Halloween decorating is a fun fall activity for the whole family, but it can also get a little bit competitive among neighbors. Whether you're planning a party or just looking to spook the neighborhood trick-or-treaters, our real estate agents created this guide of Halloween decorating tips to help you create the most mystifying home on the block. 

Find Your Halloween Decorating Theme

While it might seem tempting to run to the local Halloween store and start grabbing your favorite decorations, it can be helpful to think about a theme before you start shopping. Consider the impression you'd like your home to give off to the rest of the neighborhood, as well as the type of Halloween decorations you typically like. Below are just a few examples of some common Halloween decorating themes:

• Harvest Theme - Combine typical fall elements with a subtle spooky twist. Hay bales, scarecrows, and autumn leaves are all important elements in this theme -- just top them off with a few scary pumpkins or bats.
• Scary Theme - If you want to create a scary, horror vibe, try red lighting, smoke machines, and spider webs. Add a frightening monster or a ghostly figure to your front porch to spook your trick-or-treaters.
• Gothic Theme - A bit more subtle than the scary theme, the gothic concept combines multiple dark unique elements like spooky lamp posts, skulls, roses. 
• Friendly Theme - If you have small children, you may want to keep your Halloween decor on the lighter side this year. Go for a friendly fall look by decorating with animated characters, candy themes, and happy jack-o'-lanterns. 

Regardless of your theme, be sure to stick to a classic spooky color scheme. Black and orange, black and green, or black and silver are all great choices. Work your color scheme into your decor.

Indoor Decorating Ideas

Once you have a theme in mind, it's time to start decorating your home. If you're throwing a Halloween party, below are some indoor decorating ideas to impress your guests:

• Create a bat cave - Turn your hallway or a small room into a bat cave by hanging plastic bats by strings from the ceiling. Then, keep the area dimly lit.
• Build an indoor pumpkin patch - If you have an empty, non-working fireplace area, stuff it full of pumpkins and gourds to create your indoor patch. For the best results, use different shapes, colors, and sizes.
• Add mantle lights - Line your mantle with orange string lights, LEDs, illuminated skulls, or other decor. 
• Try themed decor - If you're planning an indoor event, it's finally time to bust out your favorite Halloween pillows, throw blankets, hand towels, and floor mats. 
• Make a Halloween tree - Holiday trees don't have to be just for Christmas time. Decorate an indoor tree with streamers that match your color scheme. Then wrap it with stringed lights and scary ornaments.
• Don't forget about candles - Candles are the perfect way to set the mood for a Halloween event. Alternate different sizes and colors in your entryway, dining room table, or mantle. Then dim your lights and let the candles work their magic.

Outdoor Decorating Ideas

Outdoor decorating is a great way to create a fun vibe for trick-or-treaters or impress your neighbors. Just like with the indoor decorating, remember to keep your theme in mind. Below are some outdoor decorating tips to help your home stand out:

• Make a Halloween wreath - Create a beautiful wreath using fall colors and add some spooky decorative elements.
• Hang string lights on your porch - Add orange, green, or purple string lights from your porch to provide a bit of eerie illumination while you're handing out candy.
• Set motion-activated figures - Nothing gives trick-or-treaters a fright quite like motion-activated figures. Choose a ghost, witch, goblin, or any other creepy figure. You can pick one of these up in any local Halloween-themed store. 
• Make a spider and bat display - Create a frightening display on your front porch out of fake webs, spiders, and bats.
• Add inflatable characters - This is a good idea if you have small children. Add some inflatable, illuminated pumpkins or friendly-looking monsters in the yard to greet your trick-or-treaters.
• Create a hay bale display - If you're going for a harvest theme, add a hale bay or two to your front porch area and throw some pumpkins, signs, or even a skeleton on top.
• Make a scene - Turn your porch or yard into a scene from a horror movie. Dress up some dolls with some old clothing and place them on some old pieces of furniture.
• Turn your yard into a cemetery - Create fake tombstones out of wood or cardboard and scatter them throughout the yard. Then hang figures or skeletons from your tree branches.

Halloween is one of our favorite seasons, and we love driving around our wonderful neighborhood to look at all of the amazing seasonal decorations. For more tips on how to make the most out of your home this Halloween, contact us today.