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How to Make a Haunted House

Every Halloween, it's the same old story. You buy candy in bulk, put a little screaming skeleton on your front door, and hand out candy to trickdoll'>dummies, you want an experience that's going to get people talking until next year. 

Type of Haunted House

The first thing you need to suss out is whether your haunted house is going to be geared more for adults or going to be tamer to include children.  It is also possibly to have both; you can always take out the scariest props and moments for a certain day or a certain time of the evening so that children are welcome. Following that, you could have institute a minimum age and then make your haunted house as scary as possible. Decide who your audience is before you start any work; the last thing you want is to traumatize poor little Susie for the rest of her life.

Choosing a Location

Haunted houses can be set up in a variety of places and each spot is going to give you a different atmosphere.

Outside Decorations

You want to make sure the area outside of the haunted house has eye-catching decorations so people will notice it and be intrigued enough to come in. !

Room Themes

So you've got the outside of the house decorated, but now you need to figure out what you are going to do for the inside. Having themes for each roomwill establish some diversity, but if you'd rather keep everything as one theme, these ideas will get you brainstorming. * '''Vampires''': Vampires are a tried and true theme and with their recent rise in popularity, visitors will love the idea of being thrown in the midst of them. Just make sure they come off less 30 Days of Night. You want your guests to walk out scared, not emo. * '''Zombie Apocalypse''': Zombies constitute another trend thatstill has some life in it. The nice thing about them is they can appear almost anywhere, so it doesn't matter how you're rooms are set up, they will always work. * '''Witches' Coven''': Witches will never go out of style. Add voodoo elements and a fake sacrifice tablet to make sure they're frightening, not cheesy. * '''Insane Asylum''': Creepy enough in real life, insane asylums or hospitals are a tested and true way of getting screams out of your guests. No one wants to be chased by an undead nurse with a syringe. * '''Mad Scientist Lab''': When it comes to a mad scientist, don't just think about Dr. Frankenstein. You could set up test tubes with weird and gross subjects inside that look like they are just waiting to burst out. * '''Maze''': Building a maze is a superb way to build the paranoia. Guests will be nervous about trying to find their way out; by including a few people in the maze to scare them or make them feel like they are being followed, you'll truly create a terrifying effect. * '''Serial Killers''': Including the likes of Freddy, Jason, and Michael Myers works well (as long as the costuming is convincing). The last thing you want is a guy in a hockey mask standing in between you and your way out.

 Indoor Decorations

So you've got your theme all picked out, but you need some basics for walls, floors, and general decor and props.

Costuming

If you are going to have live actors (whether they're hired or just your best friends) in your haunted house, they are going to need fantastic costumes. Theme choice is going to be important here, but here are some classic ideas as well as extra props and accessories.

Snacks and Beverages

You may want to offer your guests food and beverages before or after the haunted house. Here are some tasty ideas for a spirited feast. * '''Candy, of course'''! This is so simple to find, and getting variety bags is an easy way to appease everyone. * '''Non-Alcoholic beverages''': Try fruit punch and tell everyone to have a refreshing cup of O positive. Spiced cider is another delicious fall libation. * '''Candy apples''': A Halloween staple, candy apples are perfect for a sweet tooth. * '''Cupcakes''': Cupcakes with black and orange frosting and with spider or bat designs are festive ''and'' delicious.

Advertising Your Haunted House

Now that everything is planned out and ready, you are going to need to advertise. To really double or triple your visitors, there are several ways to do this. * '''Flyers''': This is a fantastic idea, especially if you're looking to get your neighbors to come visit. You can design and print them out at home and post them along main streets near you. Make sure to include dates, times, and your address! * '''Newspaper''': Put an ad in your local newspaper. This will cost money, but if you are looking to attract a good deal of visitors you'll want to get the word out. * '''Online''': Post about your haunted house everywhere: forums, Craigslist, Facebook, etc. You could even start a Twitter page to build suspense and keep people updated on how everything is going. * '''Giveaways''': Another way to attract people is to offer a giveaway. Whether it's as small as a goodie bag or as big as a raffle prize, people always love free stuff!

Related Guides

* Halloween Candy * Halloween Makeup * Halloween Party Necessities * Haunted House Decorations * How to Make Your Own Halloween Costume