"Vertical garlands work well on almost any style of door," said Elizabeth Souders, door marketing manager at JELD-WEN. "The garland draws the eye up and makes a simple paneled door look taller."

The cost of this quick-and-easy Halloween craft is about $45. The best place to start is your favorite craft store.

1. Gather these materials, commonly found at craft stores:

-Raffia rope, taken apart and loosely braided
-Small and large scarecrows on sticks
-Festive fall wired ribbon
-Artificial fall leaves
-Artificial or dried orange Japanese lanterns
-Hot glue gun and glue sticks

2. Take the raffia cluster and bind off the top, if needed, with extra raffia pieces. Braid the raffia loosely and tie off bottom about six inches from the tail of garland with a single piece of raffia.

3. Glue small scarecrow into the raffia braid up near the top. Make a double-looped ribbon, leaving long tails, and tie around braid under small scarecrow. Tuck and glue tails down into the edges of braid.

4. Glue in larger scarecrow below the ribbon, angled to the side. Use the braid like a pincushion to anchor the scarecrow's stick.

5. Add the individual fall leaves and Japanese lantern clusters. Start at the top and work your way down, gluing and inserting the items into the raffia braid.

6. Glue in moss or lichens to give a more authentic, fall look.

"Halloween and the beginning of the cool weather is the perfect time to inspect your doors to make sure they're in good working order before the chilly winter months," Souders said. "Just a few quick touch-ups can add years of life to your door."

The experts at JELD-WEN offer these simple steps to help front doors look their best for Halloween trick-or-treaters.

• Gentle cleaning: Just like windows, doors can often use a good wash. JELD-WEN recommends using gentle materials such as a mixture of one teaspoon of baby shampoo to one gallon of water. Dry thoroughly with a clean, soft cloth. Do not use abrasive tools, harsh liquids, power washers or hoses that can damage doors and windows.
• Inspect weatherproofing measures: Carefully look at the frame, seals and weather strip to make sure the door won't allow cold air into the home during the winter months.
• Inspect door surfaces: For painted or stained doors, inspect the finish on all six sides for any signs that restoration is needed, such as cracks, dulling or a whitish cast on the door's surface. Be sure to follow the manufacturer's recommended finish when retouching.

Courtesy of ARA Content