When you’re a prepper, you look at everything with two thoughts in mind. Can I use it in an emergency and can I make it look cute for the holidays?
This time of year, my porch is where those two ideas meet, right between the emergency lanterns and the pumpkin spice candles. I went digging through my storeroom the other day (okay, fine, Mo went digging first), and realized I had everything I needed to make Halloween porch décor without spending a dime. Turns out, prepping gear pulls double duty if you’re creative enough… or desperate for more pumpkin-themed things, like me.
Here are a few of my Pepper-Approved Porch Projects:
1. Solar Lantern Glow-Up
Those solar lanterns that sit on the fence all summer? Bring them in, pop in orange or purple LED bulbs, and voilà — instant spooky lighting. Bonus: they charge during the day and don’t run up the power bill.
2. Bucket Tower of Terror
Stack three emergency buckets (yes, the ones labeled “Dried Beans – 2028”) and wrap them in an old orange tarp or sheet. Add a jack-o’-lantern face cutout and some battery lights inside. You get height, glow, and a laugh from the neighbors who know what’s really under there.
3. Mason Jar Candle Holders
A classic… paint jars in smoky orange or black, slip in LED tea lights, and line your steps with them. They’re wind-proof, pet-safe, and look downright Pinterest-worthy.
4. Rope Light Web
You know that coil of rope light you keep in case of power outages? Untangle it (good luck), and twist it into a glowing spider web across your porch railing. You’ll feel oddly proud of your prepping skills when trick-or-treaters stop to take photos.
5. Old Blanket to Cozy Welcome Mat
Cut an old flannel blanket into strips and braid it into a rustic mat. It keeps dirt off the floor and earns you points for being both thrifty and festive.
6. Emergency Blanket Ghosts
Those shiny silver mylar blankets from your go-bag? Wrap one around a balloon, tie it with twine, and hang it from your porch ceiling. When the wind blows, they shimmer and rustle — ghostly, yet energy-efficient.
7. Gallon Jug Ghost Lanterns
Rinse out empty gallon jugs, draw silly or spooky faces with a marker, and drop in glow sticks. Line them up along your walkway for an eerie, low-cost glow that keeps the trick-or-treat path bright.
8. Duct Tape Pumpkin Garland
Cut pumpkin shapes out of cardboard boxes, wrap them in orange duct tape (you know you have some), and string them with twine. Rain won’t ruin them, and neither will curious cats, right, Roxie?
9. Storage Bin Tombstones
Flip a few gray plastic bins upside down, stencil names like “I. M. Prepared” or “Rusty Supplies,” and set them among fallen leaves. Instant haunted graveyard, prepper-style.
10. Seed Packet Banner
String up old or expired seed packets across your porch railing. It’s colorful, rustic, and a sweet farewell to gardening season, proof that even your tomatoes can join in the Halloween fun.
By the time I finished decorating, Ian appeared on the porch with two mugs of hot cider, muttered something about my “creatively recycled emergency gear,” and Mo promptly flopped down on the new mat like it was made for him. Which, let’s be honest, it probably was.
Stay prepped, stay creative, and remember… in Willow Lake, even prepping supplies deserve a little Halloween magic.
Stay prepped and prepared,
Pepper
