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An apartment balcony is your only front porch, and on Halloween night it is the one thing people on the street actually see. The good news: a few pieces visible from below do more than a crowded floor that only you can see.
Decorate the railing and the air above it, keep the floor free, and plan for wind. Everything below goes up without drilling and comes down in one evening.
Before you decorate
- Look from the street. Walk outside and check what is visible. Usually it is the railing, the top half of the door and anything hanging.
- Plan for wind. Balconies above the second floor get strong gusts. Tie everything down twice and skip light inflatables.
- Check the building rules. Many leases ban things fixed to the outside of the railing. Inside the railing is usually fine.
- Use outdoor-rated lights. Battery or solar sets with a timer avoid a cable through the door.
01Orange and purple lights on the railing
Lights are the decoration that works from the street after dark. Wrap one set of orange lights along the top rail and switch it on with a timer at dusk. Purple next to orange looks more like Halloween than orange alone.
02A hanging ghost
A white ghost hung from the ceiling or the balcony above moves in the breeze and reads from far away, like the one in the photo. Choose a light fabric one and tie it at the top and bottom so it cannot swing into the glass.
03Pumpkins that do not blow away
Real pumpkins are heavy enough for the wind but rot in a week on a warm balcony. Foam pumpkins last for years; put a stone inside the hollow ones or group them in a crate.
04A lit jack-o'-lantern
One carved pumpkin with an LED candle at the corner of the railing is the classic signal that you are taking part. Never use a real flame on a balcony with dry leaves and fabric around.
05Spider web on the railing
Stretchy cobweb looks dramatic but sticks to everything and is hard to remove from plants. A ready-made giant web with a big spider ties to four corners and goes back in the bag in a minute.
06A railing banner
A fabric banner on the inside of the railing faces the street and covers bare bars. Pick a dark one with a short word or a simple silhouette; long text cannot be read from below.
07Window silhouettes
If the balcony door is glass, put black silhouettes of bats or a cat on it. From the street they show against the light of the room, and they peel off without marks.
08Fall plants as a base
Mums, ornamental cabbage and heather stay good into November, so they work for Halloween and then for Thanksgiving. Our fall balcony decor ideas has more for the season.
09A lantern with a timer
A tall lantern with LED candles in the corner gives a warm glow without a cable. Look for a timer button so it switches on every night by itself.
10Storage for next year
Halloween decor is bulky. One lidded box with dividers keeps lights untangled and foam pumpkins in shape. See our balcony storage ideas for where to keep it.
A plan by time
- Ten minutes: lights on the railing and a lantern.
- An hour: add the ghost, pumpkins and window silhouettes.
- A weekend: add the banner, the web and fall plants.
Before you pay
- Check that every light is rated for outdoor use.
- Count the hooks and ties you need; zip ties are cheap and secure.
- Avoid anything that drops pieces onto the balcony below.
- After November 1, swap the bats for lights and greenery and keep the railing set for Christmas. Our Christmas balcony decorations show how.
