12 Easy and Simple DIY Halloween Decorations (Indoor and Outdoor)

Halloween is just a few weeks away so why not get creative with these easy DIY Halloween decorations for your home? These creative ideas will ensure that every inch of your house will look unique and festive this season—not to mention scary!

We've included ideas you can use for both inside and outside of your home. So prepare to become the ghostess with the mostess and treat your house to one, or more, of these simple DIY Halloween decorations this year. Just don't be surprised when you become the talk of the neighborhood.

1. Cameo Cookie Display

Give treats the scary treatment!

Instructions

• Display Cameo cookies in a wood box filled with store-bought Spanish moss. 
• Nail a tag made from torn paper and stamped with a spooky crow silhouette to the box. 
• Stamp glassine bags with a spider so guests can take cookies to enjoy later. 
• To make the cookies, use a Cameo silhouette-shaped cookie cutter to cut the Cameo outline from slice-and-bake sugar cookie dough; bake as directed. 
• Once cool, apply white royal icing to the portrait and "frame," then coat with sparkling black sanding sugar, shaking off any excess.

2. Spider Wreath

We get the creepy crawlies just looking at this spider web wreath. Isn't that the feeling you want all of your Halloween decorations to drum up?

Instructions

• Tie six pieces of white string across a 14-inch foam wreath form, making sure to loop each one at the midway point of the first piece attached to create a central point. (This is the base of the web and should have 12 “spokes.”) 
• Tie a long piece of string to the center point; weave and loop from the center out to create the web. If you run out of string, tie another piece to the end and continue weaving. 
• When you reach the wreath form, tie off at your ending point. 
• Move the twine up and down to create uneven gaps in the web. 
• Wrap the wreath form with white burlap ribbon and attach faux spiders with hot-glue. 
• Loop a piece of white burlap ribbon around the form to hang.

3. Broomstick Door Décor

Welcome fellow witches with this coven-inspired broomstick door idea. It's really simple to pull off if you're looking for a last-minute Halloween design.

Instructions

• Drill a small hole in the handle of two large outdoor brooms. 
• Hammer five small nails in front door. 
• Hang two brooms, right sides up, through holes. Hang a third large broom and two small “witches brooms” by threading the bristles over the remaining three nails. 
• Add black plastic Grecian urn planters and “Spirit Board” doormat.

4. Jack-o'-Lantern Halloween Topiary

This top-notch topiary can be crafted with cheap dollar store plastic pumpkins. Via Tatertots and Jello

5. Pumpkin Candy Dispenser

We love when décor is both seasonal and functional. So put your pumpkin to good use by turning it into a unique candy dispenser.

Instructions

• Trace the bottom of a glass bowl or storage container onto the front of a medium pumpkin. 
• Cut out around tracing then scoop out pulp and seeds. 
• Insert bowl, making the hole slightly bigger if necessary. 
• Attach a piece of thick rope around the edge of the bowl with hot-glue. 
• Fill bowl with candy.

6. Halloween Centerpiece

This Halloween centerpiece for a mantel, a kitchen island or a dining room table is sure to look BOO-tiful! In less than 2 minutes, you can set-up this fall decoration for you and your family to enjoy. 

We’ll admit it: we’re scaredy cats! We’ll happily leave Zombies, werewolves and amputated body parts to others as we enjoy this bright black and orange centerpiece. 

7. Lantern Post Sign

There's no better way to play on the famed Macbeth quote this Halloween than with a DIY directional sign post. Keep things thematic with black and orange stripes and a faux raven watch guard at the top. Via Mom Endeavors

8. Hanging Cage Prop

Give your neighbors a light fright with these outdoor "cages," simply made from stacked plastic laundry baskets. For the full spooky effect, stash a few skeletons inside. Via Navage Patch

9. DIY Bat Branch Centerpiece

Backyard twigs and branches form an easy base for this bat centerpiece. Via Sweetest Occasion

10. Glow-in-the-Dark Halloween Confetti Jars

Use Mason jars to store your spider sparklers, unicorn tears, and bat kisses—but with a twist. Layer each one with a coat of glow-in-the-dark Mod Podge and turn out the lights (then beware of things that go bump in the night!). Via Mod Podge Rocks

11. Spooky Hand Soap

Make washing your hands a scary affair. Simply add Halloween items to your favorite hand soap—we suggest small pumpkin, bats, eyeballs, or spiders—and stir with skewers. Via Little Bins for Little Hands

12. Glow Stick Broomsticks

These hassle-free crafts are made from glow sticks, twine, scissors, kraft and construction paper, and double-sided tape. Via One Little Project

Summary

There's no shortage of ways to get into the holiday spirit. For die-hard fans of the spooky day, there are more complex DIYs you can explore on Pinterest—like scary decor for your front door, creepy crystal balls, and pumpkin topiaries for the porch. But if you could take it or leave it, there are also easy dollar store decorations you can make with household items, too. So, put on a spooky playlist, and prepare for the cutest, sometimes scary—and most Pinterest-worthy—Halloween ever!