4 Easy & Inexpensive Last-Minute DIY Halloween Décor

The end of October is right around the corner, which means it’s almost the scariest night of the year.

Whether your front porch has been Halloween ready since September or you’re just starting to shop for spooky décor, we’ve got four easy last-minute DIYs. The best part—all of these projects can be done with items found at your local craft or dollar store.

Creature Silhouettes

 

When you think of Halloween, iconic images that come to mind include a frightened black cat arching its back to hiss at figures in the night. Or maybe it’s a swarm of bats flying away from something rustling in a dark cave.

Channel these creepy critters in your Halloween décor! Purchase black felt or construction paper and draw your animal shapes using a pencil. You can either draw freehand or with a quick Internet search find silhouettes to use as a template. This is a great craft to do with kids, as they will love putting their own creative flair to their creatures.

Time to make your cats and bats come to life! Use clear adhesive to attach your black cats to windows facing your porch. For the best effect, make sure a light is glowing in the room behind the silhouettes. No windows? No problem! Tape a wood barbecue skewer to the back of the cat and stick it in garden beds and planters lining the way to the front door and point spotlights in their direction.

If bats are your choice of creatures, stick tape to the back and adhere them to the front door, and on windows to create a flock. Be sure the tape isn’t too strong that it would remove any surface paint. For an extra spooky touch, use string or wire and thread them through the bats and tape to the ceiling to greet guests as they enter.

DIY Floating Hats:

Double, double, toil and trouble! Are those flying witches hats?

 

Embrace your inner witch or wizard to create this hauntingly cool idea. You’ll need inexpensive black witches hats found at the dollar stores, glow sticks, string or fishing line, and removable plastic adhesive hooks.

Thread the string through the eyelet of a glow stick and through the inside point of the witch hat. For a mysterious look, hang the hats from different string lengths. Attach the string to the ceiling using hooks. Complete the look by adding witches brooms by the front door and a plastic cauldron filled with candy. Before it gets dark, activate the glow sticks!

Glowing Eyes

Greet your guests with eerie glowing eyes! See this tutorial for details.

 

Gather empty paper towel rolls and trace menacing eyes on the side. You can freehand these or print out a stencil online. Cut out the eyes using scissors or an E-XACTO knife (keep away from kids please). We recommend painting the paper towel rolls black to make them less noticeable in the dark.

Insert a glow stick or LED light in each tube and place them in bushes, garden beds, hang from trees and add to potted plants.

To make your porch extra spooky, use a portable speaker to play a haunted house playlist for an overall chilling effect.

Front Porch Monster:

Running out of time and in need of one impressive transformation? Try this giant monster!

 

The first step is to measure the length of your doorway. Then pick up large white poster boards and sketch out curved triangles for fangs. Cut out the teeth and then two half circles for the eyes. Paint in the features on the eyes and add blood outlining the teeth if you want extra gore. Attach each piece using duck tape (be careful of painted surfaces) and you’re set for the big night.

With these easy and inexpensive DIY’S, you’re sure to have one of the spookiest porches on the block. Get ready for trick or treaters galore!

How spooky was your front porch?  Share your photos with us!