Big Halloween decor can cost a lot, but these 18 DIY projects each come in under $20. Most take an afternoon and use craft-store or hardware-store basics.
Image note: Images in this guide are AI-generated inspiration visuals, not photos of finished projects. Adapt each idea to your space, lease and product instructions.
Before you start
- Check your stash: paint, twine, glue and jars you already own cut the cost.
- Use coupons: craft stores often run weekly coupons on seasonal items.
- Work outside: spray paint and glue need fresh air.
18 ideas to try
1. Mason jar luminaries
- Paint jars orange or black.
- Add tea lights.
- Draw faces with a marker.
2. Cheesecloth ghosts
- Starch cheesecloth over a bottle and balloon.
- Let dry and remove.
- Hang or stand them up.
3. Tomato cage witch hats
- Flip a tomato cage upside down.
- Wrap with string lights and black tulle.
- Add a ribbon.
4. Painted wooden pumpkins from scrap wood
- Cut circles from scrap boards.
- Paint and stack.
- Add a twig stem.
5. Pool noodle bones wreath
- Cut and paint pool noodles.
- Glue to a wreath form.
- Looks like real bones.
6. Spider egg sacs from cotton
- Stretch cotton balls.
- Hot glue small spiders inside.
- Tuck into plants.
7. Paper mache pumpkins
- Balloon plus newspaper strips.
- Paint and add a stem.
- Very light to store.
8. Black glitter branches
- Spray real branches black.
- Add glitter while wet.
- Stand in a tall vase.
9. Halloween banner from felt
- Cut triangles and letters.
- Glue or sew to twine.
- Reuse every year.
10. Mummy door with crepe paper
- Wrap the door in white crepe paper.
- Add two paper eyes.
- Comes off clean.
11. Floating witch legs in a planter
- Stuff striped tights.
- Add old shoes.
- Push into a planter.
12. Cinnamon stick candles
- Glue cinnamon sticks around a pillar candle.
- Tie with twine.
- Smells like fall.
13. Rag garland in fall colors
- Tie fabric strips to twine.
- Mix orange, black and cream.
- Drape on a headboard or mantel.
14. Painted rock jack-o’-lanterns
- Paint smooth river rocks orange.
- Add black faces with a paint pen.
- Line a path or a planter.
15. Yarn-wrapped mini pumpkins
- Wrap foam pumpkins in yarn.
- Pick cozy neutrals.
- Soft, kid-safe decor.
16. Haunted portrait from a thrift frame
- Print a spooky portrait.
- Put it in a thrift-store frame.
- Distress with paint.
17. Pumpkin vase centerpiece
- Hollow a pumpkin.
- Put a jar of water inside.
- Fill with fall flowers.
18. Glow jar lanterns
- Glow sticks in jars.
- Cheap and safe for kids.
- Great on stairs.
Quick answers
What is the cheapest DIY Halloween decor?
Paper bats, painted jars and pumpkin crafts cost only a few dollars.
Can I reuse DIY decor next year?
Yes. Store it in labeled bins and keep it dry.
More Halloween ideas
Browse the full Halloween collection. You may also like: 19 Halloween Window Decor Ideas That Look Great Inside and Out, 18 Halloween Apartment Door Decor Ideas for Small Spaces, 19 Renter-Friendly Halloween Decor Ideas (No Nails, No Damage).
