Spooky season is here, and we couldn’t be more excited! With Halloween, comes decorating. Ghost, Goblins and Gourds a-like, we’re here to give you 5 low waste ideas to decorate your home for Halloween. Whether that be using items you already have, or whipping up some food in the kitchen, these tips are sustainable and the perfect rainy-day activity for the whole family. Now let’s get into the spooky spirit and start the decorating!
1. Use your holiday lights for Halloween
(photo credit: Yaroslav Shuraev via Pexels)
We all have strings of holiday lights that only come out to play in December (or November for those of us who are extra festive), but why not bring them out in October to enjoy them longer? Halloween is the perfect time to reuse your string lights, especially if they’re warm tones! They can be added to your doorstep, used to decorate amidst your pumpkins or to add some warmth to the interior of your home. You can get creative with them and add mini lanterns, mini shades and so much more.
Notice your string lights are burnt out? If you’re in British Columbia, you can recycle string lights and other lighting fixtures through our lights recycling program. We also accept light bulbs in Manitoba, Quebec and Prince Edward Island.
2. Use leftover paint to decorate your candle holders or pumpkins
(photo credit: Daisy Anderson via pexels)
Need an activity to entertain the kids on a rainy weekend? Take out the leftover paint that’s in your garage, lay out some newspapers and get started with this DIY project. You can paint pumpkins of all different colors, shapes, and sizes. Whether it’s a pattern, a monster face, or ghostly quotes – a painted pumpkin will add a fun twist to the classic orange you always see. If you don’t have any leftover paint, you can head to your local recycling location and utilize our PaintShare program. It’s free! Visit our recycling locator to find a location in your province. Candle holders are also a great décor piece to paint to add a haunting element to your home. Paint them a darker color, and let the wax drip for a cool effect. They can really add some spooky vibes to an otherwise plain candle holder.
3. Grow your own wreath using plants from your garden
(photo credit: Jason Leung via Unsplash)
We all love a beautiful wreath during the winter holidays, but why not decorate your door for fall too? A wreath with foliage hung on your door on a crisp fall day gives your home an extra welcoming feeling. Look for some inspiration by checking out some DIY wreath ideas on Pinterest or by watching wreath-making videos on YouTube. We suggest pulling foliage from your own garden to make your wreath. Whether it be sunflowers, eucalyptus, rosemary, or even mini pumpkins, you’ll have a beautiful masterpiece. Another great option is creating a dried floral wreath—you’ll get all the fall vibes with this hanging on your front door. There is something to be said about having fall foliage to welcome your guests, and we’re sure your neighbors will be asking where you “bought” your new wreath!
4. Reduce plastic by creating edible or paper décor
(photo credit: Yaroslav Shuraev via Pexels)
(photo credit: Olia Danilevich via Pexels)
Decking out your home like a scary movie doesn’t need to be expensive or bad for the environment. Reduce your plastic use and check out these cost-effective, low waste ideas to haunt your home. Have any extra paper lying around? You can cut out so many fun, spooky creatures to hang off your trees or on your walls. Use some extra string or paper clips and get creative. Bonus points if you have some black construction paper for your ghostly cutouts (if you’re like us, you’ll have some leftover from those scrapbooking days). Some of our favorite shapes are ghosts, pumpkins, and bats. Just make sure you place them indoors or undercover, so they don’t get ruined in the rain!
Pumpkins aren’t just for decoration—they’re also edible and a great serving bowl for punch, dips, or to fill with ice to cool your beverages! Country Living has some amazing ideas that can turn your pumpkins into a party!
Lastly, check out your local grocery store, or better yet – your local zero waste grocery shop for some ingredients to get creative with. You can go the sweet route with spooky-themed cookies, donuts, cupcakes, or classic pumpkin pie (but we can’t promise these won’t get snatched up quickly by guests). If savory is more your style, pumpkin soups, stews and curries are delicious choices. Don’t forget to roast the seeds for a salty snack! There are so many fun recipes and ideas on Pinterest to check out. We’re sure you’ll be everyone’s favorite Halloween party host after these delicious creations.
5. Purchase secondhand decor
(photo credit: Artie Segal via Pexels)
Halloween is one of the most fun holidays to decorate for—not only can you dress up your doorstep and the inside of your home, but you can go as tacky as you’d like! One person’s junk is another person’s treasure. and secondhand shop are both great places to source some scary décor pieces to spook up your space.
We would love to see how you decorated your home for Halloween. Tag us on Facebook or Instagram so we can share your low waste creations!
