Aaaaahhhh!
Halloween is a time to decorate your lawn with tombstones, rotting corpses, and scream-inducing spiders. Whether you’ve got kids or you’re just a kid at heart, it’s fun to decorate for trick-or-treaters or lookee-loos. So after you’ve carved or painted your pumpkins and placed them on your doorstep, it’s time to get your front lawn spooked out. Here are 10 ideas to inspire…and scare you.
Look at our 10 Halloween yard ideas…if you dare!
Don’t be frightened – Halloween decorations don’t need to cost you a fortune.
Sure, if you stop by a dedicated Halloween store, you could drop a small fortune that would drain the blood from your face. The best time to shop for any holiday decorations is AFTER the holiday, when everything’s 50% off or greater, then stick it away for the following year. But if you want to pick up items now, the dollar stores, Michael’s Arts & Crafts (use a coupon!) and yard sales offer great deals. And believe it or not, many stores are already trying to make room for Christmas merchandise and their Halloween crafts and decor are already drastically reduced in price! Here are some ideas to liven (or “deaden”) up your yard:
1. Hanging pumpkins. These are more classy than creepy. I thought they were pretty clever. Some rope and painted wooden squares make for an easy craft project and eye-catching lawn decor.
Hanging pumpkins
Hanging pumpkins 2
2. Cobwebs. You can pick fake cobwebs up at the dollar store and one bag goes a long way! Cobwebs make anything atmospheric.
Cobwebs
Cobwebbage galore!
3. Boo on a budget. The neighbor who decorated this gate said she bought her “props” at the dollar store and at Michael’s. It took her only minutes to set up, but looks very atmospheric!
Boo on a budget
4. Tree lights. Whether you live in sunny L.A., chilly New England or somewhere in between, orange outdoor tree lights are always attention-getting. Just make sure to have someone watch out for you when you’re climbing up that high ladder (especially if stringing lights on palm trees)!
Got palm trees?
5. The Rising Dead. Get a rise out of your neighbors by arranging bony hands or ghoulish bodies on your lawn or driveway.
6. Tombstones. You can buy faux tombstones at any party store, most dollar stores and Michael’s. They usually made of cheap styrofoam, but look how the addition of the real pumpkins scattered next to them manages to make them look more authentic.
Tombstones and pumpkins
7. Skeleflamingos. How fabulous are these? You can find them on Amazon.
Skeleflamingos
8. Translucent Window Decorations. Very impressive but not expensive! Google around for different designs.
Halloween window cling
9. Ghostly Lawn Decor. Not too spooky if you have littles ones – and they light up at night. And right now, they’re on sale!
Ghostly lawn decor
10. Eyeball Lights. Our neighbors put these out every year and they never fail to amuse. We couldn’t find the exact kind online, but found several similar sets on eBay.
Here’s looking at you
More spooky outdoor decor to inspire you:
Welcome to Bargain Babe! I’m Mara, and I’m so glad you’re here. I am an obsessive bargain hunter and penny pincher, and I am determined to live a full life without EVER paying full price.
Yes, I made my own tombstones for free. Sheets of Styrofoam are free at appliance stores. Lowe’s has gallons of greenish brown or gray paint for $3/gal. I used an old steak knife, plates and rulers and made designs. the way I arranged and lighted them, there was no need for wording. However, this would be easy. I could send you pictures, if you email and ask for them. I don’t want to be pushy. Other than the cheap paint, I bought nothing for my graveyard.
What a great idea! I saw tombstones made of styrofoam in the store the other day for about $19 apiece – seriously! And if you make them yourself, you can decide what you want them to look like or if you want wording (you didn’t). Are you Bargain Babe’s FB? Perhaps you could post your photos there.