Looking for dollar store DIY Halloween crafts that look expensive, thrill your guests, and cost almost nothing to make? You are in the right place. Every project below starts with a quick trip to the dollar store and ends with decorations your neighbors will swear came from a boutique.
The best part is how little skill these take — most need nothing more than glue, paint, and an hour of your evening. Grab a basket of $1 supplies and turn your home into the spookiest (and cutest) house on the block.
Below are 12 easy dollar store Halloween craft ideas, from floating ghosts to glowing potion bottles. Each includes exactly what you’ll need plus step-by-step instructions, so you can start crafting tonight. Happy haunting!
1. Floating Cheesecloth Ghosts
These airy ghosts look straight out of a haunted movie set and cost about a dollar each. Stiffened cheesecloth holds its shape in a light breeze — perfect for porch ceilings, tree branches, or walkway shepherd’s hooks.
Hang them at different heights with a battery tea light inside for a soft after-dark glow. Kids love scrunching the cheesecloth, and the lopsided faces give every ghost personality.
What You’ll Need
- White cheesecloth (dollar store craft aisle)
- Fabric stiffener or white glue mixed with water
- Black felt or adhesive foam for eyes and mouth
- Foam balls or crumpled newspaper for shaping
- Fishing line or twine
- Battery-operated tea lights (optional)
How to Make
- Cut the cheesecloth into 18-inch squares, one per ghost.
- Drape a square over a foam ball, then brush the stiffener mixture all over it.
- Let it dry completely (about 4 hours), then lift off the foam ball.
- Cut simple oval eyes and a round mouth from black felt and glue them on.
- Tie fishing line through the top and hang; tuck a tea light inside for nighttime glow.