11 Halloween Decorating Ideas You Can Find at Dollar Stores

3. Outdoor decorations

People like to decorate their front yard because that’s what visitors see first. Decorate the trees with garland, ornaments and string lights. Go crazy with pumpkins — unadorned or carved into scary silhouettes. Pumpkin carving also is something you can do with friends or grandchildren.

4. Indoor Halloween tree

Yes, trimming an indoor Halloween tree just like a Christmas tree is a thing. You’ll find everything from garland to glittery Halloween ornaments at some dollar stores.

5. Skulls and skeletons

Dollar stores are a treasure trove of kitschy Halloween items like skeletons and eyeballs.

99 Cents Only Stores

You’ll find skeletons in all shapes and sizes — from small frogs to an 18-inch hanging skeleton.

Madison likes to take skulls, spray-paint them white and add faux gems to create a glam skull. To see how she does it, check out her DIY glam-skull video on Pinterest. “Some people go for the gore, but others love the tongue-in-cheek, like ... skeleton flamingos here in Florida,” Madison says.

Dollar stores offer many home decor products from pedestal candy dishes to candle holders.

Dollar Tree

6. Spider webs 

Nothing says spooky like spiders and spider webs. Spray goofy string or hang fake webs across doorways or hallways. Hand out plastic spider rings (a bagful for $1.25 at Dollar Tree) to children or wear one while doling out candy. Scatter plastic spiders for a truly frightful sight.

7. Mood lighting 

Halloween-themed lights — indoors or outdoors — will be everywhere this year, says Rolfe of 99 Cents Only Stores. In addition to string lights and LED tea lights that come in various designs and colors, you’ll also see mini chandeliers and scary snow globes that light up. For a DIY candle project, Parziale suggests scooping out the inside of mini-pumpkins and inserting tea candles to decorate indoors or illuminate outdoor walkways.

8. Terrifying tables

Whether it’s a cozy dinner for two or a small party, go all out with Halloween-themed tableware or Halloween colors, such as black plates and orange napkins. Dollar stores sell ceramic, plastic and paper plates, bowls, cutlery and wine glasses. Use colored silk ribbons as napkin rings, Parziale recommends.

Julie Schuna of St. Paul, Minnesota, usually goes to a nearby Dollar Tree store to buy Halloween decorations for DIY projects like a table centerpiece and boxes to fill with goodies for her grandchildren and teachers.

“I like good deals,” the 57-year-old says. “I try not to pay full price.”

9. Chilling centerpieces

Top off your dining or coffee table with a Halloween centerpiece made with a black-lace table runner or velvet pumpkins for $1. “One of my favorite things to do for Halloween is to put candy corn on the bottom of a glass bowl and add a white candle, then tie a nice gauzy ribbon around the outside of the bowl,” Parziale says.

10. Scary roses

Roses are likely to figure prominently in Halloween this year. You’ll see black single-stem fake roses and foam roses for DIY projects, plus red roses in Day of the Dead products or on black wall art.

11. Cackling-good crafts

Some dollar store websites even provide Halloween decorating ideas. Dollar Tree offers free printable bats for DIYers and craft ideas like how to make Halloween gnomes or door wreaths. Family Dollar’s Halloween party decor tips include choosing a color theme and how to use cobwebs.