Do you want to shriek when you see the price tags on various Halloween decor? Whether you’re going all out scare-fest, the elegant fall look or something entirely kid friendly, there are a few ways to keep the decorations affordable and simple this Halloween (You still have costumes and candy to buy, too!).
Here are our top five favourite Halloween decorations that you can do yourself and for very, very little money:
1. The Ghost In the Window
Probably the most simple of all, you can add immediate fright to your front lawn by turning on a light in a room that faces the street. Add a coat rack or even a broom that’s leaning on another piece of furniture and add a coat to it. Move the sleeve and secure it in a way that makes it look like there is actually a human being (or…a ghost?) standing in the window. Leave it there as long as you wish.
2. A Mummy Door
Got toilet paper? Have construction paper in black and any other colour? Tape? Turn your front door or windows into mummy’s! Secure strips of toilet paper to the door using the tape (make sure not to wrap it too tight or put the strips too closely together, otherwise the effect won’t be the same – and it might rip faster). Make huge googly-eyes with the construction paper by using one large circle for the eyeball and a smaller circle for the pupil. Go the extra mile and make eyebrows for your desired expression!
3. Dead Trees
It’s fall and so we’re surrounded by trees that have lost their leaves. But an easy way to decorate and draw attention to your walkway is to stick thick branches and twigs that have fallen from your trees into the ground in arrangements that resemble dead birch trees. Cluster 3-4 branches by sticking them into the ground and spread really cheap “cobweb” material between them. Throw some plastic bugs in them, if you really want.
4. Haunted Photos
Love taking selfies? Take it to the Halloween level. Take the most somber, haunting photos of yourself and friends and family as possible. Don’t smile. Stare blankly at the camera and snap away. Don’t forget to use a black and white filter.
When you’re done, blow the picture up as large as you can (for the frames you want) and print them. If you want to get really creepy, cut out the eyes and put little LED stick lights onto them.
Don’t have picture frames? No problem. Print out your photos and stick them on your windows, facing out of course.
If you don’t want your own face plastered all over your house’s windows, Google search “Haunted Portraits” in an image search. Take your pick, print and plaster on your windows. Done.
5. Not For The Faint Of Heart Lawn Bodies
This may be a little Dexter inspired, and we don’t recommend this if you’ve got lots of kids in the area because they can appear pretty life-like! Get large plastic leaf bags (the huge ones for yard waste) and cut the sides so it’s one long strip.
Get some of your clothes, blankets or sheets, some packing tape and, if you dare, some fake blood. Roll your clothes in human-height length and wrap that up in the plastic bag. Using your packaging tape or duct tape, wrap around “key” points (“neck”, “chest”, “waist” “knees” and “feet”) so it looks like you have, well, a body wrapped up in plastic wrap. Add blood on the outside of the plastic bag where you want. Lay these “bodies” out on your lawn or wherever would do the scariest job.
Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
Check back next week for some budget-conscious costume ideas!
