Do It Yourself: Make the Best Halloween Decorations

It’s October! That means it’s time for autumn leaves, cooler weather, spooky stories, and a lot of candy. Whether you want to impress your neighbors or have quality family time with your kids, these are the best Halloween Decorations for you. 

Before you begin, remember to create a clean and fresh slate to work with. In other words: remove your current decorations before you spooky-fy your home. Take your normal picture frames off the walls and decorations off all the surfaces including tables, counters, and shelves and store them out of sight. When you add Halloween decorations on top of your normal décor, the result looks cluttered and confused. Put all the focus on your Halloween decorations by making them the center of attention. Fill empty spots that other picture frames left by hanging Halloween plates or spooky decorations.

Pick a Color Scheme

Like with any decorations, it’s good to choose a color scheme of two or three tones. You can go for the classic orange and black look, or you can go spookier with black, brown, and green. Or if you want a more elegant or mythical look, go for black, purple, and silver. Try not to mix more than three of these bold colors. This will keep your house looking put together and sophisticated.

The Best Halloween Decorations

There are common and popular tropes that are Halloween staples. They’re fun to do and can turn any porch or interior into a spooky scene. 

We all love classic Jack-O-Lanterns, but pumpkins can be used in many different ways for Halloween décor. For a more chic look, try painting pumpkins, or using glue with glitter or buttons. Pumpkins can be used outside as a welcome sign outside after being painted, or inside as table or mantelpiece décor. Try painting a pumpkin with chalkboard paint and keeping a countdown to Halloween!

Here is a fun idea for you to try: 

Paint Victorian Pumpkins

You can adorn your pumpkins with pictures of bats, ghosts, or witches, but if you’re going for a different theme, why not try portraits that mimic those in Disney’s Haunted Mansion? We’re talking, of course, about paintings of silhouettes of people. They’re extremely easy to make and we guarantee that no one on your street will have anything like them. 

Here’s how to make them:

1. Find a stencil online of your choosing and print it out. 

2. Cut the stencil in the desired shape — cut out the human silhouette and frame, for example, so you may paint there. 

3. Place the stencil on your pumpkin and secure it as flat as possible with tape. The easiest way to do this is paint on the flattest side of the pumpkin. 

3. Use spray paint outdoors to paint over the stencil. You can add more than one coat if necessary.

4. Once the paint it dry, remove the stencil 

5. Cut leaves and other decorations from card stock (the color is your choice) and glue them along the pumpkin. 

Try Candles

Candles are a great way to set a creepy mood . White candles look spookiest and are easy to find. Mix and match different sizes and heights of candles and tealights on a mantle or as the centerpiece on a table. Dim the lights and the candle glow will give all the rest of your decorations a scary flickering shadow.

You can also purchase battery powered candles or make them yourself for another family activity. For a tutorial on how, visit this link. 

DIY Ghosts

If you have any fabric and fishing wire laying around, you can make your own flying ghosts in five simple steps. 

1. Cut the fabric into a large square sheet — the size depends on how large you want the ghost to be
2. Ball up newspaper, plastic bags, or place a foam ball in the middle of the fabric. 
3. Pick up the fabric, with the ball in the center, and cinch the fabric under said ball. This will form the head. 
4. Tie the cinch with fishing wire. Be sure to leave extra so you can hang them around your house to make them fly
5. Add details. You can draw on details, like a face, or use pins for the eyes. 

And that’s it! Your little ones will love this and you can even make a contest out of it if you’re hosting a Halloween party. It’s that easy! 

And when you’re done, you can store everything (except for the pumpkins) away until next year. If you need extra room, give us a call at Albuquerque Self Storage and we’ll find the perfect storage unit to fit your needs.