Easy & Affordable DIY Halloween Porch Decor

Is it just me or is fall one of the most welcoming seasons? The temperature is pretty much perfect and the color changes are practically swoon-worthy. In fact, the colors of fall are one of my favorite color schemes to decorate with. Oranges, greens, fiery reds, and yellowish golds all lend to some incredibly gorgeous scenery whether natural or staged.

I’m incorporating all of the best autumnal colors into my fall decor this year. Before fall officially landed I already knew I wanted to decorate with bales of hay and straw. They’re a great natural touch and can be played up in countless ways. Tractor Supply Co. had bales of hay and straw available for $8 and $7 respectively. Since hay is more prone to mold than straw, I opted for 2 large bales of straw from there.

I decided to pair my straw bales with cutesy scarecrows for a fun country chic feel. I really wanted to make my own but I couldn’t get my hands on enough decent cornstalks. Luckily I found these for just $3 each at our local Roses Department store (LOVE that place for holiday decor and DIY bits). I stuck a solar light in each bale of straw to add a little depth to the nighttime scene. 

I grabbed a couple of hay bales from JOANN ($5.99 / 20″ bale) and did a lazy stack then topped them with pumpkins and finished with some scarecrow stakes. I’m kind of obsessed with these adorable mini pumpkins and wish I could preserve them so they stay like this forever. Since that’s not going to happen, I’m thinking of making a delicious pumpkin soup served in individual mini pumpkin bowls. How fall is that?!

I had a large planter of mums that didn’t make it and Lowe’s had run out by the time I realized it was too late for what I had. Mums are the ideal outdoor fall flower but leave it to me to kill them. I’m hoping our store will get some in soon so I can add that final touch to my fall porch decor.

I was literally counting down until October 1st so I wasn’t one of those people who decorate way too early. October 1st is when I start my Halloween decorating and this year I went minimal with one special focus piece. My homemade scary masked man chair sitter!

Normally when I make a chair sitter for Halloween I stuff them with leaves. Well, the late summer was a double-edged sword this year because I didn’t have enough leaves to stuff the clothes. I did, however, have tons of old blankets and clothes I could bear to part with. I stuffed a pair of pants and a button-up shirt with the old linens. I used a Dollar Tree pumpkin and an old curtain to fill the scary Halloween mask and sat it on top of the shirt. It was a rush job, but my grandmother kept asking, “Who is that?” when I sat it on the couch!

Nearly everything else I used to decorate for Halloween came from Dollar Tree. The garland, door covers, and the cute hanging ghost. I still want to pick up a few strings of orange and purple lights and then I’ll be happy with my DIY fall and Halloween decor!

What is your favorite way to decorate for fall and Halloween? Do you go all out, keep it simple, or just don’t decorate at all?