Tips for decorating a small, Halloween themed balcony

After a few years of living in a small, yet adorable apartment, I've found creative ways to incorporate seasonal decor in and around our space - including our balcony! I always love seeing the beautiful photos of gorgeous houses with pumpkins and classic seasonal decor, and while we aren't in that place of our lives just yet, our balcony has become a fun canvas to play with. So, if you live in a smaller home with limited space, I'm sharing some tips for how to maximize your outdoor area.

Height makes a difference

First, find a corner or area to consolidate your decor - for me, it was the corner of our balcony most visible to us. Having a dedicated area vs. spreading out will make it feel less cluttered but also gives you the opportunity to add height and dimension.

I've always loved the look of cornstalks, and I found very reasonable ones from Home Depot ($10 each), which created a natural yet spooky look when bunched together. To attach to the balcony I used wire to wrap around the balcony post. You can even attach to a small fence, door frame, etc.

Spooky yet natural decor elements

There are SO many ways you can decorate your space, and for mine, I wanted to use a life size skeleton as the focal point while incorporating items that were natural (and classy). There are too many cheesy Halloween items, and hey, if that's your jam then of course go for it! But for me, I like sticking to pumpkins, hay/straw, cornstalks and elegant looking items like these black jack-o'-launtern candle holders and the skeleton.

I found the pumpkins at our local grocery store, cornstalks at Home Depot, and the candle holders at Home Goods (Pottery Barn has similar ones here!).

When assembling, I started with the cornstalks, then placed the hay in front of the corner I was decorating. From there, I added pumpkins at varying heights for an aesthetic look to help bring the viewers eye around the space, and don't be afraid to stack the pumpkins or place on their side. As a final illuminating touch, I also added battery operated candles from Michael's which added a beautiful glow at night along with orange string lights that are safe for the outdoors. This way, at night we get to see the whimsical setup and enjoy it all day and night long.

Everything I used:

• Cornstalks *Home Depot or local farm stand

• Hay *Home Depot, Michael's

• 5ft Skeleton

• Metal jack-o'-lantern candle holders

• Pumpkins, assorted sizes *Home Depot, Wegmans, local farm stand

• Orange string lights

• Battery operated candles