trick or treat part 2: haunting the house, not the environment
Author: Lindura
Every year there seem to be more and more Halloween pop-up shops that appear just in time to solve all of your Halloween-decorating dilemmas, even those you didn't know you had. Do we really need life-size talking witches? Just saying. But purchasing new things year-on-year doesn’t need to be the norm. Using what you already have is not only cheaper, but a great way to show your kids, friends or neighbors upcycling in action. Here is a list of household items that you can fashion into some fearsome decor this fall.
Hit List
1. Toilet Paper Rolls
If you have not yet switched to family cloths to handle your business, save your toilet paper rolls for crafting. They are super versatile, and you can turn them into all sorts of Halloween characters (bats, cats, ghosts, pumpkins, spiders, Frankenstein!) with the help of a little paint and cardboard. If you need some inspiration, check out this video. Note: googly eyes aren't necessary, you can achieve the same effect with paint or paper.
2. White Sheets
Let the creative juices flow and drape sheets all over for a haunted house vibe. If the sheets won't be used as bedding any time soon, you can increase the scare factor by tearing holes in them, and staining them with beet juice. Just make sure to keep them handy for next year.
3. Milk Jugs
Got any old plastic milk jugs lying around? Ya - us either. What about your neighbours recycling bin? Put them to good use by drawing faces on them with permanent marker. Then pair them with your underutilized Christmas lights to create ghost lanterns to light your porch.
4. Juice or Milk Cartons
Create a Halloween village ( --> scroll down to 'Recycled Haunted Houses') out of old juice cartons, newspaper or recycled paper. Need a way to glue pieces together the low-waste way? See this post on the Bare Blog for DIY glue instructions.
5. White Fabric or Cheesecloth
Haunt your house with these simple ghosts (Note: to create the round head, you can use golf balls instead of plastic balls or balloons). If you do not have extra white fabric, coffee filters or paper towels can also be used, but these will not last as long year after year. Try a reusable coffee filter from Bare Market for the best of both worlds.
6. Backyard Branch
Autumn is the perfect time to find fallen twigs or branches in your own backyard or at a local park. Collect them to make a cute and convincing hanging bat mobile.
7. Oranges
You can scoop out the insides to make mini Jack-O-lanterns or cute candy bowls
8. Glass Jars
Any glass jar will do to create a mummy lantern. Simply wrap the jar in strips of white fabric, cheesecloth or gauze - whatever you have on hand! Note: Modge Podge is not necessary, you can use regular glue or a glue gun to stick on your fabric. We also recommend beeswax or soy tealights instead of petroleum-based parrafin candles. We found ours at Evergreen Garden Market.
9. Egg Cartons
There are so many different Halloween characters that can be made with egg cartons. You can even hide Halloween riddles or candy inside them! They are super easy to make, and you can search the web to find plenty of egg carton crafts for kids.
10. Aluminium Cans
With a nail and hammer you can create beautiful designs, and add tea lights to light up your walkway. For a full how-to, check out Inhabitat.
11. Cardboard
Shoe boxes, pizza boxes, tissue boxes, cereal boxes - any extra cardboard you have lying around can be used to make spooky cutouts. Give your cutouts a quick coat of paint and hang them in the window or on trees outside.
Decoration Nation
Once you make the decision not to buy anything new, you will be surprised at how creative you can get with items you already have lying around. But don't forget that autumn also comes with its own decor! You can use fallen leaves, corn stalks, hay bales, and of course pumpkins to create the perfect Halloween ambiance. We would love to see your fall and Halloween decor ideas! Tag us on Instagram @baremrkt, and share your thoughts below.
About the Author: Lindura is a model with a passion for nature, travel, and healthy living. She loves discovering new ways to live waste-free, and was thrilled when her sister introduced her to the Bare Market. She is excited to share her package free journey, and connect with the community as Bare Market blogger. You can follow her and her sister on Instagram @plasticfreeto.