Halloween Party Hacks When You Live in a Studio Apartment

Halloween is almost here, and that means lots of spook-tacular celebrations are too! Do you live in a studio apartment? No worries! You don’t have to rent Frankenstein’s castle to throw a truly ghoulish gathering. Use these fun ideas for decorations, food, and games that are totally doable…or, shall we say, BOO-able—even if you’ve got a small space to work with. Now let’s get down to some scary business!

1. Play glow-in-the-dark Jenga instead of darts or ping-pong.

Who has space for a ping-pong table in a studio apartment? With the average studio coming in at 300 square feet, the answer is no one. You want your party to be spooky, but accidentally sending a dart through someone’s head isn’t really what you’re going for, either. Dip Jenga blocks in glow-in-the-dark paint and keep your apartment’s floor space open for guests to mingle.

2. Serve shots in syringes.

If you love whipping up a good Halloween “potion” (ahem, or, cocktails), pour your creations into plastic syringes instead of shot glasses and display them in a small vase or container. They’ll take up much less space than shot glasses laid out on a serving tray AND you’ll feel like a mad scientist when you serve them to guests. Mwahahaha!

3. Dress up your fridge as a ghost.

Limited on counter space for extra décor? Skip the trinket-y decorations that clutter up your space and make your refrigerator into a ghost. Grab some black paper, cut out the shapes of eyes and a mouth, and stick them on with tape. So easy, it’s scary!

4. Make glow stick jar lanterns.

A little creepy mood lighting will go a long way in turning your studio apartment into a vampire’s lair, but candles can easily be knocked over when your apartment gets crowded. Forget the flames and make glow stick lanterns with jars instead. Cut open a glow stick, and dump the contents into a glass jar. Add a little water (to make the glow last longer), put the lid on, and shake it up. Then let the frightening festivities begin!

5. Add some bewitching details.

Greet your ghoulish guests with fake witch legs under your welcome mat. Just stuff some socks with cotton balls or other fluffy material, add pointy shoes, and hide the top of the socks under your mat to make it look like you’ve flattened an evil witch. Inside, use fishing line to hang witches’ hats from your ceiling or overhead light fixtures. You’re in for a cackling good time!

6. Use a pumpkin as a cooler.

Yes, pumpkins are a major symbol of Halloween. But in real life? They take up too much space in your studio apartment! Make a pumpkin serve double duty! Carve it out and place a bowl of ice inside, then use it to keep your drinks cold. Forget about jack-o-lanterns—you’ve got a drink-o-lantern!

A few clever Halloween hacks can make your small studio apartment into a haunted Halloween home for the night— just add creativity! Does a small space have you spooked? Turn to ApartmentSearch to find more studio apartments for rent near you!