Image via DollarStoreCrafts.com

2. Ghosts in the yard.

If you have handy lights lining a path or driveway at your house, this idea will take no time at all. You just need to collect a bunch of old plastic milk jugs with the tops cut off or white paper bags (I suggest making the decision after you get the weather report for All Hallows’ Eve). Simply draw eyes on the jugs/bags with a black marker, and slip them one by one over each Image via MarthaStewart.com

Here’s an ultra affordable Halloween lighting project, if your preferred poison is the frightening beyond of unexplained extraterrestrial phenomena. Just fill your house (or yard) full of anchored helium balloons containing green glow sticks. Add faces with traditional alien eyes or something even more creative! If you really want to play it up, you and your family could dress up like extraterrestrials and pretend the real you has been abducted.

4. Mini mummies.

If you prefer cute décor over the more macabre, a quick project to make mini mummy candles holders only requires a jar or glass cup, some white gauze, and some googly eyes. Simply scrunch up the gauze around the jar to look like the mummy’s linen wrappings. Add the eyes, and ta-da, you’ve got a precious little mummy come back to life with candlelight. They’re a crowd pleaser, trust me.

Wall outlets are the primary point of interaction most homeowners have with their electrical systems. Those of us who aren't electricians or contractors may never open our circuit boxes or run a wire through the wall, but we plug and unplug things from our outlets every day. Those outlets don't last forever, however, and they need to be upgraded and replaced at some point to help protect the safety and security of your home and family. Read on to learn when it's time to make the switch.

Don't Take Your Outlets for Granted

Given their steady, reliable performance delivering electricity to our appliances and devices, it's tempting to take our outlets for granted, but they do actually have a lifespan and can become obsolete over time. Especially if you live in an older house, your outlets, and the wires they are attached to, may be deteriorating. What's more, older electrical outlets might not be up to the current standards of your local building code.

So why should you care? Because old outlets can turn into a major safety hazard, most notably as the source of a house fire. Sometimes, the wires connected to the outlets become loose or frayed, creating an immediate fire danger – but this can be prevented by installing new, modern models. When you upgrade to the latest, up-to-code outlets, you can also add safety features like a ground fault circuit interrupter, which decreases the possibility of electrocution. You can also have an electrician install convenient features like combo outlets that charge your USB devices, or kid-safe outlets in areas accessible to young children.

When to Bring in an Electrician

The easiest way to know when you need to update your outlets is to have an electrician inspect your home. There are also other warning signs that can clue you in when it's time to make a change:

Obviously, if you detect smoke or a burning odor coming from your outlet, you should call an electrician immediately – or better yet, the fire department. Fires can spread quickly within your walls before you even realize you have a problem.

If you need a hand upgrading your outlets or other parts of your electrical system, get in touch with an expert electrician today.