Cute Halloween Decorations for Free

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Make these cute Halloween decorations for free with recycled bottles and about 10 minutes. It’s a great project to make with children or for any beginning level crafter.

top image - 3 jack o'lantern pill bottles on wood table, bottom image - 3 glowing jack o'lantern bottles with title text reading Cute Halloween Decorations Free and earth-friendly

When I grew up, Halloween wasn’t a big deal. It was just a holiday for kids. Then I got married. My husband always loved celebrating Halloween even as an adult. Now I find Halloween such a fun holiday to celebrate. But I’ve always focused on fun and cute Halloween decorations, not ghoulish ones.

Since you know how much I live for repurposing items, I was inspired by a bunch of empty pill bottles that were headed to the recycling bin to make these cute Halloween decorations for free. 

With all the events of the past year (remember my appendectomy drama and the basal cell carcinoma on my eyelid?), we’d amassed quiet the collection of plastic pill bottles. As I was decluttering and getting ready to throw these bottles in the recycling can, it struck me that they were all orange – Halloweenie orange. So-ooo, you know I had to do it. 

collage of colorful worksheets with featured cover page with 3 ghosts with party hats.

How can I decorate for Halloween for cheap?

Decorating on a budget is definitely possible when it comes to Halloween decorations.

Cute Halloween Decorations for Free

These are perfect for a college student or anyone who is about to move and still wants to decorate. After Halloween, go ahead and recycle the bottles. Win-win.

overhead view of green leaves on crafted jack o'lanterns

Supplies for this Cute Halloween Decoration

  • Orange Pill Bottles
  • Permanent Markers
  • Green Paper
  • Glue or Double Stick Tape
  • Scissors
3 empty orange pill bottles with black marker on white table

I drew jack o’lantern faces on scratch paper until I found some I liked. I simply drew the face on the bottle with a permanent marker.

orange bottle with jack o'lantern face  and sharpie marker on top of paper with jack o'lantern face drawn on it

I had these green paint chips from a project, so I used those to make the leaves and stems. But you can use any green paper you have or even a green photo from a magazine.

red scissors and 3 green squares of paper

I free-hand cut out the leaves. I cut thin strips and rolled them around a pencil to make the vine stems. 

pencil and strips of green paper on white table

A little glue to stick the leaves and vines to the jack o’lantern and voila! Seriously, these couldn’t be easier or cuter.

close up of jack o'lanterns crafted from orange pill bottles on wood table

A simple battery votive candle and you have an adorable lantern.

3 glowing jack o'lantern crafts

More Free Halloween Decorations

If these little jack o’lanterns weren’t such very cute Halloween decorations I’d be embarrassed at how easy they are to make. But you know how I love free and repurposed projects! I smile every time I look at these little guys. 

Why not take a few minutes to declutter your medicine cabinet now. You can use these purging tips for medicine and vitamins. Now you have the pill bottles you need to make your own simple and cute Halloween decorations. Have fun crafting. This would be a great kids’ craft, too.

For all my favorite Halloween crafts, games, printables and recipes see the table below. You can scroll though the table and look for ideas or search for specific ideas with the magnifying glass in the upper right-hand corner (on desktop). Click on the topic and then click through the specific article.

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5 Comments

  1. What a great way to get another use of those medicine bottles. VERY CREATIVE! And the color is built right in. Might have to make a few of these myself. Not sure the battery votives will fit in my smaller bottles, but would be perfect for the larger ones. Going to share!

    1. Thanks, Seana. You’ve known me long enough now to know that I have a compulsion to repurpose items. Fortunately, I find it fun and creative. 🙂

  2. That’s a great use for those old paint chips! I think we might have some around that I could use for something. You are always so creative in the great ideas you come up with!

  3. Oh WOW!! I have alot of pill bottles. Now I know what to do with them!! Thank you for sharing. These are soooo cute!!

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