It’s getting closer, friends. Halloween, I mean. Are you ready? Have you amped up the scare-factor of your décor this year? If not, I’d recommend it. At least, I’d recommend it if you don’t have young children around to wake up in a cold sweat from nightmares and come screaming into your bedroom. Because that would make for a very long month indeed…

WARNING: This article is not particularly kid-friendly. Many of the following ideas have been known to make grown men scream, cry, or worse. Consider yourselves warned.

Doctored-Up Dollies – Turn some old dolls into zombies with some red (blood) paint and ripped clothing, then scatter throughout your front yard. Bonus: The doll’s having hair is optional.

Chandelier Cobwebs – Bringing the cobwebs from ceiling to floor is a good way to get tons of decorating mileage out of one Halloween concept. Tip: Spread the fake cobwebs thin to make them more realistic.

Cheesecloth Spirits – Glue cheesecloth onto foam mannequin heads (available at wig shops) and hang from the ceiling. Complete the scariness with a fan on low speed.

Crashed Witch’s Legs – Take the legs of a mannequin, put on some striped witch’s tights and shoes, then stick them upside down in a pot. This is more silly than scary, of course, but even the faint of heart should have some fun decorating ideas, right?

Skull-Headed Spider – Craft your own oversized spider legs out of thick wire (painted or wrapped in black), then mount with a human skull.

Hands in a Pond – While you’re focused on outdoor Halloween decorations, have a go at this idea: place fake hands into a pond, a fountain, or any contrived murky water feature. Super easy and also disconcerting, to say the least.

Spider Pod People – Wrap fake skulls in cheesecloth and hang from the ceiling in a “pod” shape. Top off with scuttling spiders. This is beyond creepy.

Bloody Handprint – If you’re up against a Halloween decorating deadline, red poster paint will be your new best friend. Slap some red “bloody” handprints onto the window, done and done.{found on prudentbaby}.

Bats in Flight – Cardstock black bats can overtake the entire space’s Halloween décor (in a good way!) as they “fly” en masse toward a window. I like the pairing here with an oversized purple spiderweb, too.

Cheesecloth-Covered Black Tablecloth – This one’s pretty basic and may not be super scary all by itself. But by tugging cheesecloth open to create the look of tears in it, set against black, it looks authentic and old and creepy. Use this idea in conjunction with other scary Halloween decorations.

Cockroach Lampshade – For a little piece of paper cut out in a bug shape, this simple Halloween decoration has a large creepy-crawly impact. Attach paper “bug” to the inside of the lampshade.

DIY “Nevermore” Tree – Edgar Allan Poe and ravens are the perfect ingredients for nearly any scary Halloween décor recipe. Such is the case with this raven-filled branch-tree. (Full tutorial available.)

Glass Dome Head – This one might be a little on the too-scary side for me, but nevertheless it’s a great scary Halloween decoration. Paint a deathly-looking mannequin head, then wrap in tea-stained cheesecloth “shroud” inside a glass dome. I’m disturbed…but impressed, too.

Bloody Candles – For a straightforward, scary piece of Halloween décor, listen up: merely take a red candle and melt it over top of a white one so the red wax runs down like blood. I’m all for effective simplicity.{found on site}.

Framed Doily Spiderwebs – I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again – mixing anything feminine or delicate with creepy Halloween icons (e.g., spiders) makes it a hundred times spookier. These framed doily spiderwebs are a perfect example. Also, hung askew like that? Genius.

Spiderweb Railing – If you have some removable railing posts, consider removing them and filling the space with a sturdy spiderweb (perhaps of black wire). For safety purposes, add the spiderweb near the bottom of the staircase. For a more temporary alternative, consider stringing black yarn over some of your staircase railing posts.

Black & White Ink Prints – By reigning in the color scheme to black and white, these ink prints become both artistic and sophisticated…as well as pretty creepy. Keep the black balanced with the white.

Finger Ringing Doorbell – Severed body parts are, for some, a must-have at this time of year. This particular vignette makes me cringe and laugh at the same time. Which counts for something, no?{found on prudentbaby}.

Glass-caged Snake – If you’ve got a glass cloche sitting around, let’s fill it this season with something a little unexpected. Like a white-painted rubber snake, formed into striking position with wire.

Skewed Décor – This is less a specific scary decoration than an overall decorating technique to make things scarier at Halloween. Focus on the imperfect, the slanted, the mutant, the deformed. Hang photos skewed, stack books un-neatly, and keep things overall asymmetrical.