Best Halloween decorations for a spooky haunted house

Are you keen to get into the Halloween ‘spirit’ this season (see what we did there?)

Love it or hate it, Halloween is an exciting time for children, with the opportunity to dress up, go trick-or-treating, or even head out to Halloween parties with friends.

Decorating your home for Halloween, both inside and out, can not only send a visual message that you’re happy to receive trick or treaters at your front door, but it can also help create some fun and excitement during the darker autumn nights.

Whether it’s outdoor Halloween features, spine-chilling decorations for your front lawn or even interior adornments that are both spooky and stylish, we’ve thoroughly researched and investigated the best Halloween decorations to create some magic and mystery this October.

Here are the best Halloween decorations you can get your claws on in 2022.

1. Best overall Halloween decoration: POPGIFTU Large Crashing Witch Halloween Decoration

Price: £33.99 | Buy now from Amazon

“We have a splatted witch decoration (it looks like she flew into a tree - back view, nothing gory!). I love it.”  (Tried and tested by Mumsnet user KBear)

If you’re looking for a big statement Halloween decoration that is certain to raise a few laughs amongst both your neighbours and trick-or-treaters, you really can’t beat this crashing witch prop decoration.

With a black pointed hat, long grey hair, green and black striped stockings and striking blue heels, this witch clearly wasn’t looking where she was going when flying on her broom and has crash-landed with a splat!

Most effective when attached to a large tree, this witch prop is really easy to install and can also be attached to a post or door, using the interior wires to reshape and angle the witch as required.

2. Best budget Halloween decoration: Poundland Halloween Duck

Price: £1 | Buy now from Poundland

Available in four brightly coloured designs including a Frankenstein, mummy, pumpkin and spider web, these budget-friendly novelty rubber ducks aren’t just for fun for the kids' bath time.

Line them up in a row on a window ledge, trail them across your mantelpiece or even prop them up in the porch window to create some spooktacular shadows.

These Poundland Halloween Ducks have proven to be incredibly popular year after year and are proof that you really don’t have to spend a fortune to get into the Halloween spirit.

3. Best Halloween party decoration kit: YHmall 73Pcs Halloween Decoration Set

Price: £9.99 | Buy now from Amazon

If you’re hosting Halloween this year and want one quick and easy kit that contains everything you need to make your home magical and mysterious, this 73-piece Halloween decoration set comes at a really affordable price.

Containing 22 printed balloons, 10 confetti balloons and three foil balloons, you can also expect to find 12 paper spirals to hang from your ceiling, 10 black and orange tassels for your mantelpiece and a 'Happy Halloween' banner for your walls or front door.

Don’t forget, you can use a straw to deflate foil balloons by hand, meaning you can easily reuse and refill them with helium the following year.

4. Best outdoor Halloween decoration: GIGALUMI Giant Spider Web Decoration

Price: £16.99 | Buy now from Amazon

“We have a giant spider web and spider.”  (Type of decoration tried and tested by Mumsnet user CunningOperative)

For an outdoor decoration that will certainly make your house stand out from the crowd, this set comes with a 23ft white spider web, cobweb and giant spider to make a simple yet very effective Halloween decoration.

With sinister red eyes and a black furry body, the spider measures a substantial 35 inches. His long, posable legs can be bent into a creepy crawling pose to create a really realistic effect.

Simply attach it to your guttering using the included hook, before using the five stakes to spread it out and attach it to the ground, creating the illusion of a monstrous mini beast who is happily making himself at home.

5. Best window Halloween decoration: UMIPUBO Reusable Halloween Window Stickers

Price: £5.99 | Buy now from Amazon

“Window stickers/decals... they're available on Amazon and they are super cheap.” (Decoration recommended by Mumsnet user HappyInL0nd0n)

If you’re looking for a simple and stress-free way to decorate your home for Halloween, these reusable Halloween window stickers couldn’t be easier to use.

Suitable for use on all windows, mirrors, glass doors or even your fridge freezer, this set contains seven sheets of fun Halloween designs including a haunted house, bats and skeletons.

Unlike some Halloween window stickers, this particular set is double-sided, meaning you get to enjoy their spooky effect from both inside and outside the home.

Made from durable PVC, they are fully waterproof and once the event has passed they can simply be peeled away without leaving any unwelcome marks or residue.

6. Best Halloween decoration for front lawns: Party Pieces Halloween Garden Skeleton

Price: £19.99 | Buy now from Party Pieces

“I just love Halloween. My neighbours have commented on how strange they find my decorations, especially my full-sized toy skeleton, but I don't care.”  (Type of decoration recommended by Mumsnet user BlackShadowCat)

If you need to create a quick Halloween scene but are running short on time, the Party Pieces Halloween Garden Skeleton makes a fab no-fuss statement for your front lawn which can be set up in literally seconds. The best part? No mess to clear up and you can bring him out to use year after year.

This sturdy set of spooky bones contains a skeleton's skull, legs and arms which you simply stick into the ground to give the illusion of a skeleton rising from the depths.

Trick-or-treaters will certainly think twice before they sneak past!

7. Best Halloween decoration for porches: Lights4Fun Halloween Pumpkin Fairy Lights

Price: £6.99 | Buy now from Amazon

“I’ve got pumpkin lights for the bedroom.”  (Tried and tested by Mumsnet user Holothane)

“I've got a string of clear orange pumpkin fairy lights... Prettier than they sound!” (Recommended by Mumsnet user LittleWingSoul)

Putting a pumpkin out on your front porch has long been considered to be a sign that trick-or-treaters are welcome, but if you really want to show an affinity for the spooky season, why not decorate the inside of your porch with these LED pumpkin fairy lights?

These battery-powered string lights come with 20 individual pumpkin lights on a 1.9m wire with a transparent battery box that is easy to tuck away out of sight.

Stick them around the door frame or hang them from corner to corner to create around 60 hours of warm white illumination.

8. Best Halloween projector: Eambrite Ghost Projector

Price: £18.99 | Buy now from Amazon

“Our children absolutely love Halloween. We have decorations that we put outside the house, including a little light projector. We even play spooky music.”  (Type of decoration tried and tested by Mumsnet user theSnuffster)

“We go proper OTT. I love Halloween and autumn. We even have a projector that we put on at night.” (Style of decoration recommended by Mumsnet user Hiccupiscal)

On a dark October night, the mysterious moonlight combined with illuminations from an LED projector can create a pretty ‘spooktacular’ effect. Fully IP44 waterproof with a 5-metre long lead, this projector is made to withstand whatever the Halloween weather has in store.

The Eambrite Ghost Projector can be used both inside and out, projecting six adorable white ghosts that swirl around your living room or onto the exterior walls of your house.

Simply stake into the ground and angle to the required position before turning it on and watching as the ghosts (quite literally) come to life.

9. Best stylish Halloween decoration: Lights4Fun Set of 3 Ghost Stake lights

Price: £30.99 | Buy now from Amazon

“I put some tasteful things up on the 1st Oct. Have a look at ‘Lights4Fun’ to see what I mean!” (Brand recommended by Mumsnet user FireCrotch69)

If you prefer your Halloween decorations to be a bit more stylish than scary, you can easily create a ghoulish glow in your garden or living room with this spooky trio of ghosts, which can be set to come on as soon as the sun goes down.

Hovering at 40cm tall, these battery-powered ghost stake lights make a ‘boo-tiful’ greeting for trick-or-treaters, creating a warm white glow that will illuminate their route as they navigate down the otherwise dark and dismal path to your front door.

10. Best Halloween balloons: Party Pieces Halloween Balloon Garland Kit

Price: £14.99 | Buy now from Party Pieces

If you’re hosting a Halloween party and want to take your living room from drab to fab, these Party Pieces Balloon Garland Kits are a great place to start and are far easier to assemble than you may first fear.

Whether it’s creating an impressive entrance, a fun photo backdrop or a unique decoration for your fang’tastic food table, you’ll find 70 assorted balloons in this pack including orange, lime green, black, white, violet and confetti-filled designs.

Unless you fancy huffing and puffing like the big bad wolf, we recommend using a balloon pump, before attaching the garland using double-sided tissue and balloon tape.

11. Best motion sensor Halloween decoration: FUOBECIE Hanging Ghost Cage Motion Sensor Light Up Skeleton

Price: £26.89 | Buy now from Amazon

“We have a hanging disturbed motion sensor mummy and skeleton in a cage that rattles and screams when someone’s near.”  (Recommended by Mumsnet user Makingmiracles)

Fancy giving your trick-or-treaters a fright? You can certainly expect the unexpected with this petrifying prisoner.

This hanging cage is ideal for positioning on your front porch, containing a jailed skeleton complete with his black and white striped prisoner outfit.

He may look relatively innocent, but no matter how slowly your trick-or-treaters sneak, his eyes will light up and he will let out a truly terrifying scream when motion is detected. Not for the faint-hearted – you can expect your guests to scream and scarper pretty quickly!

12. Best Halloween cushions: TK Maxx autumn range cushions

Price: From £7.99 | Buy now from TK Maxx

“TK Maxx always has some fabulous home decor stuff at this time of year like cushions and blankets.” (Suggested by Mumsnet user HalfShrunkMoreToGo)

“I have pumpkin cushion covers – I watch too many autumn decor videos on YouTube I guess!!” (Recommended by Mumsnet user burglarbettybaby)

If you want to bring some autumn-inspired decor into your home this Halloween, TK Maxx has a wide range of patterned cushion covers and cushions that are ideal for scattering across your sofa.

From autumnal shades of orange, gold and brown, to more Halloween-specific designs such as skulls, pumpkins and spider webs, you can take your pick on designs that most suit your interiors.

Be warned, TK Maxx stock shifts and is refreshed quickly, so it’s recommended you buy early to avoid disappointment.

13. Best artificial pumpkin Halloween decoration: OTMVicor 7Pcs Artificial Pumpkin Set

Price: £14.99 | Buy now from Amazon

Carving pumpkins can be fun for the kids, but they don’t always last very long and can start to smell a tad repulsive if left inside in a heated environment.

If you prefer yours to be a more long-term and mess-free feature, this artificial pumpkin set comes with seven fake pumpkins in all shapes and sizes. Made from sturdy foam that can be painted in any colour or enhanced with decoupage, they will make a great autumn addition to your fireplace or striking centrepiece for your Halloween table.

14. Best Halloween banners: MIAHART Halloween Banners Decoration Set

Price: £3.99 for three | Buy now from Amazon

Hanging banners can be a quick and easy way to get the party started this Halloween, but for those of you who are worried about unsightly single-use plastic, fear not.

These Halloween banners are made from eco-friendly paper and string and are easily reusable year after year if well looked after.

Choose from the triangle Halloween banner featuring bats, ghosts and monsters, a cute pumpkin banner or a  ‘Happy Halloween’ words banner to hang across your walls, window or front door. With adjustable spacing, you can easily make the most of your space.

15. Best premium Halloween decoration: DomKom 10FT Halloween Inflatable Decoration Witch Holding Pumpkin

Price: £49.99 | Buy now from Amazon

For die-hard Halloween fanatics, those that are truly obsessed with the spooky season, or families that live in a community that loves to go OTT, you may be willing to invest slightly more for a statement piece.

This terrifying witch holding a pumpkin is a ginormous 10-foot tall, towering above even the tallest of trick-or-treaters as they sneak past below. With LED lighting to bring her to life once the sun goes down, your guests certainly won't have difficulty finding the right house for your Halloween party!

Weighted down with water bags, pegs and rope, it does require some installation, however, once safely secured to the ground, it self-inflates and deflates in seconds.

How can I decorate my home for Halloween?

When it comes to decorating your home for Halloween, it’s very much down to personal choice. You can either fully embrace your inner child and decorate your entire home inside and out, or go more subtle with stylish autumn interiors, warm glowing lights or a simple pumpkin on your front porch.

From decorating your mantelpiece or windows to your front porch, lawn or front door, the opportunities for Halloween fun are endless.

Where’s the best place to buy Halloween decorations?

Most supermarkets will have a considerable range (often a full aisle) of affordable Halloween decorations from late September onwards, however, if you’re after more sustainable options or Halloween decorations that are a little more unique, we recommend the Halloween ranges at Amazon, Party Pieces, Home Bargains and TK Maxx.

“I definitely recommend looking in TK Maxx as they sell some really unique Halloween decorations at affordable prices,” recommends Mumsnet user Dramaofallama.

Fun DIY Halloween decoration ideas

If you’re looking to keep your costs down this winter (which, let's face it, aren’t we all!) you can also create some simple yet impressive DIY Halloween decorations at home with the kids, which also double up as a fun half-term activity to keep them entertained.

From cereal box tombstones for your front lawn to cutting out bats and making Halloween paper chains, here are some of our favourite ideas from the Mumsnet community:

• “Tombstones ​​– use cereal boxes, make them the size you want with a flat box as the base. Cover in newspaper/paste strips to hide the joins. Paint (with leftover emulsion), speckle with dark paint and cover in ivy from the garden.” 70isaLimitNotaTarget

• “We make paper chains like ghosts, or just ghosts and bats cutouts!” 3andnomore

• “I decorate, but mostly using black paper silhouettes on the windows.” Barbarara

How we chose our recommendations

There are two main camps on the Mumsnet forums – those who hate Halloween and those who absolutely LOVE it!

First up, we sought out the trusted opinions of Mumsnet users, to get their insights on the decorations they love to see at Halloween, as well as the Halloween decorations that they rate, recommend and have used in their own homes.

We then scoured online retailers for products that were tried and tested, noting those with significant positive reviews on consumer sites such as Amazon, Party Pieces and TK Maxx.

Weighing up any pros and cons, we then selected the best decorations for each situation to bring you our definitive list of Halloween decorations to suit every budget.

Why you should trust us

We work hard to provide honest and independent advice you can trust and we spend hours scouring the Mumsnet forums and online bestseller lists to find products that real parents rate.

Transparency is really important to us and that's why we're always upfront about where we find our recommendations. We write about products that we feel offer the best value to most parents – the ones that our users would recommend to their own friends and family.