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My Altars are always a huge conversation piece whenever someone comes to visit. People always ask me what are the essentials for building an altar. My opinion is, an altar can include whatever you want. You can totally personalize your altar to your liking and there is no right or wrong! I, however, have decided to comply with a list of items from my altar that I think is important and places to buy said product or similar.
I want to note that many items on my altars are items I have made. Witchery can be very cost-effective and I will cover that below as well.
1-Altar Surface:
The surface’s that my altars are on have evolved over the years. I started using a small side table I bought at a yard sale for 10cents. Then I switched to a 3 drawer dresser which was one of my favorites because I could use the drawers to store supplies. Right now I am using a small table as well as a three-tier shelf similar to this one.
2-Altar Cloth:
You can purchase altar cloths from an array of retailers, one of my favorite places to visit is Etsy. There are tons of beautiful fabric altar clothes or you can even make a family tree altar cloth. I currently use extra fabric pieces from when I made quilts as well as this beautiful tapestry I found for free at the recycle center. I know several people who have taken white sheets and hand-dyed them or painted them. I personally use a fabric that I can wash often because my altar gets a little messy.
3-Cauldron
I have two cauldrons, one I purchased at a pagan shop(similar to this one), and my larger one I actually bought for $1 at a yard sale! You would be shocked at the amount of cast iron cookware you can save at yardsales that double as a Cauldron.
5-Crystals
My friend Sadie owns and offers a beautiful Mystery Crystal Box for just $18. You can choose between tumbled crystals, raw, or a mix. I actually purchased one of her Mystery Witchy Boxes which sells for $19.00 and I received a mixture of crystals and witchy supplies(my order included orange tea(love spell), rose petals, gold(manifest money), palo santo, selenite(protection), magnesite, bay leaves, charms, spider man jasper, and mini spell jars).
I also have a slight obsession with rocks and often collect them on my walks. My fiance even brought me some back from his trip to Mexico.
6-Tools of Divination
I use an array of divination tools but my main focus is tarot and oracle cards. Most of them I have received as gifts but a few I have purchased at local book stores. I also use a Scrying mirror which is very easy to make. All you need is a picture frame with glass and spray paint. Remove the glass, add two coats of spray paint(I decided to go with silver but it’s suggested to use black), and replace the glass. I also use runes which were a gift but there are tons of places to purchase Runes. One of my favorites is these gorgeous acron sets from Beast Curiosities. You can also easily make your own runes with 24 pieces of wood.
7-Spell Supplies
I obtain most of my spell supplies either at a few different places. My first go-to is the local co-op which carries almost every spice needed for spell work. You can surprisingly find many supplies right in your local grocery store. My next stop is Etsy which has almost everything you need when it comes to supplies. One unique item I do have is shredded currency which came directly from the U.S. Department of the Treasury. Pictured above is my DIY protection salt which is super easy to make.
8- Essential Oils
I go through A LOT of essential oils because I make a lot of homemade bath bombs, sprays and etc. I also use them in spellwork(Rose Essential Oil is perfect for love spells!). I try to always have a decent supply of them on hand.
9-Deity Statues
Both my deity statutes came from Odin’s Beard Woodworking. The one pictured above is a Goddess statue and even though its no longer offered through Odin’s Beard Woodworking sold for $50. I also have a mini Thor which came in the Pocket Altar. 
The Pocket Altars come in your choice of different gods and goddesses and sell for $25. You can see his full price list below.
10-Candles
I am one of those witches who can NEVER have enough candles! A friend of mine recently turned me onto Witch City Wicks which is based out of Salem, MA. I love making candles but I also love hitting up stores around fall and stocking up for the year. You can also find an array of protection candles and such on Etsy. If you are on a budget, dollar stores are actually great places to stock up on small tea candles and etc.
*The candles pictured below I was sent in return for inclusion on my site*
Safa Candles was kind enough to send me two of their candles a few months ago. Smoke AppleWood and Bubble Gum are both super fun scents and fit well in with my aesthetic. They also offer a few other witchy scents such as Rose, Lavender, Dragon’s Blood, and Cedarwood.
There are tons of witchy items that you can easily make at home.
Below are some examples of things I have made for my altar.
The tambourine I bought at a Yard sale for $1, repainted the surface and used a paint marker to draw on the runes and Vegvisir. I added some feathers which I purchased online and at craft stores with some yarn and boom.
I dry a lot of herbs and wildflowers I have so I created this one of yarn. I am almost always bringing home something and my only suggestion is to make sure you are not picking anything that is poisonous, protected, or on someone else’s property. I love foraging in the woods and on my friend’s properties.
What about my skulls?
This is a question I receive A LOT! Vermont has really relaxed roadkill laws and I often work closely with Fish and Wildlife to preserve skulls as well as pelts. However, possessing roadkill is illegal in some areas so be sure to check your state laws. One of my favorite places to purchase skulls is Skulls Unlimited. They even offer a monthly subscription box which I have previously reviewed. I am also a member of Skulls Collecting which is a group ran by BoneLust who runs a highly credited Etsy shop. BoneLust also runs a blog where she talks in detail about how to process skulls and my goto for any questions I have about skulls and skull processing.
When it comes to your altar, remember that it is YOUR altar. Make it your very own, don’t be afraid to DIY and remember that there is no right or wrong!