When decorating your home for Halloween, you don't have to blow your budget. Amanda Everhart at Harts and Crafts Design came up with this clever idea using inexpensive dollar-store items for some scream-worthy DIY Halloween decorations.
How to Turn a Laundry Basket into a Spooky Halloween Cage Decoration
Updated on Jan. 30, 2025
When decorating your home for Halloween, you don’t have to blow your budget. Amanda Everhart, at Harts and Crafts Design, came up with this clever idea using inexpensive dollar store items for some scream-worthy DIY Halloween decorations that will cost you just a few bucks: a laundry basket Halloween cage.
Everhart uses two small laundry baskets to create “cages” for skeletons that she then hangs from her front porch. She found all the items needed at a dollar store, making this a great idea for bargain Halloween decorations.
“I make many of my own decorations for holidays, and friends and family always love them. I always get the questions ‘Did you make that!?’ or ‘How did you do that,'” Everhart told Family Handyman. “These baskets are super easy to put together.”
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Supplies Needed
- Zip ties or shower curtain rings
- Two round laundry baskets (If they sell black, buy those to save a step later)
- Fake chain
- Black and metallic silver spray paint
Making Laundry Basket Cage Halloween Decorations
For her first step, since the baskets had slightly raised handles, Everhart cut out a spot for the handles on one of the baskets. This is so the two baskets can sit flush with each other. She used the cut basket as the top of the cage so if they are placed in an area that will get rained on, the water can drain out instead of creating a puddle on top of the basket.
“The hardest part is cutting the handles from the baskets, but that step could always be omitted if someone doesn’t feel comfortable cutting them out,” she said.
Next, use a shower curtain ring or zip tie at each end of the chain to attach it to the bottom side of one basket. Everhart also used a couple of extra rings to hold the two baskets together.
While Everhart used skeletons in her cages, you can use any fall or Halloween decor, such as scarecrows, ghosts or witches. You could even go with bats, spiders, or rats if you prefer scary critters to creatures in your laundry basket Halloween cage. Check out a craft store for these types of decorations.
Everhart then spray painted the baskets and shower curtains rings using a flat black paint (you can skip this step if your baskets and rings are already black). Once that was dry, she went over them with a metallic silver to make the baskets look dirty and aged.
Then, just put everything together and hang it up! Your yard will be set for Halloween!
FAQ
Will any kind of spray paint work on laundry baskets?
Yes, most types of spray paint will work just fine on a plastic laundry basket. Spray paint comes in a number of finishes, including matte, gloss, semi-gloss and high-gloss; matte spray paint is the best choice to achieve the worn metal look of spooky cages. If you’re worried about the outdoor elements, you can apply a coat of clear spray paint over the black for extra protection.
Does this work with standard laundry baskets?
Yes, this project works with a standard laundry baskets; but make sure they are round, because round baskets will most resemble a cage. Even flimsy laundry baskets from the dollar store work just fine—the skeletons are lightweight and don’t require sturdy baskets.
