Avoid getting caught up with which stores have the trendiest Halloween decorations, this year, make it all yourself in the comfort of your very own haunted home with a modestly mindful budget. Not only are all of these cost-conscious crafts kid friendly, they're also put together with adult aesthetics in mind.

Adorning your space with festive garlands, lights, and of course the very best DIY crafts, are some of the most cherished times of year for many of us, so close the blinds and cozy in for...

9 Easy DIY Halloween Decorations for Under $15:

1. Painted Pumpkins:

Taking a classy, low-effort twist to a tradition almost as old as time is absolutely the best way to pumpkin spice up your Halloween this year. Painting patterns, pictures, or exciting designs on the outside of your pumpkins could be even better than hollowing them out and carving them, why? Because without all the air drying out the inside of the pumpkin they'll last twice as long!


For this craft we'll need the following:

- Pumpkin(s)
- White Paint
- Paint Brush/Sponge

2. Weather-Proof Bats:

What's one of the first things that comes to mind when thinking about earie, spooky nights around this time of year? That's right, bats! As a result from making these little guys out of craft foam paper they're more than durable enough to hangout outside, day or night. The best thing about these easy-make bats is that they look great from outside rain gutters to indoor light fixtures, you can stick them anywhere to achieve that effortless seasonal spark. 


For this craft, we'll need the following:

- Craft Foam Paper
- Googly Eyes (Glow in the dark ones are an amazing option)
- Glue
- Scissors
- String

3. Silhouette Mason Jar Candles:

Better turn the lights off for this one, it's about to get spooktacular! Placing just a couple of these luminary jars of art in your home will ensure nothing but soothing, ambient Halloween vibes all season long. While the jars are without flaw as candle holders they could also be utilized as storage jars for art projects, utensil holders, or kid-friendly crayon cups.


For this craft, we'll need the following:

- Jars
- Tealight candles (Real or battery powered)
- Black Marker
- Paint (Colors are optional)

4. Halloween Themed Prints:

It's quite possible you won't need to buy a single thing for for this DIY, if you've got a minimum of a blank sheet of paper and a black marker you're good to go! For those that aren't as artistically inclined, just steady a piece of paper up to a computer or tablet screen, trace all your favorite spooky characters or catchphrases, and watch the magic happen.


For this craft, we'll need the following:

- Frame
- Printer or tracible screen
- Paper
- Black marker (Optional)

5. Cheesecloth Ghosts:

These totally ghoul suspended spectres are always a great fallback for Halloween, who doesn't like a good old fashioned ghost? Although you may need to allow extra time for the glue to completely dry, I definitely wouldn't look past this DIY, add in a few orange lights accompanied by bowls of candy and voila! Instant wholesome, yet creepy, ambience.


For this craft we'll need the following:

- Cheesecloth 
- Liquid glue
- String
- Black paper
- Scissors 
- Balloons
- Cups

6. Halloween Tree:

Give your guests pumpkin' to talk about with an undeniably unique Halloween tree. Dig out that old Christmas tree and lace the branches with garlands of orange and black, along with fake spiders, mini pumpkins, and whatever else sparks that child-like excitement for Spooktober. Although you shouldn't expect gifts under this tree it could be fun to place carved jack-o-lanterns at the base to emphasize a high spirited home.


For this craft we'll need the following:

- Christmas tree
- Halloween ornaments or small decorations
- Halloween lights
- Tree skirt (Pattern/color optional)

7. Floating Witches Hats:

Home is where the witches hats hang... right?

The most primo aspect about this DIY, unlike all those we're so accustomed to, is that it actually doesn't cause any holiday clutter. Once you hang those black pointed hats from the ceiling you can still go about daily activities and cleaning as if nothing's strayed from the ordinary, I guess you could say this enchanting craft isn't for your basic witch.

For this craft we'll need the following:

- String
- Tape
- Witch hats

8. Hovering Magic Candles:

Undeniably one of the most innovative and genuinely fascinating crafts to try out, and hopefully nail, would be this craft, simply because in a dimly lit room joined by a haunting background soundtrack, you'll feel as if you've wandered into a coven straight out of a horror novel. While the color of the candle is entirely up to the crafter, black definitely aids in hiding all those strands of string, tape, and hot glue. 


For this craft we'll need the following:

- Black craft paper (Color is optional)
- Scissors
- Battery powered tea light 
- String or clear fishing line
- Tape

9. Multi-Leaf Garland:

Not into the scary vibes this year? No problem, a neutral fall-esque atmosphere can be easily worked into any living space. Venturing outside into the crisp autumn air to gather fallen leaves, pinecones, and branches is honestly half the fun of this brilliant piece of art. If authentic fallen leaves aren't an option, store-bought leaves and branches work just as well.


For this craft we'll need the following:

- Fallen tree branch
- Hot glue (Optional)
- String
- Real or fake leaves
- Thumb tack

As the warmth of summer dissipates and the deep chill of winter sets in we can all feel a mutual calling to home and hearth, an embracement of change and the welcoming of the soon to be new year. Hunker down and get cozy with all your favorite things and intentionally enjoy each minute of the season as it passes through, just like the fallen leaves in wind, go with the flow.