Try DIYing these easy, cheap, and classic gender-neutral Halloween costumes when you find yourself in a pinch

• Halloween is almost here, and it seems to come faster every year.
• If finding a costume has slipped further down your to-do list, here are a few ideas.

It's hard to believe that Halloween is just around the corner. This fun and festive holiday is beloved by families worldwide, including mine. But it brings up the annual dilemma of helping your child choose the perfect costume — princesses, dragons, superheroes, the choices seem endless.

Many parents enjoy coordinating elaborate costumes months in advance or purchasing prefabricated costumes from a store or online. But for parents who leave costume decisions to the last minute, here are seven easy, cheap, and gender-neutral Halloween costumes that are guaranteed to save the day.

Create a classic ghost costume from materials you already have

Ghosts are a classic choice for spooky season. The best part about this costume is that it's easy to assemble and likely won't require any shopping at all.

Start with an old white bedsheet and cut a hole in the center for your child's head. If that's all you can manage, feel free to stop there — instant ghost! For an added spook factor, dust your child's hair with flour or baby powder, apply white face paint with gray-rimmed eyes and maroon lipstick, and tie back any loose hair or ponytails with an old-timey ribbon or strip of rag. Your child might even frighten themself!

Nothing says Halloween like a black cat

For this costume, wear black pants and an all-black T-shirt without any logos. You can also turn printed shirts inside out to avoid buying something new. Next, find a large all-black dress sock and stuff it with paper towels. Pinned to the back of your child's pants, this will serve as the cat's tail.

Many children already own a headband decorated with cat ears. If not, a few triangular pieces of cardboard colored black and glued to a plain headband will do the trick. A nose and whiskers drawn in eyeliner or face paint finishes this feline look.

With a few stripes and a little makeup, your kid can be a mime

This one might be even more fun for your kid to act out than it will be to create. With some black pants, a striped shirt, and a red bandana — all of which you likely already have, and if not, can be purchased relatively inexpensively — your child can transform into a mime. You can also add some face paint and beret for the final touches.

A zombie look is easy to create and on trend

Zombies are having a moment in pop culture. To turn your child into a zombie, you'll only need a few simple items. Start with a plain white T-shirt and add a few well-placed holes and tears.

Next, find some red food coloring or paint (you can even use ketchup in a pinch!) and create some "bloodlike" stains anywhere you like. Some gray eye shadow underneath your child's eyes adds that perfect "undead" touch.

A pumpkin is the perfect seasonal costume

A classic Halloween costume, a pumpkin is sure to be a crowd-pleaser!

Start with a solid orange T-shirt (again, turning clothing inside out for an all-orange look is a great hack!) and black pants or jeans. Using a piece of cardboard, trace triangles for eyes and a gap-toothed "jack-o-lantern" mouth. Color these in all-black, cut them out, and use duct tape to fasten them to the front of the shirt. For your pumpkin's "stem," find a green hair bow or baseball cap, or create a green stem shape with cardboard or construction paper and affix it to a headband. Voilá — an adorable pumpkin!

Use your recycling to create a robot

Create a robot out of your recycling by taking a large box and cutting holes big enough for a head and two arms in the appropriate places. Then it's time to decorate — use tinfoil and colorful construction paper to make button- and knob-like shapes and glue them all over your robot. You can also use paper towel rolls to create the illusion of tubes coming out of the side of the box or to create a short cylindrical shape coming out of the neck.

Mummy costumes have withstood the test of time

This is perhaps the easiest and most fun costume on the list, and dressing as a mummy takes no time at all. Outfit your child in light-colored layers (whites and grays), and wrap them in toilet paper from head to toe, leaving peepholes for their eyes. If you really want to up the wow factor, try cutting strips from old rags and using these as "bandages," instead. Spooky and simple!

Even the most efficient planners occasionally need Halloween costumes in a pinch. A seam rips, a last-minute party invite arrives, or — gasp — a child's best friend steals their costume idea! Whatever your reason, consider adding one of these easy, cheap, gender-neutral costumes to your holiday routine this year. Happy Halloween!