Spooky & Sustainable: Tips for DIY Halloween Decorations

As the crisp autumn air rolls in and the leaves turn fiery shades of red and gold, Halloween provides the perfect excuse to get crafty. But before you head to the store for expensive decorations, look around your home and garden because you already have everything you need!

This year, go green and ghoulish by transforming everyday household items and dry garden waste into eerie, enchanting Halloween décor.

Why Go DIY for Halloween?

Sustainable decorations not only save money but also help reduce waste. Most store-bought Halloween decorations are made of plastic and end up in landfills after a single season. By reusing what you already have, from jars to fallen leaves, you can celebrate Halloween without haunting the planet.

How to Use Household Items and Autumn Garden Waste for Halloween Decorations

1. Turn old Jars to Ghostly Lanterns

Paint or wrap the jars in white tissue or gauze to create “ghost bodies”. Draw spooky faces with a marker and pop in a tealight. Place them along your walkway or windowsill for a spectral glow.

2. String Fallen Autumn Leaves into Garlands

Collect crisp, colourful leaves from your garden and thread them onto string to create a natural garland. Drape them across your mantel, staircase, or porch.

Tip: Spray lightly with hairspray to preserve the colour longer.

3. Cut a Tombstone or Coffin out of a Cardboard Box

Use old shoeboxes or cardboard packaging to make tombstones or coffins. Paint them and use markers to write messages on them.

4. Create a Creepy Scarecrow from Garden Waste & Old Clothes

Stuff old clothes with dry leaves or straw. Use a pumpkin, turnip, or paper bag for the head. Set your scarecrow near the front door to greet trick-or-treaters.

5. Pour your “Witch’s Brew” in Old Glass Bottles or Jars

Fill jars with red, green or purple coloured water. Label them with interesting potions names. Cluster them together on a shelf or windowsill to create your own witch’s workshop.

6. Transform Toilet Paper Rolls into Terrifying Bats

Paint toilet rolls black and draw or stick on googly eyes. Cut out wings from cardboard or scrap paper and glue them to the sides. Punch a hole at the top and hang them upside down with string. Perfect for doorways or corners of the living room.

7. Tie Dried Twigs and Old Pencils together to make Mini Witch’s Broomsticks

Gather a small bundle of twigs or straw for the broom bristles. Attach them securely to the end of an old pencil using string or twine. Add ribbons or tiny charms for a fun twist. Place them on tables, stick them in planters, or use them as props for mini witch figurines!

8. Fashion Hovering Ghosts out of Garbage Bags

Use white or transparent garbage bags. Fill the bottom of each bag with dry autumn leaves to add some lovely colour and help weigh your ghost down. Tie off the top of the bag to make a “head,” leaving some of the bag to float like fabric below. Draw a spooky face with a black marker. Hang them from tree branches or porch beams so they hover in the breeze. Ghostly, yet gorgeous with that autumn leaf glow.

9. Weave Old Twine and Dried Vines to Make Spiderwebs

Interlace and twist old twine, yarn and dried vines together to turn them into loose web shapes. Paint them white and add small homemade spiders made from black buttons. Drape over bushes or room corners.

10. Twist Twigs into Eerie Wreaths

Form a circle from bendable twigs and secure with wire. Decorate with leaves, small gourds, or black ribbon. Hang it on your front door for an earthy, eerie welcome.

It’s amazing what a few toilet rolls, twigs, and fallen leaves can become with a little imagination! These homemade Halloween decorations are proof that you don’t need to spend big to make something beautiful and sustainable.

When the night is done, toss the natural pieces in your compost and pack away the rest for next year’s haunting. Going green has never been this much fun (or this spooky)!