Halloween sneaks up fast, right? One minute you’re sipping your pumpkin spice latte, the next your house looks like…well, nothing Halloween-y.
If you’re scrambling for last minute inside Halloween decor ideas that actually look cute and don’t take all day, I’ve got you covered. These are fun, practical, and sometimes a little weird – but that’s what makes them memorable.
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1 | Spooky Mason Jar Lanterns
I grabbed some mason jars from the thrift store last week and thought, why not?
I scribbled little ghost faces with a permanent marker, popped in battery tea lights, and boom – instant ghost village.
My cat, of course, thought it was a game and tried to “rescue” them multiple times (total chaos).
Layer jars of different sizes for a cool, slightly messy vibe.
Bonus: leftover Halloween candy fits nicely underneath the jars. If you want, tiny battery tea lights like [these mini flicker lights] can make them look even more magical.
2 | Creepy Candle Clusters
I have this weird collection of candles I never burn, but now they’re actually useful.
I grouped them on my kitchen counter, some dripped a little wax on purpose because it looks haunted.
My friend Jill added fake spiders she had lying around, and suddenly, “oh, that’s creepy but cute.”
Battery candles are a lifesaver (no singed hair, trust me). These simple battery candles come in sets and make arranging a cluster super simple.
3 | Ghostly Paper Garland
I sat in my dining room folding scrap paper into little ghost shapes while listening to a Halloween playlist.
String them along the windowsill, even if you’ve got an empty corner – it looks festive.
You can make it faster with pre-cut paper ghost garlands.
4 | Pumpkin Faces on Everyday Items
I saw this on the roadside – someone had drawn pumpkin faces on random mugs and pots.
I tried it on my coffee mugs, and it made my mornings instantly better.
Permanent markers work fine, or if you want something fancier, paint pens like these colorful paint pens make the designs pop.
Smudges? Embrace them – they give a charming homemade look.
5 | Floating Witch Hats
I hung a couple of small witch hats from my ceiling with invisible thread, and it looked like they were floating.
I tried five at once, failed, and one ended up spinning creepily above the hall – but it looked intentional.
My college roommate swore by using clear fishing line; it’s invisible but sturdy.
Mini witch hats sets are perfect for this, and you can hang them at different heights for drama.
6 | Candy Corn Vase Filler
I saw a DIY online but made it my own.
A clear vase, some candy corn, and a fake branch instantly became a mini Halloween scene.
Cover with tissue paper if you want to reuse candy later. Decorative candy fillers like these make it super easy.
7 | Spooky Fridge Magnets
Old fridge magnets + tiny Halloween stickers = instant festive fridge.
I have a friend who does this yearly, and her fridge is basically a mini haunted house.
Bonus: magnets are cheap and require zero glue guns.
[Halloween mini sticker packs] work perfectly for this.
8 | Halloween Coffee Table Books Display
Stack a few vintage-style books, add a fake crow or pumpkin, and you instantly have a spooky vignette.
Even one book plus a small prop works. Fake crows or tiny pumpkins are perfect for topping the stack.
9 | Creepy Hand Towels
Swap your regular hand towels with Halloween hand towels.
Or get some fabric markers and draw your own Halloween decor on cheap plain hand towels. This can be a fun last minute DIY project for kids and is an easy keepsake to have!
10 | Fake Spider Web Corners
I pulled stretchable spider web material across my bookshelf and went a little overboard – but it looked epic.
I saw this in my local café, and I always love the idea!
Plastic spiders finish the look. Spider web decoration kits are stretchy, reusable, and last all season.
11 | Mini Pumpkin Tea Light Holders
Hollow out tiny pumpkins, add tealights, and place them in a cluster. This idea from Selling Kansascity is amazing.
I tried tihs last year and burned my thumb, so now I use battery tealights. Battery tealights fit perfectly and keep things safe.
12 | Haunted Mirror Messages
This one’s spooky and subtle. I used a bit of washable window marker to write “Boo!” on my hallway mirror.
Later, I added little bats around the edges with black paper cutouts – it turned into an unexpected conversation starter.
My mom used to write secret notes on our bathroom mirror with a white crayon when I was a kid, and when the steam hit, they’d appear.
You can totally recreate that trick!
Use washable window markers if you want something quick and removable. It’s low effort but big Halloween energy.
13 | Halloween Window Silhouettes
Cut out bats and ghosts from black construction paper and tape to windows or even your front porch!
Card paper or foam will work perfectly for this DIY idea and all you need is a bat stencil, some paper, scissors and some sellotape!
A bat stencil will 100% save you time and help your project look professional.
14 | Spooky Chalkboard Messages
Write “Happy Halloween” or tiny doodles on a small chalkboard.
My friend Mark does this yearly and his messages are dramatic. He hangs his above his coffee station in the the kitchen! But the beauty about chalkboard art is that it is portable so can be moved around the house if you have guests!
Tip: Wet a finger to smudge the letters for an aged effect.
Chalkboards with chalk set are ideal for quick festive messages.
15 | Monster Plant Pots
Draw eyes or fangs on houseplant pots.
My friend Lucy added spiral eyes and white teeth on hers last year and it was amazing! Smaller pots are easier to rotate for surprise scares.
Reusable paint pens or marker sets work well for this.
16 | Haunted Bookmarks
Image Credit: holliroseart
Doodle tiny ghosts or monsters on bookmarks.
This idea from holliroseart is great! You can doodle your own designs and give them to coworkers or put them in trick-or-treat bags!
Paint markers are great for this DIY idea
17 | Eyeball Ice Cubes Display
Credit: Salt & Honey Catering
Plastic eyeballs in a clear vase of water look eerie. This is also very fun with red food coloring. It is a great idea for last minute kids party decor
Kids will love screaming about their “eyeball surprise” on this one! However, kids and adults will equally love this!
Mini plastic eyeballs are lightweight, safe, and reusable.
18 | Ghostly Napkin Rings
Twist white pipe cleaners into ghost shapes around napkins.
My friend Lisa swore this was the highlight of her table last year.
Leave a tiny bend at the bottom so ghosts stand upright.
Craft pipe cleaner packs make this instant.
19 | Mini Skeleton Parade
Line up tiny skeleton figures across your mantel.
I added little dollhouse hats – silly, but it worked.
I saw someone on the roadside riding theirs on toy horses – it stuck with me.
Mini skeleton figurines are tiny, cheap, and so fun to arrange.
