Nothing says "Welcome to my nightmare" like a gaggle of grinning skeletons. These bony buddies are the backbone of any haunted house (pun intended). Here's how to make your skeleton crew stand out:

• Create a skeleton flash mob on your front lawn
• Hang a skeleton from the ceiling for an unexpected "drop-in" guest
• Place a skeleton in a rocking chair, because even the dead need to relax sometimes

Pro tip: Check out these outdoor Halloween decoration ideas for more bone-chilling inspiration!

Double, double, toil and trouble! No haunted house is complete without a dash of witchcraft. Here's how to create a wickedly good witch's lair:

• Set up a bubbling cauldron with dry ice for that perfect witchy fog
• Hang broomsticks on the wall (parking for the witch's Uber)
• Don't forget the classic witch hat – it's not just a fashion statement, it's a lifestyle!

For some truly magical ideas, brew up some inspiration from these easy Halloween decorations.

The right lighting can make the difference between "meh" and "AAAH!" Here's how to illuminate your haunted house:

• Replace regular bulbs with flickering LED candles or orange string lights
• Use black light bulbs to make white objects glow (and to check if your guests remembered to use fabric softener)
• Strategic candle placement for that "I'm pretty sure I saw something move" effect

Get more illuminating ideas from these designer-approved Halloween decorations.

Pumpkins are the OG Halloween decoration, but why settle for basic when you can go bizarre? Here's how to elevate your gourd game:

• Paint pumpkins black and add creepy faces (because orange is so last season)
• Carve intricate designs inspired by your favorite horror movies
• Stack pumpkins to create a towering terror

For some gourd-geous inspiration, check out these pumpkin carving ideas.

Invite some monstrous friends to your haunted house party. They're guaranteed to be the life of the... death of the party?

• Use life-sized monster cutouts for unexpected jump scares
• Hang monster masks on walls or dangle them from the ceiling
• Add monster sound effects, because what's scarier than the sound of a hangry werewolf?

For more monstrous ideas, creep over to these outdoor Halloween decoration tips.

Nothing says "abandoned haunted house" quite like cobwebs. Plus, it's a great excuse not to clean!

• Stretch fake spider webs across doorways for a sticky surprise
• Drape webs over furniture for that "I've been cursed for a century" look
• Add plastic spiders to the webs – they're looking for their 15 minutes of fame

Spin your way over to these DIY Halloween decoration ideas for more web-tastic inspiration.

Every good horror movie has a killer soundtrack, and your haunted house should be no different!

• Create a playlist of eerie tunes and spooky sound effects
• Include atmospheric tracks from classic horror films
• Don't forget the occasional sudden, loud noise for maximum jump scare potential!

For some spine-tingling tunes, check out this list of best Halloween songs.

Turn your front yard into a graveyard that would make any ghost feel at home.

• Create DIY tombstones from foam or cardboard
• Line them up along your walkway for a dead man's path
• Add funny epitaphs like "Here lies Fred, he's clearly dead"

Dig up more ideas with these DIY Halloween tombstone tutorials.

Nothing says "impending doom" quite like a murder of crows. (Yes, that's really what a group of crows is called!)

• Place plastic crows on your porch, fence posts, or in trees
• Use motion-activated crow decorations for surprise caws
• Scatter some black feathers for that "fresh carnage" look

For more bird-brained ideas, fly over to these creative Halloween decoration tips.

Turn your mirrors into portals to another dimension. Just don't blame us if Bloody Mary shows up!

• Cover mirrors with sheer black cloth for a ghostly effect
• Add spooky decals to create illusionary apparitions
• Place antique-looking mirrors in unexpected places for surprise scares

Reflect on these Halloween decor ideas for more mirror-rific inspiration.