

• Take a few cardboard paper towel or toilet paper tubes.
• Use scissors to cut spooky eye shapes into the side of the tubes.
• Activate a few glow sticks, place them inside the tubes, and hide them in your bushes for an eerie, glowing stare.

24. A “Murder” of Crows

A group of crows is called a murder, and you can create your own ominous flock with a few cheap items.

DIY Tips:

• Buy a handful of inexpensive black crow decorations from a craft or dollar store.
• Use floral wire to perch them in unexpected places, like on your fence, in a bare tree, or on your porch railing.
• The more you have grouped together, the spookier the effect.

25. Ghost Face on a Tree

Turn any tree in your yard into a spooky creature with this simple idea.

DIY Tips:

• Use a white paper plate for each eye and draw a large black pupil in the center.
• Cut a large, spooky mouth shape out of black poster board.
• Use a staple gun or outdoor tape to attach the face to a large tree trunk.

Last Minute Indoor Touches

These tiny details can be done in the final moments before your party guests or trick or treaters arrive.

26. The Bloody Handprint Window Cling

This is a classic horror movie trope that is easy to recreate.

DIY Tips:

• Mix a few drops of red food coloring into a puddle of white school glue.
• Press your hand into the red glue mixture and then press it onto a piece of wax paper. You can also just paint it on the wax paper.
• Let it dry completely, then peel it off. It will stick to any window or mirror and peels off cleanly.

27. Spider Ice Cubes

A fun and creepy surprise for your party guests’ drinks.

DIY Tips:

• Place a small plastic spider in each section of an ice cube tray.
• Fill the tray with water and freeze as usual.
• The spiders will be harmlessly frozen inside the ice cubes, floating in your guests’ drinks.

28. A Witch’s Broom

A perfect, rustic decoration to lean by your front door.

DIY Tips:

• Find a sturdy, straight stick or branch in your yard.
• Gather a bundle of smaller, thinner twigs or even tall ornamental grasses.
• Use twine to tie the bundle of twigs tightly around the bottom of the large stick.

29. Vampire Bite Napkins

A simple, elegant, and spooky touch for your Halloween dinner table.

DIY Tips:

• Fold a white paper or cloth napkin neatly.
• Drip a tiny bit of red food coloring or craft paint in two small “fang” marks on the corner of the napkin.
• For an extra touch, place a pair of plastic vampire fangs on top of each folded napkin.

30. Ghost Lollipops

A classic craft that doubles as a decoration and a treat for visitors.

DIY Tips:

• Drape a single square of tissue over the top of a round lollipop.
• Tie a small piece of black or orange ribbon around the “neck” to secure the tissue.
• Use a black marker to draw on two simple eyes for a tiny, instant ghost.

Conclusion

Creating a spooky and festive home for Halloween does not have to be a chore. With a little creativity and a few basic supplies, you can whip up an amazing array of decorations in just one evening. These cheap and easy ideas prove that the best part of Halloween is the fun of making it your own. So put on a spooky movie, grab your glue gun, and get ready to transform your home into the most haunted house on the block.