It’s October, ya’ll! And in an effort to help those who like to decorate for Halloween (but may have more of a Type B personality like myself), we put together a guide of all our most favorite, high-impact, lower-effort ideas to jumpstart your planning. I mean, Emily is the number one fan of “low effort, high-impact” when it comes to holiday decorating. What’s even better is that most, if not all, of her ideas are very affordable. It’s just up to you how hard you want to go:) Let’s start with one of my personal favorites.

Halloween Decor Ideas: Spray Paint Branches Black

If you want something spooky but not scary and honestly pretty chic…spray paint some (ideally) long branches black. Of course we don’t want anyone taking chainsaws to a tree, but if you have access to fallen branches, black spray paint, and some zip ties, you are set. I love how Emily took one of her large vases and created this very cool moment in her Los Feliz house. This was from pre-COVID, and it looks completely timeless. Of course, she also added spider webs and crows (which we’ll get to in a minute) to really punch up the spooky vibes.

Halloween Decor Ideas: Giant Webs

Another Emily Halloween move she’s done every year I’ve worked here, which is *cough* A LOT, is a GIANT spider web. These kinds in the photos above are playful, so fun but not too scary for young ones. Plus, you avoid all the mess of the other kind of fake spider webs. A less annoying cleanup for us is the way to go. Add a giant spider or spiders for fun too:)

Halloween Decor Ideas: Creepy Cloth

Of all the Halloween decor ideas, this is Emily’s personal #1 and for good reason. All you have to do is throw creepy cloth on or over something, and that can be it! If you want to hang it, then you’ll likely need to secure it with some zip ties, nails, 3M hooks, etc. As seen here, Emily has used creepy cloth on credenzas but also fireplace mantels, over pianos and…

…outside too! Most of us don’t have a covered walkway to make this kind of dramatic moment, but think about a porch or even partially over windows.

Please also note the black branches!

Halloween Decor Ideas: Googly Eyes & Black Taper Candles with Black Candle Handle Holders

For some smaller ideas, if you have portraits in your home, put googly eyes on them! Kids love it, and it’s just so freaking easy (some creepy cloth or spider webs on the frames is an added bonus). Another wildly simple idea is going for a monochrome look with your taper candles. Black tapers with black candle holders. Check and check.

Halloween Decor Ideas: Wall Bats & Crows

It’s Halloween, so some spooky flying creatures are a no-brainer. Little wall bats like these above can create such a fun and big moment. Plus, they can go in any room or even outside your front door. Emily is also a big ole fan of a realistic crow. I have a healthy fear of birds, so I likely would skip it in my own home, but when I look at her photos, I can’t help but think they look amazing. Just a cool (and also pretty chic) idea that’s reusable for years and placed differently each time.

Halloween Decor Ideas: Orange Light Bulbs

This is Em’s newest “discovery”…the power of the orange lightbulb! Look how incredible it is, and for almost no effort. Understandably, she keeps her orange bulbs for the exterior of her home, but you can go for it any way you want. I think it looks so incredible and spooky but mostly SO fun.

Before we get into any new products, here’s a list of all of the Halloween posts and reveals Emily has done over the years in case you want more in-depth info and even more Halloween decor ideas.

OUR HALLOWEEN POSTS:

• A Vintage Halloween Inside Our Farmhouse
• Our Front Porch Decorated For Halloween
• Our DIY Halloween Graveyard
• Recreate Emily’s Halloween Front Porch And Graveyard From An Unexpected Source
• My Spooky (And Super Simple) Kid-Approved Halloween Decor
• The 4 Budget (HIGH IMPACT) Halloween Decorations I’ve Used For The Past 4 Years (+ 6 Extra I Love)
• How We Decorated Our House For Halloween
• How We Decorate For Halloween

1. Ed Emberley Felt Spider Web Wall Hanging | 2. 200″ Spider Web Outdoor + 59″ Giant Spider Décor

Here are some more spider webs like the ones Emily has used, but in different sizes (plus they come with spiders). #1 is a little sweeter and more little-kid-friendly because the spiders are cuter (Plus it’s on sale for $39!). #2 is MASSIVE and definitely meant for the outdoors. I’m thinking you’d have one of the cooler Halloween houses on the black with that one!

1. Ghostly Light-Up Mantle Decor | 2. Ed Emberley Glow-in-the-Dark Spooky Village

If you are a Christmas village person, maybe you might want to consider a Halloween village of sorts. I love both of these. Playful but not overly “too kid”.

1. Ghost Witch Shaped Wax Tapers | 2. Ghost Icon Cloche Gourmand Sugared Walnut & Spice Glass Candle | 3. Terrain Witches Brew Cauldron Candle | 4. Halloween Antics Candleholders

While we love a black-on-black candle/candle holder look, I LOVE all of the Halloween candle options out right now. Another is really killing the game, and #1, #2, and #3 are just the beginning. And while I love that candles are a consumable for storage reasons, you can reuse the cloche of #2! For a playful candlestick holder, I think those ants are so awesome.

1. Halloween Bats Wall Décor Sticker | 2. Black Feathered Crows

In case you loved the wall bats and realistic crows that Em loves too, here are some great and affordable options!

1. Black Spooky Giant Cheese Cloth | 2. Beige Halloween Creepy Cloth

In terms of our beloved “creepy cloth”, you can’t go wrong with either of these, and you get a lot of yardage. Throw it over everything! Just kidding…unlesssss:)

1. Petite Plume Rattan Hanging Witch Hats (Set of 3) | 2. Ed Emberley Felt Spiders Hanging Decor

More than any other holiday, Halloween was made for fun (or creepy) hanging decor. Emily has used bats before, and it’s awesome. I just really thought these were so great. If you can’t tell, West Elm does Halloween insanely well. Love everything they put out this year.

1. Black and White Halloween Mummy Throw Pillow | 2. Nicole Cicak Halloween Harvest Pillow Cover

If you are a holiday pillow person, my vote is for one of these. You can be a little more “funny” with the mummy or a little sweeter with the town scene from West Elm. See?! So good.

1. Classic Glow In The Dark Skull Decor | 2. Ivory Faux Mossy Skeleton Figure Decor | 3. Thumbs Up Glow in the Dark Skeleton Arm Lawn Ornament | 4. Ivory Critter Skeleton Halloween Decor (Set of 3)

Ok, I LOVE the partially moss-covered skeleton. It’s perfect for a porch or in the garden and looks oddly “spooky sophisticated”. 10/10. All of the others are great, affordable options to add to your collection or to start one.

1. Black Wood and Natural Twig Witch’s Broom Wall Decor | 2. Illuminated Vine Broom

If you love to decorate for Halloween and don’t have a “witch’s” broom, may I kindly recommend you get one. They feel both fall and Halloween and are just pretty. The one from World Market is simple, elegant, and a great price. The one from Anthro is definitely pricey but would look amazing and add ambience to your front porch,

1. Black and Natural Coir Bat Shaped Doormat | 2. Black Handmade Terracotta Jack O Lantern Pumpkin | 3. Terrain Vine Bat Wreath | 4. LED Flame Bulb

Looking to upgrade your Halloween front porch? Here are a handful of great items to consider! That little bat doormat is adorable and such a great price. Those terra cotta pumpkins aren’t super cheap (the smallest one is $45), but they are very cool and ones you’d keep forever. The bat wreath is SO cool, right? A little extra special. Then I found these “flame bulbs” and thought a flame effect on your front porch would be pretty awesome.

Is anyone in the spirit yet? Ha. Hopefully, this made you excited to decorate since you can make some big impact choices without the hours of labor. Happy October, everyone!

Love you, mean it.

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: Our Front Porch Decorated For Halloween (+ How It Looks Spooky At Night For Trick-Or-Treaters)