The witching hour is almost upon us! Living an apartment doesn’t mean you are left out of all the Halloween fun. Whether your building is allowing trick-or-treaters to come by or you’re throwing a spooky party, transforming your apartment into a haunted house is a fun way to get into the Halloween spirit. Big or small, there are a few ways you can accomplish the task of scaring up some fun in your humble abode. Here are some of RentSeeker.ca’s favourite ways to change your apartment into a creepy haunted house.
Set the Mood
All black everything – that’s the name of the game when it comes to getting the right environment in place for your haunted house. Buy some black fabric that you can use to drape both the windows and the walls. Of course, remember safety first: ensure that you don’t light any candles near the fabric to prevent a fire hazard. If you just want to block out the light, you can use sheets you already have on hand to cover up the windows.
Creepy Entranceway
To get a true haunted house feel, you want to get the party started as soon as your guests enter your apartment. Put a “Beware” or “Enter at Your Own Risk” sign on your door. To really up the creep factor, add a few fake blood splatters (that can wash off easily). Once guests enter, a motion-activated skeleton or spider will add to the overall scary tone. Don’t forget to add in the classic scary noises CD of creaky floorboards, screams and monsters dragging chains.
A Delicious (But Gross) Spread
Part of the fun of a haunted house is creating the food that will delight and disgust your guests with their creepy realness. We’re talking boiled eggs doubling as “eyeballs” in a jar, dead man finger cookies, worms and Jell-o slime, spider cupcakes, and more. Get creative and dare your guests to defy their brains and eat something that it seems like they really shouldn’t. Don’t forget the ice cubes with a “fly” or “cockroach” frozen inside!
Dangling Dangers
Think back to the haunted house rides that you used to go on at the fair – there would always be some mystery item dangling from the ceiling that would brush against your face as your car went along the track. It’s time to bring that idea into your apartment. The perfect place for it? In the hallway, as your guests are heading to the washroom. With nothing but nightlights or candles to light the way, they won’t see the spider webs or long strands of yarn (doubling as witch hair) that you have hanging from the ceiling.
Lighting
Adding a black light to cast an eerie glow over your apartment is a great way to add to the creepy mood while still allowing guests to enjoy some of your delicious finger foods. A red light is perfect for the bathroom, particularly if you have a “surprise” visitor hiding in your shower (think of a zombie head sticking out from behind the curtain). Ensure you do not cover any of these lights with a cloth, as they can heat up quickly.
When it comes to your apartment haunted house, the sky is the limit. As long as you do not make any permanent changes, like painting, get as creative as you’d like. To prevent any issues, speak to your landlord prior to setting up your haunted house. After that, it’s time to invite your neighbours over for a night of fright and fun!
Happy Halloween!
The RentSeeker Team
