Scared you, didn’t we? Okay, so maybe our theatrical opening doesn’t come through effectively through the written word, but we’re sure that one of the entries on this list is bound to spook you into the holiday spirit.
Read on for excellent ideas on how to decorate the outside of your home to prepare for the Halloween season.
Heads up: while we are including some examples of classic outdoor Halloween decor, we are also going to make an effort to look beyond the orange and black aesthetics that are to be expected this time of the year. So definitely read on if you are looking for a way to change things up this year!
Boo! Classic outdoor Halloween decor
Acrobatic Skeletons
Considering that they’re full of bones without a muscle in sight, it may come to you as a surprise to know that skeletons can be quite flexible and athletic. At least, that’s the look that they are giving off in this unique decorating idea that has skeletons climbing all over your front porch and house. As far as where you can find your skeleton props, you will likely have the most luck at your local party store, but you could also make your own.
Witch’s Cauldron
Hubble, bubble, toil, and trouble! Witches are one of the most popular Halloween tropes, and if you love witches, you have a lot of different Halloween decorations to choose from. But before you reach for that witch’s hat, think about all of the other, less obvious symbols of witches that you can decorate your house with. This DIY cauldron is easy to make and will actually look like it’s bubbling over the coals.
Giant House Spiders
This next one is not for the arachnophobic. Don’t worry, though — no real spiders were harmed in the making of these Halloween decorations. If you really want to give your neighbours and trick or treaters a fright this spooky season, take a look at how you can make these giant spiders that creep and crawl all over your house’s brick exterior.
DIY Pumpkin Lights
Pumpkins are as synonymous with Halloween as mistletoe is with Christmas. But for some decoration aficionados, decorating with regular old pumpkins is just not enough. These adorable pumpkin lanterns will bring a bright orange ambiance to your Halloween display and work well either as a focal point or as a complement to your other decorations. And it’s completely DIY.
Monster House
What if your house had a mind of its own? That appears to be the situation with this animated “monster house” decoration that packs many personalities into a few simple DIY steps. All this decoration involves adding a set of “teeth” and “eyes” to the front of your house to give it the appearance of being alive like a monster. Depending on where you live, you may even be able to get away with using paper decorations — it just depends on whether or not it’s likely to rain.
“It” Props
If you are a fan of Stephen King novels, then the chances are that you have seen one of the motion picture interpretations of “It,” also known as “the book and movie that made everybody afraid of clowns.” Here’s a creative way to pay homage to one of the terrifying horror stories ever constructed — and it can be done using materials that are commonly found around the house.
Floating Witch Hats
Earlier, we mentioned that witches are one of the most popular mythological figures associated with the Halloween season. Here is another idea for a witch-inspired Halloween decoration:
floating witch hats! This is an inexpensive decoration idea that relies on an invisible string, which gives onlookers the illusion that the witch hats are floating in the air. Simply magical!
Potted Zombie Hands
Here’s an option for all of you who prefer your Halloween decorations on the creepier side. We present to you these gruesome potted Zombie hands! You will not need a lot of materials in order to pull off this clever and haunting porch decoration — just a few plant pots and some imitation hands that you can get at the party store or even dollar store. Plant them upside down and place them on your porch, and voila! You have yourself a creepy Halloween set-up.
Spooky Eyeball Wreath
Eyeballs are another prop that are heavily associated with Halloween. But this simple wreath idea takes eyeballs away from the stereotypical and into the unique by adding them to a special Halloween-themed wreath. How many times a year is it socially acceptable to have a wreath made of fake eyeballs hanging on your door? The window is pretty narrow, so you might as well take advantage of it when you can by making a Halloween wreath for your door!
Levitating Ghosts
If you’re going to incorporate ghosts into your Halloween decor, you are going to need to make sure that they are floating in midair. After all, that’s what ghosts do — they float! If you a tree in your yard, you can easily add a haunt of levitating ghosts with the help of invisible string. See an example of this here.
Cemetery Arch
Here lies Halloween decoration ideas of years passed, a victim of busy adult lives and a lack of motivation, never to be resurrected again. Don’t let this front yard cemetery idea be added to the list of deceased Halloween decor ideas. You can spread the spirit of Halloween by turning your front yard area into a fake cemetery! This idea works best when it is filled of names that are obvious Halloween puns.
“Skullflowers”
Oh, would you look at that! The skullflowers are beautifully in bloom this year. What are skullflowers, you ask? Well, it’s pretty much exactly what it sounds like — a skull on the top of a flower that makes the perfect decoration for Halloween. Here’s what that looks like if you want to replicate the look for your porch.
Spooky Hand Lamps
Here’s another use for those fake limbs that you can find at the Halloween store! While your first instinct may not have been to hang lights from them, you will find that this approach will not only provide you with a spooky-themed decoration but also with some mood lighting! Check it out here.
Mask in a Jar
Okay, so this one is actually quite unsettling to look at! It turns out that you can make a very convincing Halloween decoration by placing a mask in a mason jar. If you want to keep it outside on your porch, try putting a spotlight or a candle in front of the jar to illuminate the decoration to reveal its true creepiness.
Milk Jug Ghosts
Do you ever wonder what to do with your old discarded milk jugs? Well, it’s time to start saving up throughout the year so that you can use them for Halloween decorations. These decorations may look a little bit more cute than creepy, so if spooky and disturbing is the vibe you’re going for, it’s probably better to look elsewhere. However, there’s no denying that milk jug ghosts are cheap and easy to pull off (you just might need to put rocks in the bottom of them so that they don’t blow away).
Halloween is a wonderful time of the year for showing your artistic expression — so feel free to make any of the ideas on this list your own. Whether you are hosting a lively costume party with a crowd, getting cozy with a few friends for a movie night, or simply giving out candy, we’re sure that these decorative ideas will add a festive touch to your night. Have a great Halloween!