Last Updated on October 16, 2024 by lindseymahoney
Halloween is the perfect time to get creative with decorations, but you don’t have to break the bank to make your home look spooky. By using items you already have around the house and trying some easy DIY projects, you can transform your space into a haunted wonderland without spending a lot of money.
Here’s a list of cheap Halloween decor ideas to get your creative juices flowing this year!
30+ Cheap or Free Halloween Decor Ideas for Your Home
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1 | Stylish Bats
Decorating for Halloween with fake bats is on trend, but I think it is a decoration that will not go out of style any time soon. A bag of 50 plastic bats can be purchased for less than $20 on Amazon and be reused year after year. I like to hang them on our front porch and throughout our home.
2 | Witchy Artwork DIY
Make a statement with a spooky artwork: Using a large, old frame that I found at an estate sale and a digital download of a spooky witch, I was able to create a large piece of artwork for less than $25.
3 | Squiggly Ghost Candle
If you have a white, tapered candle and a black permanent marker, you can make this Halloween decoration for free! Submerge the candle in hot water and let the wax soften.
Gently reshape the candle to make curves like a ghost. Add two eyes and a mouth to complete the look.
4 | Display Old, Glass “Potion” Bottles
Gather old bottles or jars and fill them with colored water or display them empty.
Label them with spooky names like “Witch’s Brew” or “Spider Venom” and display them on a shelf or mantel for a mysterious potion shelf. They look great displayed on a fireplace mantel or console table.
5 | Painted Ghost Artwork
Paint ghosts onto old landscape artwork found at thrift stores and display throughout your home.
6 | Frame Seasonal Artwork Made by Your Kids
Display your kid’s Halloween artwork in a frame during the holiday season. The kids love it and it looks really great in a frame!
7 | Drape Black Gauze
I purchased a pack of black gauze on Amazon for less than $20 and they can be used year after year. The pack came with $5 strips and I used them on our fireplace mantel and as a runner on the dining room table.
With the last strip of gauze, I draped it over the accent table in our foyer for a spooky touch.
8 | Seasonal Pillows and Throw Blankets
A simple throw pillow in the shape of a pumpkin or ghost is the perfect addition to a living room accent chair. Drape a cozy plaid blanket over the couch to use as the temperatures continue to drop.
9 | Hang Spider Webs
Grab a bag of spider webs from the Dollar Tree or Target for under $10 and use them inside and outside of your home. My daughter insisted that we place spider webs on all of the bushes in our front yard and hang them on our front porch to welcome guests.
10 | Turn Old Clothes into Scarecrows
Use old clothes you no longer wear, stuff them with newspaper or leaves, and create a spooky scarecrow to guard your front porch or yard. Add a pumpkin head or use a mask for the face.
11 | Forage Twiggy Branches to Use as Halloween Decor
Gather bare branches from the outdoors and display them in a vase for a spooky look. Consider adding a black crow, spider webs, or a few bats to the branches to complete the look.
12 | Mirror Writing
This is a great idea if you are hosting a Halloween party. Use a dry-erase marker or lipstick to write spooky messages like “Help Me!” on mirrors in your home. It’s an eerie, temporary touch that guests will definitely notice.
13 | Flickering Candles
If you are a fan of Harry Potter, consider hanging battery-operated candles from the ceiling. Flameless candles are also a great option to decorate for the holidays where you may not be comfortable with an open flame. I like to use them on the mantel in our family room.
14 | Display Old Photos of Past Halloween Costume
Display old photos of previous family costumes printed in black and white. DIY a checkered pattern on the photo mat for a custom look.
15 | Use Old Books for a Witchy Vibe
Stack old books with worn covers on your mantel or coffee table, adding creepy labels like “Potions” or “Spells.” You can write these on the spines or attach printable labels for an extra witchy touch.
16 | Grow Your Own Pumpkins
Last year I left a few of our ornamental pumpkins on the side of our house to rot. One benefit of my laziness was that a pumpkin vine began to grow the following summer! For zero dollars and zero effort, we grew multiple pumpkins to display for Halloween this year!
17 | Make Creepy Photo Filter Portraits and Display
Utilize Instagram filters to create custom artwork of your kiddos. I printed the images at Walmart and added them to frames I already owned.
18 | Go Thrifting for Halloween Decor
Look for cheap Halloween decor at your local antique shop or estate sales. You will find great decor for a fraction of the price!
19 | Swap Light Bulbs for Fun Halloween Colors
Consider swapping your light bulbs for colored ones to create a haunted experience. Red lights create a bloody effect while green lights look just as creepy in a haunted house.
20 | Light a Pumpkin Scented Candle
Sometimes all you need is a pumpkin spice candle to get into the Halloween spirit.
21 | Skeleton Door Greeter
If you have an old mannequin, broomstick, or a few extra pillows, dress them up like a skeleton or a scarecrow. Put your creation near the front door to greet trick-or-treaters with a spooky surprise!
22 | Watch Scary Movies
Sometimes the best way to get into the Halloween spirit is by turning out the lights and watching a scary movie. Snuggling under a blanket to watch cult classics like Hocus Pocus or Halloween is one of my favorite, cheap ways to enjoy the Halloween season.
23 | Witches Broomsticks
One of my favorite outdoor cheap Halloween decor ideas is hanging broomsticks. There is a gorgeous Victorian home in Columbus, OH that hangs broomsticks for Halloween and it looks so classic.
24 | DIY Wreath
Create this DIY Dollar Store wreath to welcome guests this fall.
25 | Black and Orange Decor
Gathering orange and black decor to display in the main areas of your home is an easy way to decorate without spending any money. A few black and orange items from around the house that I like to use as Halloween decor are:
- Taper candles and candlestick holders
- Book covers
- Pillows
- Bowls
You can also use food like oranges and candy corn to decorate.
26 | Floating Witch Hats
Hanging witch hats from the ceiling is a fun and creative way to decorate a front porch.
27 | Scary Display in a Cloche
If you have a glass cloche, add some spooky specimens to display this Halloween season. I purchased a bag of plastic skulls a few years ago and use them throughout the home, including in the glass cloche.
28 | Decorate with Candy Corn
Grab a bag of candy corn at your local market and pour them in a bowl for everyone to enjoy. Try using candy corn around a pillar candle in a glass jar. This is a great way to decorate for Halloween quickly and easily!
29 | Bloody Handprint Window
For a gory effect, mix a bit of red food coloring with dish soap to create fake blood. Dip your hand in the mixture and press it against your windows to leave eerie handprints. It washes off easily when you’re done. This creepy decoration will take a haunted house to the next level.
30 | DIY Tombstones
Cut out tombstone shapes from old cardboard boxes, paint them gray, and add fake cracks or funny epitaphs like “RIP Scaredy Cat.” Place them around your yard or front door for a low-cost graveyard scene.
With a little creativity and items you already have at home, you can create an impressive haunted atmosphere for Halloween without spending a fortune. Try out some of these cheap Halloween decor ideas to get your home ready for spooky season!