Budget-Friendly DIY Fall & Halloween Decor Ideas for Every Room

Hey mama! 🍂 I see you trying to keep the house festive while juggling kids, school drop-offs, snacks every 10 minutes, and maybe even hiding in the bathroom for 2 minutes of peace (been there!). If you love fall and Halloween like I do but don’t love spending $$$, this blog is your cozy little haven.

I’m a mom of two with a husband who side-eyes the Amazon cart every October. So these DIY ideas are practical, affordable, and totally doable during nap time or while the kids are watching Bluey (again).

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1. Mason Jar Luminaries

What You Need:

• Mason jars or recycled glass jars
• Orange and black acrylic paint or tissue paper
• Mod Podge
• Small paintbrush
• Battery-operated tea lights
• Optional: black paper cutouts (bats, cats, pumpkins)

How To:

1. Paint the outside of your jars or glue on torn tissue paper for a stained-glass effect.
2. Stick your paper cutouts on the outside.
3. Let dry, pop in a tea light, and boom—instant fall vibes.

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2. Spooky Dollar Tree Wreath

What You Need:

• Wire wreath form
• Halloween garland or mesh ribbon
• Mini skulls or spiders
• Hot glue gun
• Black/orange ribbon
• Optional: Small Halloween sign

How To:

1. Wrap the garland around the wreath form.
2. Glue on spiders or skulls.
3. Add ribbon bows and a sign if you want.

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3. Floating Witch Hats

What You Need:

• Black felt witch hats (check Amazon or party stores)
• Fishing line or clear thread
• Glow sticks or LED tea lights
• Tape or thumbtacks

How To:

1. Thread fishing line through the top of each hat.
2. Tape to ceiling or doorway.
3. Drop in a glow stick or tea light inside.

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4. Pumpkin Vase Centerpiece

What You Need:

• Hollow foam pumpkin (from Michaels or Walmart)
• Faux fall florals: sunflowers, orange mums, eucalyptus
• Wire cutters or scissors

How To:

1. Cut a hole at the top of the pumpkin.
2. Arrange your florals like a bouquet.
3. Adjust heights and textures till it looks balanced.

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5. Coffee Filter Ghost Garland

What You Need:

• White coffee filters
• Cotton balls or tissues
• White string or twine
• Black marker

How To:

1. Stuff each coffee filter with a cotton ball.
2. Tie the base with string to make a little ghost head.
3. Draw on faces, then string them together.

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6. Creepy Candle Bottles

What You Need:

• Empty glass bottles (wine, soda, etc.)
• Black spray paint or acrylic paint
• Red candles
• Optional: twine or spider webbing

How To:

1. Paint your bottles black and let dry.
2. Stick red candles in the tops.
3. Light them and let wax drip down the sides for that creepy effect.

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7. Toilet Paper Pumpkins

What You Need:

• Toilet paper rolls
• Orange fabric squares (around 18″x18″)
• Green felt or fabric
• Cinnamon sticks or twigs

How To:

1. Place the TP roll in the center of your fabric.
2. Tuck the fabric into the hole, working your way around.
3. Add the cinnamon stick or twig in the center as the stem.

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8. Fall Leaf Lanterns

What You Need:

• Clean glass jars
• Real or faux fall leaves
• Mod Podge
• Foam brush
• Battery-operated tea lights

How To:

1. Brush Mod Podge on the outside of your jar.
2. Stick on leaves, overlapping a little.
3. Brush another thin coat over the top.
4. Let dry and drop in your tea light.

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9. Spiderweb Table Runner

What You Need:

• Black felt or lace fabric
• Scissors
• Spider confetti or mini plastic spiders
• Optional: spider web stencil

How To:

1. Cut your fabric into a wide rectangle.
2. Fold it and cut out a web pattern.
3. Lay it out and add spider details.

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10. Mummified Front Door

What You Need:

• White crepe paper or toilet paper
• Tape
• Googly eyes or paper circles with black centers

How To:

1. Wrap your door in strips of paper.
2. Add eyes at the top.

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11. DIY Bat Wall

What You Need:

• Black cardstock or construction paper
• Bat templates
• Scissors
• Double-sided tape or painter’s tape

How To:

1. Cut out bats in different sizes.
2. Slightly bend the wings.
3. Tape them flying across your wall.

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12. No-Carve Painted Pumpkins

What You Need:

• Real or faux pumpkins
• Acrylic paint
• Paintbrushes
• Optional: stencils or stickers

How To:

1. Clean and dry your pumpkins.
2. Paint in fun colors.
3. Add designs if you want!

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13. Apple Cider Bar Setup

What You Need:

• Tray or bar cart
• Mugs
• Cinnamon sticks
• Apple cider
• Small chalkboard sign

How To:

1. Set up your cider, mugs, and toppings.
2. Add a mini pumpkin and a cozy sign.

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14. Hocus Pocus Potion Bottles

What You Need:

• Empty spice jars or mini bottles
• Labels with spooky names
• Food coloring or glitter
• Water, glue, or oil

How To:

1. Fill jars with liquids or glitter.
2. Add your labels.
3. Display with candles or a witch hat.

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15. Autumn Pillow Covers

What You Need:

• Seasonal pillow covers (Amazon, Shein, or Etsy)
• Existing couch pillows
• Optional: Fall-themed throw blanket

How To:

1. Swap covers on your existing pillows.
2. Toss a cozy blanket over the couch.

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16. DIY Candy Corn Bottles

This one’s super cute and looks amazing on a shelf or kitchen counter!

What You Need:

• Empty wine bottles or glass soda bottles
• White, orange, and yellow acrylic paint
• Paintbrush

How To:

1. Clean and dry the bottles.
2. Paint the bottom third yellow, the middle orange, and the top white—just like candy corn!
3. Let dry and display.

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17. Plaid Flannel Blanket Ladder

This idea just screams cozy farmhouse fall vibes.

What You Need:

• Wooden ladder (or DIY one with 2x4s)
• Assorted plaid flannel scarves or blankets
• Mini leaf garland or fairy lights (optional)

How To:

1. Lean the ladder against a wall.
2. Hang flannel blankets on each rung.
3. Drape lights or garland if you’re feelin’ extra.

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18. Pumpkin Patch Sign

Add that rustic, country market charm to your entryway.

What You Need:

• Wooden board
• White or orange paint
• Black paint pen or stencil
• Sandpaper (optional, for distressing)

How To:

1. Paint your board a solid color.
2. Add “Pumpkin Patch” or a cute saying using a stencil or freehand.
3. Lightly sand edges if you want a worn look.

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19. Mini Hay Bale Display

These are affordable and great for a tiered tray or porch step.

What You Need:

• Mini hay bales (available at craft stores)
• Mini pumpkins, gourds, or scarecrows
• Signs, candles, or figurines

How To:

1. Arrange 1–3 hay bales at different heights.
2. Decorate with pumpkins and signs.
3. Optional: wrap fairy lights around them.

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20. Boo Banner for the Mantel

Banners are my lazy-day go-to. Easy, cute, and festive.

What You Need:

• Twine
• Black and white cardstock
• Stencil or printable letters (B-O-O)
• Hole punch and glue

How To:

1. Cut banner triangles from cardstock.
2. Add letters to each one.
3. Punch holes and string them on twine.
4. Tape or tie across the mantel.

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21. Cauldron Candy Station

Skip the boring candy bowl. Let’s make it spooky!

What You Need:

• Plastic black cauldron (dollar store find!)
• Cotton batting (for “smoke”)
• Candy in clear bags or mini containers
• Mini skeleton hands (optional)

How To:

1. Fill the cauldron with batting.
2. Nestle candy and props inside.
3. Sit it on your kitchen island or bar area.

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22. Pumpkin Spice Bathroom Basket

Yes, even your bathroom deserves fall love!

What You Need:

• Small woven basket
• Pumpkin-scented soap and candles
• Mini pumpkins
• Hand towel in orange or plaid

How To:

1. Add soap and candles to the basket.
2. Fold towel and place mini pumpkins on top.

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23. Window Silhouette Decorations

Spooky from the outside, fun to make inside.

What You Need:

• Black poster board
• Scissors or X-Acto knife
• Tape
• Silhouette templates (witch, cat, etc.)

How To:

1. Cut out spooky shapes.
2. Tape to the inside of windows.
3. Turn on lights inside to backlight them.

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24. DIY Acorn Garland

A little rustic, a little crafty—this one’s great for toddlers to help with too!

What You Need:

• Real or faux acorns
• Twine
• Hot glue gun
• Optional: paint or glitter for acorns

How To:

1. Paint acorns if you want extra flair.
2. Glue them along a twine string.
3. Hang across a doorway or over a mirror.

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25. Glow-in-the-Dark Yard Ghosts

Go big or go ghost! This one’s perfect for the yard.

What You Need:

• White pillowcases or fabric
• Balloons or foam balls
• Glow sticks
• Black tape or marker
• Garden stakes or tomato cages

How To:

1. Place balloon on a stake.
2. Cover with white fabric.
3. Add eyes and insert glow stick inside.

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Final Thoughts 💬

There you go, friend—25 budget-friendly ways to make your home cozy, cute, and just the right amount of spooky. Whether you’ve got 20 minutes or a Saturday afternoon, there’s something on this list you can totally pull off (yes, even with a toddler hanging off your leg).

Let me know which one you’re trying first—or tag me if you post your decor online. I wanna see those floating witch hats and TP pumpkins in action! 🍁🎃