25 Ways On How To Make Scary Halloween Decorations At Home!

If you’ve been searching for how to make scary Halloween decorations at home, you’ve just found your ultimate guide.

The best part? You don’t need expensive store-bought props, just a little creativity, some household items, and these step-by-step ideas.

Whether you’re hosting a haunted party or want trick-or-treaters, these 25 DIY decorations will transform your space into the spookiest house.

 

Why DIY Halloween Decorations Work So Well

Learning how to make scary Halloween decorations at home has two big advantages: it saves money and gives you one-of-a-kind results.

According to surveys, more than 67% of households decorate for Halloween, but the most talked-about homes are the ones with unique, handmade displays.

DIY decorations are fun, reusable, and often scarier than anything you’ll find at the store.

Suggested Read: How Many Weeks Until Halloween? 10 Spooky Facts You Love!

 

25 Creepy DIY Ideas: How to Make Scary Halloween Decorations at Home

Each idea is listed in a step-by-step format, making it easy to follow:

1. Floating Ghosts

These floating ghosts swing with little air, making them look alive. Hang them in dark corners or outside on the porch for maximum spookiness.

What you need: Balloons, cheesecloth, starch spray.

Steps:

1. Blow up balloons and drape cheesecloth over them.
2. Spray starch and let it dry overnight.
3. Pop the balloon, leaving a floating ghost shape.

 

2. Bloody Handprints on Windows

The effect looks like someone tried to escape, leaving horrifying marks behind. It’s quick, eerie, and cleans off easily after Halloween.

What you need: Red washable paint, a sponge, and windows.

Steps:

1. Mix the red paint with a small amount of water.
2. Dip your hands in washable red paint.
3. Press against windows or mirrors.
4. Let the “bloody” prints dry for a crime-scene vibe.

Suggested Read: How To Get Blood Out Of Sheets: 15 Special Secrets Unveiled!

 

3. Creepy Crawling Spiders

These little critters are harmless, but give anyone the shivers when they spot one crawling near their plate or chair.

What you need: Black pipe cleaners, pom-poms, and glue.

Steps:

1. Bend pipe cleaners into spider legs.
2. Glue them onto pom-poms to make the body.
3. Make several spiders in different sizes.
4. Scatter them across tables, walls, or food platters.

Suggested Read: How To Keep Spiders Out Of Your Basement: 17 Proven Tactics! 

 

4. Haunted Mirror Messages

It’s a jump-scare trick that works perfectly in guest bathrooms, nothing like a hidden ghostly “I’m watching you” to give someone chills.

What you need: Soap, a mirror, a steamy bathroom.

Steps:

1. Write spooky words on the mirror with soap.
2. Leave the mirror as usual.
3. When someone takes a hot shower, the scary message appears.

 

5. Spooky Candle Holders

When we light, shadows blink on walls, making ordinary rooms feel haunted instantly.

What you need: Old jars, black lace or tissue paper, and tea lights.

Steps:

1. Wrap jars with black lace or tissue.
2. Place tea lights inside.
3. Light them up in dark rooms.

 

6. Hanging Bats

They swing as people walk by, looking like a colony of bats circling overhead.

What you need: Black cardboard, scissors, and string.

Steps:

1. Cut out bat shapes from cardboard.
2. Punch a hole at the top.
3. Hang them from the ceiling with a string.

Try These Catchy Wallhooks To Hang These Cute Decor Pieces!

 

7. Severed Head Jars

From outside, it looks like a severed head floating in liquid. Put a few of these jars on a shelf or porch, and guests will shiver when they see them glowing in dim light.

What you need: Large glass jars, a creepy face photo, water, and green or yellow food coloring.

Steps:

1. Print face photos. You can use free zombie/monster faces from the web.
2. Fill the jar with water mixed with a few drops of green or yellow food coloring.
3. Roll the photo into a cylinder and place it inside the jar. Seal tightly.

 

8. Zombie Hands Rising from the Ground

It looks just like zombies are rising out of the earth. Shine a flashlight from below for extra creepiness at night.

What you need: Old rubber gloves, newspaper, grey or green paint, and garden soil.

Steps:

1. Stuff rubber gloves with newspaper until they look full.
2. Paint the gloves with grey or green to look like zombie skin.
3. Bury the wrist part in your garden soil so only the fingers and hands stick out.

Suggested Read: What To Do With Vintage Glass Bottles: 16 Top Creative Ideas!

 

9. Haunted Doll Display

Dolls will have a creepy vibe, make them look broken and dirty, and you’ll create a terrifying “haunted nursery” effect.

What you need: Old dolls, black paint, old clothes, and a dimly lit corner.

Steps:

1. Take old dolls and paint cracks or smudges on their faces.
2. Mess up their hair and darken their eyes with paint.
3. Dress them in old or torn clothes.
4. Place them sitting together in a dark corner.

 

10. Creepy Cobwebs

Cobwebs instantly make a place feel dumped. The messier you spread them, the more realistic and scarier they look.

What you need: Cotton balls, plastic spiders.

Steps:

1. Pull cotton until it’s thin and stretchy.
2. Spread it across doors, lamps, and stair railings.
3. Add plastic spiders inside the webs.

Suggested Read: Is The Nightmare Before Christmas About Halloween? True Story

 

11. Blood-Drip Candles

When lit, the candles look like they’re bleeding. It’s a super cheap but effective gothic decoration.

What you need: White candles, one red candle, and matches.

Steps:

1. Light the red candle and let the wax drip over the sides of the white candles.
2. Keep dripping until it looks like blood running down.
3. Place the finished candles on your dinner table or window.

 

12. Eyeball Punch Bowl

When guests scoop a drink, they’ll think they’re grabbing eyeballs floating in blood. Gross but fun!

What you need: Lychees or grapes, blueberries, and red fruit punch.

Steps:

1. Stuff blueberries inside lychees or peel grapes to make them look like eyes.
2. Drop them into a bowl of red punch.
3. Place the bowl at your Halloween party table.

For More Ideas Check My Pinterest Today!

 

13. Creepy Shadow Cutouts

When the light flickers, the shadows seem to move, creeping out to anyone who walks by.

What you need: Cardboard, scissors, a lamp, or a flashlight.

Steps:

1. Cut shapes of witches, skeletons, or monsters from cardboard.
2. Place them near a lamp or flashlight.
3. Turn on the light to cast their shadows on the wall.

 

14. Mummy Door

Your door instantly looks like a giant mummy watching visitors. Perfect for trick-or-treaters!

What you need: White crepe paper or toilet paper, tape, and googly eyes.

Steps:

1. Wrap strips of paper across your front door.
2. Overlap them so it looks like mummy bandages.
3. Add googly eyes in the middle.

Suggested Read: What To Do With Dried Flowers: 10 Decor Ideas That Wow!

 

15. Haunted Graveyard

At night, with fog or dim lights, your lawn becomes a chilling graveyard.

What you need: Cardboard or foam board, grey paint, black marker, yard space.

Steps:

1. Cut tombstone shapes. Paint them with a grey colour.
2. Write spooky names or “RIP” in black.
3. Stick them upright in the yard.

 

16. Spider Web Tablecloth

Guests will feel like they’re eating in a giant web, super creepy for dinner parties.

What you need: Black yarn, scissors, tape, and fake spiders.

Steps:

1. Cut long pieces of yarn.
2. Stretch and tape them into a web shape across your dining table.
3. Place fake spiders on top.

 

17. Skeleton in the Closet

When someone opens the closet door, they’ll get a terrifying surprise.

What you need: Skeleton prop, old clothes, closet space.

Steps:

1. Dress up a skeleton in normal clothes.
2. Place it sitting or standing inside a closet.
3. Leave the door slightly open.

Suggested Read: How To Organize Your Closet This Halloween Without Buying Anything!

 

18. Bloody Footprints

Looks like someone walked through blood, guests will follow the trail nervously.

What you need: Washable red paint, bare feet, porch or floor.

Steps:

1. Step into red paint with bare feet.
2. Walk across your porch or hall.
3. Let the prints dry.

 

19. Creepy Specimen Jars

These look like preserved lab specimens, as if a mad scientist lives in your house.

What you need: Glass jars, food colour, water, toy insects or reptiles.

Steps:

1. Fill jars with water and add food colour.
2. Drop toy insects or reptiles inside.
3. Seal tightly and place on shelves.

 

20. Ghostly Curtains

When the wind blows through, the curtains move like restless spirits.

What you need: Old white sheets, scissors, and tape.

Steps:

1. Tear old sheets into long strips.
2. Hang them loosely over doors or windows.
3. Let the ends drag slightly on the floor.

Suggested Read: Checkout How To Get Mold Out Before Decorating Your Curtain!

 

21. Talking Pumpkin

It seems like the pumpkin is alive and speaking to guests.

What you need: Carved pumpkin, Bluetooth speaker, spooky sound clips.

Steps:

1. Carve a scary face on a pumpkin.
2. Place a small Bluetooth speaker inside.
3. Play creepy voices or laughter.

 

22. Fake Chains and Shackles

Looks like heavy jail chains, but they’re soft, safe, and lightweight.

What you need: Pool noodles, silver spray paint, and string.

Steps:

1. Cut pool noodles into smaller links.
2. String them together like a chain.
3. Spray paint with silver or grey.

 

23. Creepy Eyeball Wreath

Every guest who approaches feels like the door is staring at them.

What you need: Foam garland, plastic eyeballs, glue gun.

Steps:

1. Glue plastic eyeballs all over the garland.
2. Leave small spaces so it looks uneven.
3. Hang it on your front door.

Suggested Read: How Does Rustic Wood Home Decor Create A Cozy Atmosphere?

 

24. Headless Figure

From a distance, it looks like a real person until guests realize it’s headless!

What you need: Old clothes, newspaper, pumpkin or mask, porch chair.

Steps:

1. Stuff old clothes with newspaper to form a body.
2. Place a pumpkin or mask as the head.
3. Set it on a chair on your porch.

 

25. Glow-in-the-Dark Jars

The jars glow in the dark, creating a magical yet eerie path through your yard.

What you need: Mason jars, glow sticks, glitter, and water.

Steps:

1. Crack glow sticks into jars.
2. Add water and glitter.
3. Shake and place them outside.

 

Conclusion: how to make scary halloween decorations at home

Now you know exactly how to make scary Halloween decorations at home with 25 simple, spine-chilling ideas.

From floating ghosts to haunted mirrors, each decoration adds a different layer of scare to your space.

With just household items and creativity, you can turn your home into the scariest spot without spending.

Try a few of these today and watch as your house becomes the ultimate Halloween destination!

 

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