Tips to get your home Halloween ready

Halloween is just around the corner and if you've noticed your neighbours hanging up decorations and transforming their homes into Halloween horror zones, it's time to join in the fun! Whether you're a seasoned Halloween enthusiast or new to the spooky decoration craze, creating an ambiance in your home is a great way to celebrate the occasion. 

Here are seven ideas to help you decorate your home for Halloween:

1. Spook-tacular exterior decor 

The exterior of your home is the first impression for any trick-or-treaters and guests, so it's important to make it look good.

• Start by hanging a themed wreath on your front door. You can create one using artificial leaves, fake bats and mini pumpkins or buy one already made that fits your theme.
• Consider placing a few carved pumpkins on your porch or the steps up to your home. Illuminated with candles, pumpkins create an enchanting entrance. Carved pumpkins are a classic symbol of Halloween and signal to passersby that you're ready for trick-or-treaters. 
• Purchase doormats with Halloween messages like 'Trick or Treat' or 'Happy Halloween' to greet your guests. 
• Use 'Do not cross' or crime scene tape on your front door for a more playful approach! Remember to avoid using tape across walkways or doorways to ensure safety. You could also add fun sighs saying 'Enter if you dare!' or something similar. 
• Hang and drape cobwebs, bats or spiders from your trees, plants and shrubs in your front garden. You could also hang these from the ceiling of your porch to create a spooky welcome to your home. 
• Consider adding spooky sound effects or lighting to enhance the atmosphere and draw attention to your home.

2. Living room: The heart of the haunt

Your living room is the perfect space for hosting Halloween parties and themed movie nights.

• Add festive cushions and throws with Halloween phrases or bats, pumpkins or skulls.
• Decorate your coffee table with with a central display of mini pumpkins, scented candles and perhaps some fake spiders for an extra touch. 
• Hang ghostly decorations from the ceiling or drape black and orange streamers around the room to transform your living space into a gathering area filled with Halloween cheer. 

3. Kitchen: A treat for the senses

Get creative in the kitchen by not only preparing festive treats but also decorating space.

• Hang Halloween-themed tea towels and display spookie cookie jars filled with treats on your countertops.
• Use a chalkboard to write festive messages or spooky recipes to inspire your cooking over the Halloween season.
• Arrange autumnal foliage, mini pumpkins and scented candles as a centrepiece to add warmth and seasonal flair to the room.
• Bake some festive treats for your guests and trick-or-treaters, and keep some left over as edible decorations for your kitchen.
• Hang crime scene tape across your cupboards or use stick on decorations to create a more festive feel to the room. 

4. Dining room: Hosting a ghoulish feast

Transform your dining room into the perfect Halloween dinner party venue. 

• Start with a black table cloth as a base, layering it with a lighter coloured one for contrast. Set the table with Halloween-themed dinnerware and add centerpieces made from pumpkins, candles or autumnal flowers. 
• Use faux spider webs as a table runner and sprinkle around decorative plastic insects.
• Encourage your dinner party guests to dress up in costume and serve themed dishes like 'witches' brew soup' or 'mummified hot dogs' to surprise your friends and family.

5. Bedrooms: Subtle Halloween touches

Even your bedrooms can embrace the Halloween spirit. A few small decorations can create a festive atmosphere. 

• Swap out your regular bed dressing for Halloween-themed sheets or add festive throws and pillows which feature spooky designs. 
• Hang paper bats or other creatures from the ceiling or display small pumpkins on your bedside tables and shelving units. 
• Consider draping pumpkin fairy lights or other Halloween inspired lighting around your headboard.
• Put up themed posters or artwork, allowing you to enjoy the festive spirit without it being too overwhelming. 

6. Garden: An enchanted outdoor space 

Your garden is an excellent place to showcase your Halloween spirit.

• Use outdoor lighting to highlight your decorations and create a more haunting atmosphere.
• Hang lanterns or string lights from your trees and shrubs to add a magical touch to your outdoor space.
• Place some skeletons, witches or other spooky characters among your plants and garden furniture to surprise your guests. 
• If you have space, you can even create a mini graveyard with fake tombstones, spiders and spider webs.  

7. Halloween lighting: Creating a spooky glow

Lighting is one of the easiest and most effective ways to transform your house for Halloween and create a truly spooky atmosphere for the spooktacular season.

• Start by stringing up outdoor halloween decorations like orange and purple fairy lights along your porch, windows, and garden fences to set the scene for trick or treaters.
• Lanterns and glow sticks are perfect for lining your walkway, making it both inviting and safe for little ghosts and ghouls.
• Use LED lights to bathe your home in eerie colors or spotlight your favorite decorations. Light red candles and let the wax drip over white candles for a blood-dripping effect, adding an extra spooky touch to your decor.

8. Halloween music and sound effects: Setting the mood

No Halloween celebration is complete without the right soundtrack to stir up excitement and bring your house to life!

• Playing classic Halloween tunes like “Monster Mash” or “Thriller” instantly gets everyone in the spirit and makes the night more fun for kids and adults alike.
• Set up a portable speaker or sound system to play your favourite Halloween playlists throughout the night.
• Add some eerie background sounds to your games and activities for more fun.

9. Halloween games and activities: Spooky fun for all ages

Halloween is all about having fun and making memories and nothing brings people together like a few spooky games and activities!

• Host a costume contest and let everyone show off their creative costumes, or organize a pumpkin-carving contest to see who can come up with the most imaginative designs.
• For a twist on trick or treating, set up a scavenger hunt around your house or garden, hiding treats and clues for kids to find.
• Classic games like bobbing for apples or pin the wart on the witch are always a hit and add to the excitement of the night.

10. DIY Halloween decorations 

Put your creativity to work by crafting your own Halloween decorations. You can make spooky paper lanterns, paint jars to resemble witch's potion bottles or create spooky artwork on your walls. Encourage your family members or friends to join in the fun and make it a bonding activity. You can also add personalised decorations to add a unique touch to your home.

Storage solutions with Pickfords

If you're struggling to find space for all your Halloween decorations, consider using Pickfords' storage solutions. Our secure facilities provide the perfect solution if you're looking to store your festive items when Halloween is over, ensuring your home remains organised and clutter-free. You'll have peace of mind knowing that your decorations are safely stored until next year. 

Spooky Halloween from all of us at Pickfords!