Most people (re: not me) are not quite in the Halloween mood in early July, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t start planning a bit and stock up on some items that are easier to find in the summer. With that in mind, here are 10 summer staples to stock up on for Halloween!
Tiki Torches & Torch Fluid
Tiki torches aren’t just for keeping bugs away! They are great for adding a spooky vibe to your outdoor Halloween displays. We put them around our graveyard setup for lighting and atmosphere. Just be sure to use them safely and keep them away from kids.
You can get these almost anywhere this time of year.
Pool Noodles
Besides keeping you afloat in the water, these versatile foam noodles can be used for a few Halloween projects. They are great for giant spider legs or to add bulk and insulation to armature. Use your imagination!
Most big box and dollar stores have these in abundance.
Fountains
These are great for adding some decorative elements to your cemetery setup. You can use it as a strait-up fountain, add some skulls and red dye to the water or take a broken one and add moss and webbing to add to a run-down look.
Visit home improvement stores to find the largest selection.
Corn & Pumpkin Seeds
Create your own autumn harvest right in your backyard! In the fall you will be ready with pumpkins for carving and cornstalks for decorating. Not to mention pumpkin seeds and sweet corn for snacking.
Big box, home improvement and even grocery stores carry seed packets.
Fire Pit / Fire Ring
In the northern half of the country the end of October is usually pretty cool. If you are planning to spend the evening of the 31st outside handing out candy and/or scaring small children a portable fire pit is a nice way to stay warm. If you’d rather not have the real thing, check out my Easy Fake Fire Tutorial.
Home improvement stories and some big box stores stock these.
Shepard’s Hooks
Not just for hanging baskets! Use Shepards hooks to string lights, hold up props, or hang ghosts throughout your yard. They come in a variety of sizes for many different uses.
You can find these at garden centers.
Outdoor Bluetooth Speakers
Music and sound effects are the easiest way to set a mood. After you find or create your perfect mix, set a few Bluetooth speakers throughout your display to enhance the spookiness. If you’re looking for something to play, check out my Monster or Witch playlists!
Find at big box stores.
Garden Fence
After you have spent countless hours creating and setting up your outdoor display, the last thing you want is for kids to come traipsing through ruining your work or tripping on hidden cords and getting hurt. The best way to keep spectators where they belong is to fence them out. If you don’t feel like making your own fencing a garden fence is the way to go.
Garden fences can be purchased at big box and home improvement stores.
Solar Lighting
Harness the power of the sun to light up your decorations. Solar lights come in many different varieties from sconces to spot lights. Using solar lights cuts down on how many extension cords you have running through your yard and turn themselves on without the aid of a timer!
Find the widest variety of solar lights and home improvement stores and garden centers.
Planters
There are many plastic planters that are made to look antiqued so half the work is done for you. Place these around your graveyard and fill with dead flowers or spare body parts. You could even put two together to create and urn. The best thing is that most nest together for easy storage.
Home improvement, big box stores, and garden centers all carry plastic planters.
BONUS TIP!!
Summer is the perfect time to stock up on creepy and macabre hand-made items for Halloween. Make sure to keep an eye out while you attend summer arts festivals and other events like a Renaissance Faire you may be able to find some super cool decorations to add to your outdoor or indoor displays. There are so many dark, spooky artists that make amazing stuff so be sure to give them all your money.
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