If you have a front porch, or even an entry way, it’s the perfect spot to decorate for Halloween!
It adds an eerie atmosphere and it’s usually the first thing kids spot while they’re out trick-or-treating.
Every year I try to dress the outside of my home during October, addings bits and pieces me and the kids find spooky and fun.
And it doesn’t take much!
Just a few pumpkins, lights, and creepy touches can make your porch feel festive without going over the top or spending a lot of money.
So take these ideas as inspiration and have fun creating a space that’s fun, creative, and maybe a little ghoulish and ghostly:
1. Spooky Black Lights
You can start off with a simple swap like using black lights bulbs instead of regular ones on your porch.
It’s gives off an eerie glow that makes anything colorful shine bright and anything shadowy look sharper.
So even simple decorations feel different under that kind of light!
It’s a quick way to make things feel a little more haunted.
The purple color has a way of standing out at night. It’s one of those small touches that makes the space feel extra spooky.
2. Graveyard Porch
Setting up a few tombstones on the porch instantly gives it that haunted look!
Toss in a skeleton nearby and the whole space feels like a little graveyard.
And it doesn’t take much to put together…you can easily make tombstones out of cardboard or wood.
Just paint them with stone colors, write on some funny names, and you’re all set.
Oh, an add in some leaves or branches and it feels even more abandoned.
3. Include Your Pets!
If you have pets, why not honor them in your halloween porch decor?
You can get plastic dog and cat skeletons (I’ve also seen tons of other animal “skeletons” at the dollar store) and put them out with some human skeletons.
Now that I think about this idea, you can get plastic skeletons for everyone and do the whole family!
Anyway, I think including the pets in spirit is a fun way to dress up a porch.
4. Halloween Tree
I know they’re called Christmas trees, but who says you can’t use them for Halloween?
This is a super easy porch decoration that takes no time at all to put together.
Just add Halloween decorations like pumpkins and bats along with some tinsel and orange lights to give your Christmas tree a seasonal twist.
Make it the main decoration on your porch and tuck some pumpkins underneath as “gifts.”
5. Pumpkin Archway
This pumpkin archway is so cute and not that hard to make.
Start with some of those plastic pumpkin buckets for trick or treating along with cheap witches hats and some of that black gauzy fabric.
The easiest way to create the arch is to staple chicken wire around your door, wrap it in the fabric, then use ornament hooks to attach the pieces.
You can also tuck in some black fake flowers to add texture.
Even without any other decorations, this arch can make a real statement on your porch.
6. Arachnophobia
There’s nothing wrong with going all out creepy on your porch, but this one just might scare visitors away!
But I still love this idea because it is spooky and super simple to pull off.
All you need is some fake spider webs and a huge spider and your done!
While you can go super realistic, you can also make a tamer version with stuffed garbage bags and black crepe streamers.
Which might be a bit less terrifying and a lot more fun if you expect little kiddos to be visiting your home on Halloween.
7. Grow Some Zombies
Take some terracotta pots, peat moss, and fake plastic hands (check the dollarstore) and create your own little zombie garden on your porch.
Or if you have fall planters already on display, spook them up by sticking the hands in them.
I think you can get plastic severed legs too, so why not go all out?
If you do go with the terracotta pots, you can scatter them around your porch or display them as a garden.
No matter how you do it, it’s an easy and creepy way to decorate for Halloween.
8. Floating Witches Hats
Hang some witches hat by clear string or fishing line and it’ll look like they’re hovering in the air!
Plus they’ll sway in the breeze making them look extra spooky.
You can spread them out along your porch or group them together.
Oh! And add a little battery tealight inside to make them glow!
9. Simple Branches & Bats
If you’re more of a minimalist, you don’t have to go all out to decorate your porch for Halloween.
Even some simple branches make a great decoration!
Just tuck a few bare branches into a pot and add some strand lights along with a few paper or felt bats.
It’s still gives off spooky vibes without overwhelming the space.
10. Minimalist White Pumpkins
Speaking of minimalist, you can also get an eerie simple look by going with all white pumpkins.
They give off a clean, ghostly vibe and they would also look amazing under black light!
Find plastic ones and paint them or carve your own and paint them.
Your porch can stay looking neat and tidy while still looking ready for Halloween.
11. Witches Parking Lot
Line a few brooms against the railing like a parking spot for witches.
So cute!
A little sign makes it extra clear what it’s meant to be (if people don’t figure it out).
It’s a super quick idea that looks more playful than scary.
And you don’t need much space to pull it off!
The brooms can even be leaned casually like they’ve just been parked.
12. Eerie Orange Glow
No matter how you decorate your porch, you can add a warm, spooky glow with some orange string lights.
They look good with pumpkins and darker accents, but they’ll work with whatever you have going on outside your door.
I don’t know, this one gives me nostalgia when I look at it.
Maybe because the orange lights just look so classic for Halloween.
Anyway, even if you don’t put out a lot of other decor, these lights will still give your porch a spooky feel.
13. Fun Pumpkin Display
Another classic staple of porch decor is pumpkins!
Paint a bunch of punpkins in different patterns like stripes, polka dots, or anything playful.
This is perfect for the kiddos to help with!
Then you can mix the painted pumpkins with plain ones for some variety.
Create a theme or go wild, it’ll all loo good!
14. Ding Dong (The Witch Is Dead)
A pair of striped witch legs sticking out of a planter looks like she crash-landed onto your porch!
Even if people don’t recognize the reference, it’s still a fun and easy piece for your porch.
You can stick them in some mums and add some pumpkins around the planter and you’re done.
If you can’t find legs in the store, I’ve seen people make them out of pool noodles, stockings, and shoes.
15. Skeleton Planter
Want a super easy way to decorate your porch for Halloween?
Just stick a skeleton around your planters like they’re holding them!
It’s quick and clever and creates a really neat contrast between the aesthetic of fall planters and the fun of Halloween.
And if you don’t want to do a full size skeleton, just stick skulls and bones in your planters.
16. Ghost Cutie
These ghost cuties are so easy to make!
Just bend a pool noodle into a U-shape and tape it close to the top.
Attach a styrofoam ball for a head and drape it in cloth.
Add some felt eyes and you’re done!
To make it extra, add some string lights underneath and a broom in its “hand.”
I love the charming look of homemade Halloween decor.
17. Hanging Ghosts
Sheets draped over styrofoam balls (or ballooons) make quick ghosts that you can also hang up around your porch.
String them up at different heights and let the breeze sway them around.
The faces can be as simple or silly as you like.
You can also attach battery-operated string lights underneath if you want to give them an eerie glow.
18. Climbing Skeletons
If you want a bold display that doesn’t take a whole lot of effort, just pose some skeletons like they’re crawling up your porch.
Put a group of them together so it looks like they’re invading your home!
You can attach them to railings, posts, walls, or even the roof.
It’s funny and a little creepy at the same time…and hard not to notice when you’re walking up to your house.
Making Your Halloween Porch Spooky and Fun
Halloween porches don’t need to be complicated to feel festive!
A few props here and there can totally change the vibe and the fun is mixing a little spooky with a little playful and seeing how it all comes together.
The best part is the porch ends up looking a little bit spooky and a lot of fun!
