DIY Haunted House: Transform Your Home with These Budget-Friendly Halloween Decor Hacks
Transform your home into a haunted house on a budget with these DIY Halloween decor hacks! From creepy cobwebs to glowing ghost lanterns, these easy, affordable ideas will give your space a spooky vibe without breaking the bank.
Photo by CrowN
Halloween is nine days away, and there’s nothing more fun than transforming your home into a spooky haunted house for the season! But while those elaborate decorations in stores may catch your eye, they often come with a hefty price tag!
The good news is that you don’t need to spend a fortune to give your home a haunted makeover. With some creativity and DIY spirit, you can create eerie, budget-friendly decor that will give your home the perfect haunted vibe.
This article will help you decide where to begin planning your next Halloween DIY project.
1: Creepy Cobwebs from Everyday Items
Cobwebs are a must-have for any haunted house, and you can make them at home for almost nothing! All you need is a few cotton balls or a roll of cheesecloth. To create cobwebs, stretch out cotton balls by pulling them apart as thinly as possible, then drape them over furniture, doorways, and light fixtures. If you’re using cheesecloth, soak it in tea or coffee for an aged look before cutting it into strips and stretching it over surfaces.
Bonus tip: Want a little extra spookiness? Add plastic spiders, bats, or insects (available at most dollar stores) to the webbing for a frightful touch!
2: DIY Glowing Ghost Lanterns
Set the scene with glowing ghost lanterns. You can also craft these from materials you probably already have at home! All you need are empty mason jars, white tissue paper, glue, and battery-operated tea lights.
- Glue the tissue paper onto the outside of the jar, layer by layer, until it’s opaque.
- Then, cut out eyes and a mouth from black construction paper and glue them on to give your ghost some personality.
- Pop in a tea light, and voilà—you have glowing ghost lanterns perfect for your porch or windowsill.
Cost-saving tip: To keep this craft totally free, repurpose any glass jars you’ve saved from pasta sauces or jams.
3: Foam Tombstones
Every haunted house needs a graveyard; you can make realistic tombstones using affordable materials. Some people recommend cardboard, but it can warp and get soggy from the paint, so we recommend using foam, which is also relatively inexpensive. This will save you a lot of money over time because the tombstones sold in stores are often very expensive, considering how cheaply they are made.
Start by cutting out tombstone shapes from the foam board and painting them with gray or black acrylic paint. Once dry, use a white paint pen or chalk to add spooky messages like “R.I.P.” or “Here Lies…” Once they are dry, you can place them in your yard or inside near an entryway for an eerie effect. I love this tutorial from Em Hale's Home blog.
Pro tip: For an aged stone look, sponge on different shades of gray and black paint to give the tombstones more texture. You can even use moss or leaves to make them look like they’ve been there for centuries.
4: Floating Candles on a Budget
Floating candles make you feel like you’re stepping into a scene from your favorite spooky movie. To make your own, save up toilet paper rolls or use paper towel tubes cut in half. Hot glue “drips” of wax onto the sides of each roll, then paint them white or black. Once dry, add a battery-operated tea light to the top and hang them from the ceiling using a clear fishing wire or string.
Here's a helpful tutorial from The Craft Aisle on Instagram:
Cost-saving tip: Check your local dollar store for affordable tea lights, or reuse any small candles you already have at home. This entire setup costs just a few dollars!
5: Upcycled Potion Bottles
Turn old glass bottles into eerie “potion bottles” to give your haunted house a witchy vibe. Rinse out empty bottles from the kitchen (think wine bottles, olive oil containers, etc.) and paint them black or dark green. As you can see in the example below, you can also keep them clear and dye the "potion" inside.
Create spooky labels using paper, or download printable labels online. Fill the bottles with colored water (just add food coloring!) or leave them empty for a mysterious touch.
Pro tip: Add some faux spiderwebs or drape cheesecloth around your potion display to enhance the spooky scene!
6: Ghostly Silhouettes with Black Trash Bags
You don’t need fancy cutouts to give your windows a haunted look. Grab some black trash bags or construction paper, and cut out simple ghost, bat, or spiderweb silhouettes.
Then, tape them to your windows to cast eerie shadows at night when the lights are on inside. This hack is super affordable and easy to customize with whatever spooky shapes you like!
You can choose a few of these for a minimalist Halloween look, or try them all if you want to really deck out your home! These are all easy (and affordable) enough to try in the coming week as you prepare for Halloween.
Drop us a line at [email protected] to share photos of your successful Halloween DIY projects or have an idea we should add to the list. And, of course, if you're looking for a specific item, don't forget to search Spoken for Halloween decor or everyday decor for your favorite spaces—happy decorating and celebrating this spooky season.
Quick facts
How can I decorate for Halloween without buying anything?
To decorate for Halloween without buying anything, use household items like old sheets for ghost decorations, paper cutouts for bats, or candles for a spooky atmosphere. Upcycling materials and getting creative with what you have can help you achieve festive decor without spending money.
How to decorate for Halloween outside on a budget?
For budget-friendly outdoor Halloween decor, use items like fallen branches, leaves, and pumpkins to create a natural spooky scene. You can also DIY simple crafts such as paper ghosts or painted rocks. Repurposing old decorations and lights can also add to the ambiance.
How to make easy Halloween decorations?
To make easy Halloween decorations, try DIY ideas like cutting out paper bats, painting pumpkins, or hanging string lights. Other quick ideas include making ghost garlands from tissues or crafting spiderwebs using cotton balls. These are simple, fun projects you can do at home.
What Halloween decorations don’t take up space?
Space-saving Halloween decorations include window clings, wall decals, and hanging paper bats or ghosts. LED string lights or paper lanterns can also add to the decor without cluttering surfaces. Consider vertical decorations like door hangings or wall art for a compact, festive look.
How can I decorate my room without anything?
To decorate your room without buying anything, use what you already have. Create spooky vibes with blankets draped over furniture, dimmed lighting, or candles. Use paper, fabric scraps, or old clothes to create DIY Halloween decorations like ghosts or bats.
How to decorate for Halloween in a small space?
In a small space, use vertical decor like wall decals, hanging bats, or string lights to maximize room. Consider window displays or table centerpieces to keep things compact but festive. Simple touches, like candles or miniature pumpkins, can enhance the Halloween theme without overwhelming the space.
Jen Buckner
Writer at Spoken
Jen is a furniture content aficionado at Spoken. She is a Delaware native living on Tulsa time with her husband Blake and three super-cool kids. Jen enjoys using her words to inspire people to make the world—and their worlds—better. When she's not writing, she's driving her kids around, picking out something cute to wear, or volunteering for a local nonprofit. Oh! And she'd always rather be at the beach (with a bucket of fries).
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