Guys my second favorite month has arrived, October! The better half of September I have spent brainstorming and creating eco-friendly Halloween decorations around my house. My casita is little so I really wanted to create an eye-catching centerpiece that will complement the room but still give me those spooky Halloween vibes! Thus I decided to go all in, in creating a spooked out Halloween mantel display above my fireplace. Surprisingly, it wasn’t that hard to come up with sustainable substitutes to create this look.
Swap Plastic / Styrofoam etc. Pumpkins with Real Pumpkins / Gourds
I got all these cute little white and orange pumpkins and gourds from Trader Joes. They are super affordable (less than $2) and last so long! They add an authentic look and feel to your home decorations and the best part, you can either cook them (flesh + seeds) or compost them when they’re done! Meaning a completely zero-waste Halloween decoration option.
Thrift Decorations
On my mantle, I really wanted to incorporate some fun spooky pieces like candlesticks but instead of buying some cheap plastic ones, I decided to go to my local thrift store and look for pieces that I could add. I found these really awesome rustic looking candlesticks, a glass bell jar, and a wooden picture frame. The candlesticks cost $2.99, the bell jar $1.99, and the frame $1.99. I printed out an image on an owl and put it in the frame, and it looked awesome. I had bought this skeleton air plant from Trader Joe’s that looked really great under the glass bell jar. The poem book (though not spooky but fit with the aesthetic) I got at Bookman’s, a second-hand bookstore for only $5.
Fresh Plants
I love fresh flowers and really wanted to incorporate some plants into my mantel while still staying on theme. I found these fall-colored flowers at Trader Joe’s. These did come in plastic so if you can get them from a local florist even better and the best part when they are done you can just compost them. I also had this potted cactus that was dying that I decided to use because I felt it went with the spooky Halloween theme.
Handmade Decorations
The black bats you see flying over the mantel, I made out of cardboard, and sprayed with black paint. There are so many other crafts you can make out of junk lying around your house or in your recycling bins. I always like to find decorations I love on Pinterest or at Target and see if I can make it myself or find a more sustainable alternative.
Some First-Hand Items
In full transparency, there were a couple of things that I did buy firsthand. I mentioned the skeleton air plant that was bought brand new at Trader Joe’s. The air plant will be repurposed with different vases but I plan on using the skeleton for multiple Halloween‘s. I also got a cinnamon scented broomstick. I do believe I can throw this in the compost though so there really isn’t any waste there. And lastly their vanilla pumpkin candles are amazing. I did buy this first hand but I do plan on reusing the jar after I finished burning all of the candle.
You can definitely buy firsthand and still be sustainable as long as you don’t throw it away after one use. I think the biggest thing to stay away from is cheap,single-use plastic Halloween decorations that you use for that year only because it’s poorly made and breaks easily, or doesn’t store well. New pieces that you love and could see reusing multiple times I can see as falling under a sustainable option. It’s always a balance.
I hope this helps inspire you to create something special this Halloween season and show you that you don’t have to buy everything brand new. Second hand and natural options look just as good and always better than cheap plastic decor. Save yourself some money and challenge your creativity with eco-friendly Halloween decorations this year and all the years!
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