Last Updated October 9, 2021

Halloween is a few weeks away which means it’s time to start spookifying our homes! Side note: I was at Costco on October 1st and they already had Christmas decorations for sale! Can we please get through Halloween first? Thanks.

Anyways, when planning your Halloween decorations, keep these tips in mind to help reduce waste.

Use Fresh or Dried Produce

Pumpkins and dried corn are great background decorations. They’re cheap, compostable and as an added bonus they can double as decorations for Thanksgiving too! Most pumpkins can last for quite a few months if left intact. We once left a whole pumpkin on our patio and it lasted until March when we finally decided to compost it!

Of course, you can always go with the classic Jack-O-Latern. It’s a fun project and can keep you (and your kids) entertained for the evening. Here’s one I carved almost a decade ago:

DIY Decorations

If you’re crafty and/or have kids, DIY decorations save money and are a fun activity for little ones! There are many ways to make ghosts using an old sheet or newspaper, and a sharpie! Pinterest is full of easy ghost decoration ideas.

Another option is to make a spider web out of black yarn. Here’s a quick video to show you how easy it is:

Quick Note: especially when decorating outdoors, you want to skip the fake spiderwebs. Since these webs are really strong, birds and other animals can become tangled or even strangled in them. Plus, they’re usually made from some synthetic or artificial material (i.e. plastic).

Finally, paper garlands are an easy option if you’re lazy like me 😛 and don’t want to run out to buy any craft supplies:

Shop Secondhand

And as always, when shopping for anything, see if you can get it secondhand first! Check out thrift stores, antique shops or garage sales to see if you can score some spooky decorations. It’s less wasteful to purchase a pre-owned Halloween decoration than it is to purchase new ones.

Do you know what’s super creepy? Old dolls! You can probably find some old dolls at your local antique shop.

Choose Quality Over Quantity

When purchasing Halloween decorations choose quality over quantity. Most of the cheap stuff will be made of plastic. While most of the durable items will be made of rubber or other sturdy materials. Instead of buying cheap decorations that will fall apart before the next Halloween, spend a little extra for durable options.

What do you think? Can you choose some plastic-free Halloween decorations this year? What are some of your ideas for less wasteful Halloween decorations? Let me know in the comments!

For related and random posts, check out:

• Plastic-Free Birthday Parties for Kids
• 10 Tips for a Plastic-Free Socially-Distant Gathering