DIY Halloween Decorations Under $20

October 2026 · 7 min read · Total budget: $19

Halloween is the one holiday where cheap actually looks better. Store-bought spooky decor is plastic and perfect; handmade spooky decor is tattered and weird, which is exactly the point. A ghost that's too tidy isn't scary — it's a curtain. So this year, skip the big-box aisle and make four projects from things that cost almost nothing.

This whole setup cost $19: cheesecloth ghosts, trash-bag spiderwebs, painted pumpkins, and glowing paper-bag luminaries. Every project is kid-friendly (no carving knives, no open flames), and the whole thing comes together in one afternoon. Here's the plan, project by project.

Materials You'll Need

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Do one supply run first. Everything on the list fits in a single bag and one store trip — that's the whole point. While you're out, grab a few smooth round balls or balloons from home to use as ghost heads (tennis balls, wiffle balls, or blown-up balloons all work). Set up a work table with newspaper underneath; the paint project is the only messy one.
2. Project 1 — Cheesecloth ghosts. Cut the cheesecloth into three roughly square pieces. Drape one piece over a ball, then tie a loop of string around the "neck" just under the ball and leave long tails for hanging. Pull the cloth's corners and edges down raggedly — tear a few strips rather than cutting them, since torn edges read spookier. Give the cloth a light mist of spray starch or hairspray so it holds its shape in the breeze, and hang the ghosts from a tree branch or porch beam at different heights. Kid job: tearing the edges and choosing the hang spots.
3. Project 2 — Trash-bag spiderwebs. Open a trash bag and cut off the bottom seam and one side so it unfolds into a large triangle-ish sheet. Fold it into a narrow triangle, then cut curved notches along the folded edge — when you unfold it, the notches become the classic web arcs. Stretch the web between two bushes, across a porch corner, or over a railing, pulling the corners tight with string or tape. The black plastic reads as deep shadow at dusk, which is why this works. Kid job: cutting the notches (with safety scissors) and "helping" stretch the web.
4. Project 3 — Painted pumpkins. Wipe the pumpkins clean, then brush on two thin coats of white acrylic paint, letting each coat dry about 20 minutes. Thin coats dry smooth; one thick coat dries lumpy. Once the white is dry, paint simple black faces — triangle eyes, a jagged mouth, or even just two round eyes for a cute ghost-pumpkin look. No carving, no gut-scooping, no rotting faces by October 25th. Kid job: this is the one — painting faces is the whole reason they showed up.
5. Project 4 — Paper-bag luminaries. Fold the top of each lunch bag down about an inch for a finished rim. Cut simple shapes — stars, moons, bats — into the upper half of each bag with scissors. Drop one LED tea light (never a real candle) into each bag, set the bags along the walkway or steps about two feet apart, and switch the lights on at dusk. The cut shapes glow like lanterns. Kid job: cutting shapes and placing the bags.
6. Stage the whole display at dusk. Put the ghosts highest, the webs in the middle ground, the painted pumpkins low near the door, and the luminaries marking the path. Step to the street as it gets dark — that's the audience view. Nudge anything that's invisible from there, and check that no web or bag blocks the walking path. Turn the luminaries on an hour before trick-or-treaters arrive.

Budget Breakdown

Item	Cost
White cheesecloth (1 yard)	$4
Small pumpkins (3)	$6
Acrylic craft paint, white + black	$3
Black trash bags (2)	$2
Brown paper lunch bags (6)	$2
LED tea lights (6-pack)	$2
Scissors, string, tape	$0 (on hand)
Total	$19

Before & After

Before: a dark, empty porch on Halloween night — the house the trick-or-treaters skip. No light on the path, nothing on the steps, just a front door in the dark.

After: ghosts drift from the tree branch overhead, a black web stretches across the bushes, white-painted pumpkins grin from the steps, and a trail of glowing luminaries leads right to the candy bowl. It's spooky enough to be fun and charming enough that the little ones aren't scared to walk up.

The luminaries were the turning point. Everything else is decoration; the luminaries are an invitation. A lit path tells every kid on the street that this house is open for business.

Tips for Your Own Spooky Porch

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this safe for kids to help with?

Yes — that's the design. The paint is non-toxic craft acrylic, the pumpkins are painted not carved, and the lights are cool LED tea lights. Kids can tear cheesecloth, cut web notches with safety scissors, paint faces, and place luminaries. An adult should handle hanging things overhead.

Will the cheesecloth ghosts survive rain?

A light drizzle, yes — cheesecloth dries fast and the starch helps. A heavy downpour will leave them looking limp and extra-haunted, which honestly still works. Take them down for big storms and re-hang when it passes.

How long do the paper-bag luminaries last?

The bags themselves last several dry evenings — bring them in overnight to keep them crisp. The LED tea lights run 24+ hours on their included batteries, so one pack of lights easily covers the whole Halloween week.