Genius Fall Hacks That Make Everyone's Favorite Season Better

If subtlety isn’t quite your speed, what better time to go all-out on a show-stopping autumnal wreath than spooky season? To make one of your own, start with either a ready-made wreath base or weave together one of your own using a supple wood or wire. Opting for wood? Make sure you avoid anything that releases a resin.

There's no one we'd trust quite like Martha Stewart to have the recipe for success when it comes to throwing a party. And her fountain of knowledge extends to Halloween hosting, too. According to Martha, a clever way to spice up your next autumnal party is with a kitsch-but-cute pumpkin cooler.

After endlessly scrolling through Pinterest to decide on a design and enduring the painstaking hours of carving, what's the one thing you want to avoid when it comes to your prized pumpkin? An unsightly spoiled mess come October 31st, that's what! Jack-o’-lanterns are best when they’re scary but not completely rotten.

Is your apple pie bursting with apples and yet somehow dry and dull? As it turns out, you can add juiciness and flavor without wasting precious time and money slicing up yet more apples.

If you're drawn to unique Halloween tableware but put off by the hefty price tags, why not create your very own bespoke set at home? HGTV Handmade has the perfect hack for eye-catching plates at a fraction of the cost of store-bought crockery. Start by sourcing a set of plates that you're happy to turn spooky. Thrift stores are the perfect spot for grabbing a bargain.

Apples are a seasonal staple once autumn comes around, but they're not exactly known for their staying power. In fact, one of the fruit's biggest downsides is how quickly they turn from rosy red to muddy brown once cut.

Everyone knows that the worst part of pumpkin carving is having to deal with the goopy, gross pumpkin guts. Thankfully, all you need is a drill and a mixing beater to clean out your pumpkin in record time.

Hot chocolate is a classic treat on cold days, but if you want to spice things up a bit, you should invest in a jar of hazelnut spread. Don't ask questions — just trust us!

For those who want to get the whole family involved — or anyone who's not confident using a knife — there's a lower-risk way to pimp your pumpkins. A safer option than handing over something sharp to your little ones is to use cookie cutters instead of knives.

After three months of shorts and tank tops, we can’t wait to snuggle in our sweaters... if only they weren’t covered with those annoying fuzzies! To make last year’s sweater look brand new, carefully drag a razor over the fabric.

Elevate your Halloween spread with just three ingredients. Be sure to add pretzel rods, cheese slices, and chives to your shopping list, and you're already halfway to winning this year's snack platter award. When it's time to hit the kitchen, cut a few lines into the cheese slices before wrapping one around each stick.

On particularly chilly days this fall, you're likely going to be looking for fun and easy activities to do indoors. Luckily, all you need is paint, paper, and a few bundles of cotton swabs to make your very own work of art!

The sights of autumn are beautiful, but the smells are out of this world! And now, there’s a way to bring the crisp, cozy scent of autumn into your own home.

We love autumn and the crisp, cool weather it brings, but the ensuing dry skin? Not so much. Thankfully, you can avoid chapped lips without stocking up on expensive lip balm. As it happens your grandma’s trick of using olive oil as moisturizer actually works!

Tailgating at a football game sounds like a great time, but it can be a logistical nightmare if you don't plan accordingly. The last thing you want to deal with during the game is a malfunctioning grill and warm beer. This may sound silly, but don't forget the essentials: bring garbage bags to stay ahead of the mess, wear comfortable shoes, and always check the weather beforehand!

When it comes to choosing the perfect specimen, there's more than just shape and size to consider. Whether you're picking a pumpkin straight from the patch or from the shelves at a grocery store, keep this easy trick in mind. The fruit may look healthy on the outside, but there's a chance it's rotten on the inside.

Potatoes are great. There's no disputing that fact. What's not so great, however, is having to wash off all that mud. Dirty fingernails, submerging your hands in cold water, never quite getting all of the grime off — it's a chore we'd happily ditch.

If designing jack-o'-lanterns feels too predictable by now, we've got just the trick (or treat) for you. Instead of wowing trick-or-treaters with a costly pumpkin display, why not hand out candy while wearing a hand-crafted mask? The first step to your mask-terpiece is choosing your base. A paper plate cut in half or a card cut to whatever shape you desire will both work just as well.

If you want to decorate your home for autumn in a rustic yet classy way, then the only plants you should be investing in are mums. These fall-time flowers are festive enough on their own, but you can take them to the next level with a seasonal planter.

Now you can use your tomato cage all year round! In the fall, simply drape the cage with autumnal foliage. You can go foraging or pick up inexpensive fake versions at craft stores or online. For extra razzle-dazzle, try adding pops of color with berries or baby pumpkins and squashes.

How about this for a creep-tastic idea? Capture some images of you and your friends’ faces on your phone. Once that’s done, print off the photos and laminate them.

Is there anything more welcoming on a crisp autumn evening than a wood-burning fire? Well, actually... yes! You can make things even more festive by adding fall-themed scents into the mix. You can accomplish this the fancy way by adding three or four drops of citrus- or apple-scented essential oil to the wood before you burn it.

To add some class to your home this fall, all you need to do is gather up some pretty leaves, wrap them in tissue paper, and keep them pressed between the pages of a heavy book for up to a week. When the time is up, the weight of the pages should have pressed your collection to perfection.

All the "shaving" in the world can't always save your favorite sweater from becoming a fuzzy, stretched-out relic. That doesn't mean it's destined for the dump, though!

It may be tempting to rake your lawn directly after a storm due to the new leaves all over the grass, but you should really wait until the sun comes out. Why, you ask?

Got a few extra toilet paper rolls lying around? Hate all the mess of a real pumpkin? For a quick and easy way to add some autumnal magic to your bathroom, borrow an unused roll and find yourself some orange fabric. Wrap the TP in your material of choice and add either real or fake leaves.

Finally — an autumnal project for grown-ups! If you prefer rustic country decor, then grab a drill, potting soil, and some flowers. It takes a steady, patient hand, but you can definitely transform that ugly tree stump in your backyard into a pretty planter.

When you buy a box-fresh pair of sneakers, what do you do with the little silica gel packet inside? We're betting that the most common answer includes a trashcan. But hold up! If you hang onto those little packets until October, they could save the day. 

A corn maze may not sound very challenging, but when you keep hitting dead ends, it can turn from a fun time to a freak-out in moments. Thankfully, the puzzle experts at Kotaku.com came up with a (nearly) foolproof solution.

If you're starting to think that your kids were a bit too good at trick-or-treating this year, then there's something cool you can do with some of their candy besides just eating it on the sly! Curb those sugar cravings in a fun, even educational way with this low-hassle science experiment.

Next time you're headed to a tailgate, don't forget to pack a cupcake pan. Hear us out on this one... When you're busy grilling, do you really want to deal with spilled drinks? Avoid unnecessary spills by using a cupcake pan to keep refreshments standing upright.

Autumn is the perfect season for hiking, but it can take its toll on your sneakers. If your kicks are looking a little muddier than you'd like, but you want to forego overloading your washer, head to your bathroom cabinet instead.

For this hack, boil up a saucepan of tonic water and add some flavored Jell-O. Mix them together, add a few drops of vodka and water, pour the concoction into shot containers, and stick them in the fridge.

If you want to get creative with your pumpkins this year, the 5-Minute Crafts PLAY YouTube channel has just the thing for you. After carving your Jack-o’-lantern, make a set of teeth from the parts you’ve discarded and stick them around the mouth using glue or toothpicks.

Looking to spook passers-by ahead of All Hallows’ Eve? Why not transform your garage into a giant monster? Granted, it's a little more effort than simply hanging a string of lights, but the kudos you'll get from the neighbors for your effort — priceless!

For those of you planning to elf-up for this year's Halloween costume, listen up. The 5-Minute DECOR YouTube channel has shared a tremendously easy trick for creating those signature elfish ears.

It wouldn’t be Halloween without pumpkins, but have you ever thought about using them for more than just decoration? If you're planning a spooky-season get-together — or just want to impress your friends, family, or pet — then why not use them as bowls instead?

When it comes to Halloween decorations, no house would be complete without a spider’s web. And now, you can put one together with a batch of black wool for next to nothing.

Struggling for costume inspiration and don't want to blend in with the five other Jokers at this year's party? We get it — it's a popular choice, but don't despair. To make sure you stand out from the rest, 5-Minute Crafts PLAY video suggests a simple yet very effective make-up trick you can achieve with glue, lipstick, and eyeliner.

Look no further for the perfect way to spruce up plain white candles for Halloween. Step one is simple — get your hands on some red candles. If you've got nubs left over from Christmas, that would be perfect. If not, grab a new one and set up for a slightly messy job.

Not all Halloween costumes have to be elaborate. Take this one for example. As per the 5-Minute DECOR YouTube account, you can craft a judge’s wig in next to no time. Lay out a thick — preferably white — ribbon and glue several white toilet paper tubes to it.

Take your Halloween meal to the next level this year without forking out on expensive treats. Just allow a little extra time and let your creative juices flow for a sure-fire talking point. Start by frying up a batch of burgers as you normally would.

If you only associate baubles with Christmas, then it's time to think again. To get started, 5-Minute Crafts PLAY noted that you should coat the inside of a plain bauble with candle smoke. If you're using plastic baubles, be careful so as not to let anything melt.

Just like baubles, wreaths also make for excellent decorations outside of the festive season. If you’re bored of the more classic look, then how about snakes instead? Fake snakes, of course! Once you've made or bought your wreath base, use as many plastic serpents as you like.

Looking to spruce up your bowls of candy? Take an unwanted white sheet from the drawer and add a ghostly face to the front of it. You could use black card and some double-sided tape or a permanent marker straight onto the material.

Calling all Maleficent fans! This trick will make dressing up as the iconic villain for Halloween a whole lot easier. First, tie two metal wires to a hairband, and thread a couple of disposable cups down to the base. Then wrap kitchen foil around both cups, shaping them into horns.

No Halloween party would be complete without snacks. But do you want your nibbles to be a cut above the rest? Grab yourself some slim carrots and a dip of your choice. The rest is almost too easy.

For those of you who are going to Halloween parties with someone dressed as a vampire, this trick is perfect. Take a red marker and draw two curved lines on the chosen part of skin.

Got any spare cheesecloth lying around? If so, you could make your own ghost decoration. Grab an empty bottle and place two wires at the top so they’re shaped like arms. Use a ping pong ball or white modeling clay shaped into a sphere for the head.

If you're fed up with pumpkin carving, how about ditching the face in favor of a drinks dispenser? That's right, it's easy as pie to re-purpose the fruit as a keg. We’re serious!

If you’re planning to dress up as an ice queen, the following hack will be right up your alley. According to 5-Minute DECOR, all you need is glitter and a glue gun. First, sprinkle the glitter out on a piece of card and smooth it out evenly.

Want to make it look like a witch has crashed outside your house? Well, you’re in luck. As YouTuber Terri Cumming outlined, it’s an easy effect to create. You just need two metal brackets and a pair of “plastic-coated” wires.

This hack will get trick-or-treaters flocking to your house in no time. All you’ve got to do is cover your front door with white streamers, leaving gaps for the handle, lock, and a space for the mummy's face.

Who says you need pumpkins to create Jack-o’-lanterns? Empty milk jugs are a surprisingly worthy alternative. Just doodle some designs on the front with a permanent black marker. Then carve an opening into the base.

If you don't want to shell out on expensive fancy dress makeup products, 5-Minute DECOR claims that face putty is actually pretty easy to create at home. All you need is a pot of school glue and some makeup powder if you want to age yourself up for Halloween. Be prepared, though, because this hack comes with some health warnings.

Decorating your house for Halloween can be a time-consuming process, so if you’re looking to speed things up, 5-Minute Crafts PLAY shared an idea. Take some orange wool and wrap it around your fingers. Then, cut the thread.

Halloween parties can be a lot of fun, but cleaning up the next day is a nightmare. It’s the only time of year when fake blood stains on the carpet are practically guaranteed!

Everyone knows that hair is key if you’re planning on dressing up as Rapunzel for Halloween. Luckily, you don’t need to spend money on an extravagant wig to look the part. Just take a pair of skin-colored tights and put them on your head.

If you can’t get hold of a pumpkin in time for Halloween, don’t despair. Instead, head down to your local DIY store. You can easily create a worthwhile substitute with a dryer vent.

Looking to draw some screams from your party guests? Well, this hack from the Allrecipes' YouTube channel is just the ticket. Using a mixture of water and melted gelatin, fill up a rubber glove.

Speaking from experience, wearing a set of vampire teeth isn’t particularly comfortable. They’re always coming loose! But this clever trick will eliminate those issues.

Why splash money on novelty Halloween pillows when you can make some yourself? It’s pretty easy, actually. You just need to sketch half of a candy corn or ghost on two folded pieces of fabric.

Sure, you can create some elaborate scares with your Halloween decorations, but a few creepy eyeballs will be just as effective. All you’ll need is a number of Styrofoam balls.

If you’ve got a blank picture frame in your house, you should give this a go. To start with, carefully remove the glass and douse it with “mirror effect spray” before putting it back.

Instead of throwing your old shoes out, why not repurpose them in an awesome way? To begin with, cut up an empty pie tray to decorate the front and back of the footwear.