The 9 Best Outdoor Halloween Decorations

Here's to having the spookiest yard display in your neighborhood

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One of the best parts of Halloween (besides the candy and scary costumes, of course) is having fun with the spooky decor—especially if your outdoor display inspires some friendly neighborhood competition. From extensive spider cobwebs to intricately carved jack-o'-lanterns, there are so many ways you can go about DIYing your very own Halloween wonderland.

Whether you go for a theme with ghosts, witches, skeletons, black cats, and light-up pumpkins or you mix and match a little bit of all the above, you really can't go wrong.

Here, we've rounded up some of our favorite outdoor Halloween decor so you can create your own spooky and spectacular yard display, including larger-than-life inflatables, lights, signs, and porch accessories.

Our Top Picks

Easy to set up and store, this slightly spooky display includes a towering tree and LED lights to grab everyone's attention.

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Affordable and lightweight, these five tombstones will give everyone a fright, and are easy to move and secure.

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This Halloween-themed garden flag is budget friendly, durable, and machine washable, with three festive gnomes to welcome your guests.

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With eyes lit up by red LED lights, this battery-operated skeleton is especially creepy and can be placed indoors or outside.

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Vintage-inspired, this set of three metal luminaries will give trick-or-treaters a little scare, while lighting up the space.

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Create an instant pumpkin patch with this collection of eight fall-themed, waterproof yard signs.

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Its non-slip vinyl rubber backing will help keep it in place when excited trick-or-treaters arrive at your door.

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It comes with everything you need for easy set-up including ground stakes, a gutter hook, and a stretchy web.

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With 16 different patterns to choose from, this waterproof outdoor projector comes with a remote control and mounting hardware.

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Gemmy 7-ft Lighted Inflatable

Create a spooky display in no time at all with this 7-foot inflatable pumpkin, tree, and ghost trio. The towering tree glows throughout the night, thanks to its bright LED lights. It self inflates and only takes seconds to install. The set comes with everything you need for set up including stakes and teethers, with no other assembly required. And when Halloween is over, just deflate and store.

Joyin 17-inch Halloween Foam RIP Graveyard Tombstones

Transform your yard into a creepy graveyard with this set of five foam R.I.P. tombstones. Each one stands 17 inches tall, features a unique design, and realistic-looking stone details. While they are lightweight and easy to move, they come with metal stakes so you can keep them secure in whatever display you create.

AVOIN Halloween Welcome Gnomes Bat Spider Web Jack

Welcome trick-or-treaters, friends, and family with this adorable (and kid-friendly) gnome-themed garden flag. Machine washable and durable enough to withstand the elements, it has a design that is printed on both sides to double the fun. Each gnome has spooky details including a black cat, cobweb, and a ghost. Affordable and easy to store, this is a nice addition to your Halloween decor or a simple way to delight your guests.

5 ft. Hanging Plastic Posable Skeleton Decoration with LED Eyes

You can't go wrong with this posable hanging skeleton if you're looking to create a fright. Thanks to the lightweight frame, you can move and style the skeleton any way you'd like. Its eyes are lit up by red LED lights, so it looks especially spooky at night. Battery operated (it runs on 3AA batteries that are included with your purchase), the skeleton is five feet tall and can be displayed indoors or outside.

Vintage Metal Luminaries Halloween Decorations

When you welcome trick-or-treaters this year, you'll want to make sure your doorstep is well lit so they know you're home, and this set of three vintage-inspired metal luminaries does just the trick. It features a spider, a crow, and bats, with the cryptic message: "Enter if you dare." Just note that you'll need to add your own flameless candles since they are not included.

Big Dot of Happiness Pumpkin Patch

It's okay if you can't make it to a pumpkin patch this year, because with these pumpkins, you can create one in your own yard. Waterproof and budget-friendly, these affordable decorations are a great fall display for Halloween through Thanksgiving. Each design is made of corrugated plastic and comes with two stakes to keep them secure.

Skull Non-Slip Outdoor Door Mat

A holiday-themed doormat is a quick and practical way to update your decor to match the season. Simple and stylish, this spooky coir doormat will help keep dirt at the door while still keeping in theme with the rest of your haunting decor. Featuring a rubber non-slip backing, it will stay put when trick-or-treaters or other guests arrive.

AODINI Spider Web Halloween Decorations

If you have the space, this 16-foot spiderweb can add some spooky curb appeal to your home. This kit is easy to install and comes with an adjustable spider, a 16 X 15-foot stretchy web, one gutter hook, and five ground stakes. Budget-friendly, this decoration can be stored and reused, so trick-or-treaters can look forward to seeing it next year.

 Halloween Christmas Projector Lights Outdoor

Add a spooky light show to your yard without having to do a lot of work with this waterproof outdoor projector. It comes with 16 different patterns that are suitable for multiple holidays—including Halloween and Christmas—so you can get more bang for your buck. You can choose to stake it outside in the ground, mount it to the wall, or simply place it inside on a table for an indoor display.

Power Source

Some outdoor Halloween decorations need to be connected to electricity to work. If it lights up or moves it will most likely need power. Check the specifications to see if the decoration you like does. If so, plan where you're going to put the decorations so it's near a power source.

Size

It's important to look at the size of the decoration before you make your decision. You'll need to make sure you have plenty of room for the decoration and that it will be in scale with the rest of your decor. Size is also important when you go to store the decoration: too big, and you may not find anyplace to tuck it away for next year.

Style

Halloween decorations come in lots of different styles, from cute to scary and everything in between. What type of outdoor display do you want to create? Do you want to keep it kid-friendly for the little ones, or are you after a mini haunted house? After you've decided how scary you want your display to be, you're ready to pick out those decorations. Choose something you like the look of, will go great in your yard, and will last for years to come.

FAQ

  • How do you clean outdoor Halloween decorations?

    Dirt and dust can build up on your outdoor Halloween decorations quite easily. To clean off any dust, use a microfiber cloth to wipe it down. If there's more stubborn dirt, add water mixed with a small amount of dishwashing liquid to the cloth and then clean. You can clean both plastic decorations and inflatables this way. Some decorations will have specific cleaning advice and, if so, you'll find that on the care label.

  • How do you hang outdoor Halloween decorations?

    The trickiest part of hanging outdoor Halloween decorations is figuring out how to secure them. You'll most likely want some temporary solutions, since the decorations won't stay up year-round. Tie decorations to trees or porch ceilings using fishing line. Inflatables will need to be tethered down, and lawn stakes will do the trick. Lights can be hung on Christmas light clips which you can reuse for the winter holidays.

  • How do you store outdoor Halloween decorations?

    Outdoor Halloween decorations should be stored somewhere away from the weather when not in use. Basements, attics, and garages are all great options. Make sure any inflatables are completely deflated before storing. Gently fold them to store, making sure they're not around any sharp objects. Large decorations can be wrapped in paper if needed and then stored. For smaller decorations, store them in clean containers that are clearly labeled. Most importantly, store all of your Halloween decorations together, making them easy to find for next year.

Additional research for this article is provided by Stacy Fisher, a writer and long-time Spruce contributor specializing in crafting, DIYs, and other home topics.

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