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Our 12 favorite Halloween decoration ideas for inside and out

These Halloween decor ideas for your yard or interior are spooky and stylish

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Orange pumpkins sit on top of an orange tabletop.
Toni Cuenca / Pexels

Not everyone has the budget or the time to do a full-blown Halloween makeover in their home. However, that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on the holiday. Here are 12 simple DIY Halloween decoration ideas you can do this year, both inside and out, to celebrate October 31.

Halloween decor for the front porch

Fall pumpkin decor and flowers on stairs
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Your front entrance is one of the first spaces guests will see this holiday season. Be sure to add some spooky Halloween decor to your front porch and door to impress guests.

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Add a Halloween welcome mat

A simple Halloween swap you can make this year is to change out your welcome mat for an eerie alternative. For a creepy greeting, consider laying a doormat that reads “Turn back now” or “Enter if you dare.” If you prefer a cuter seasonal option, place a mat that features pumpkins, ghosts, black cats, or a cool phrase like “Hey boo” or “Happy Halloween.”

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Set up your jack-o’-lanterns

Halloween is the season of the jack-o’-lantern, and chances are that you and your family will carve a pumpkin or two before the 31st. Show off your creations by setting your pumpkins up on the front steps or nestling them on a hay bale by the front door.

Add a wreath to your front door

A fall wreath is the perfect versatile front door decoration. Add a wreath to your entrance that you can customize as the season wears on. You can add miniature pumpkins, ghosts, or fun wood-carved phrases to your wreath as temporary Halloween additions before removing the decor for Thanksgiving. Or, keep your fall wreath as it is if you want to celebrate Halloween without all of the ghouls and ghosts in your design.

Stack a pumpkin topiary

Stacked pumpkin topiaries are a popular decor addition this time of year. Using plastic pumpkins, hot glue the tops and bottoms, based on how you layer them, to adhere the pumpkins to one another. You can stack as many as you like, ideally the largest on the bottom and the smallest on the top.

Halloween yard decorations

Halloween front door and porch display
Hayk_Shalunts / Shutterstock

Your front porch and entryway aren’t the only exterior spaces you can decorate for Halloween. Consider adding some spooky yard decorations to take advantage of this fun holiday.

Pose a skeleton or two

Posing skeletons is a fun decor idea with plenty of creative liberty. Pose a skeleton or two in Hawaiian shirts and sun hats on some summer lounge chairs as if they’re relaxing on the beach. Or put a skeleton on a tree swing so it looks like they’re enjoying your yard. The options are endless.

Change up your exterior lighting

If you find classic Halloween decor a bit kitschy, don’t fret. You can still spruce up your exterior for the holiday by changing up your exterior lighting. Change your exterior bulbs to orange, green, or purple alternatives for a slightly spooky touch.

Create a graveyard

Another classic Halloween yard decor idea is to create your own graveyard. Purchase tombstones, faux iron fencing, and skeleton bones from your local department store and set up a mini cemetery or boneyard.

Adorn a wheelbarrow

If you want to celebrate Halloween but prefer to steer clear of spooky decor, decorate a wheelbarrow with fall flowers, pumpkins, scarecrows, cornstalks, and other autumn motifs.

Indoor Halloween decor ideas

halloween decorations in room with fireplace
Aquarius Studio / Shutterstock

Once you’ve decorated your exterior, you’ll want to update your interior for Halloween as well. Here are some fantastic indoor Halloween decor ideas.

Set up a tiny ghost town

You may have seen the small ceramic Christmas towns set up on entryway tables. But have you seen a miniature ghost town? Add a small ceramic Halloween ghost town on your table, complete with faux cobwebs, ghosts, trees, and a mini graveyard.

Spookify your Roomba

A popular trend emerging recently is decorating your Roomba for Halloween. Some homeowners have added twigs and sticks to create a “witch’s broom” out of their robot vacuum to create the effect of a magical broom sweeping up the house.

Decorate a Halloween tree

The Halloween tree has quickly become a staple for many homeowners who want to maximize their seasonal decor. Black and orange trees can be a great way to decorate for the spooky season. Be sure to add plenty of Halloween motifs and ornaments.

Change up your mantle decor

Halloween is a good time to refresh your mantle with decor that matches the seasonal aesthetic you’re aiming for. Dress up the space with ceramic pumpkins, Halloween garlands, eerie signage, and miniature skeletons.

Halloween is a fun time of year when you get to play around with seasonal motifs to build creative setups both indoors and out. Try out these ideas this season to add a haunting touch to your home.

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Amelia Wilson
Amelia Wilson
Contributor
Amelia Wilson (author pen name Amelia J. Wilson) is a content writer in Greenwood, IN. She often enjoys topics on…
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