Halloween is starting to rival Christmas, at least when it comes to decorating your home for the arrival of the little ghouls and boys. From pumpkins to costumes to candy, there’s a lot of preparation that goes into this spooky night of mischief.
That means you must carve out more of your space for storing Halloween paraphernalia, and take more time to prepare. Organize Anything has looked into their crystal ball and come up with some great tips to help you prepare for All Hallows Eve.
1. Stow it to find it: Storage bins in the colours of the season — orange and black — are a great way to keep your Halloween decorations together. You know at a glance that the orange and black bins are filled with creepy spiders, gruesome ghosts and strings of orange mini-lights. If you don’t use colour coded bins don’t forget that labeling is always a best bet.
2. Dress up: If you have young, growing children, invest in some costume pieces that can be reused in new ways every year. A reversible cape that’s black on one side and red on the other can be used for a vampire, witch or devil’s costume. If you have the time or the resources, put together costumes with materials you already have instead of splurging on this year’s fad costume. Make building costumes into a game, by encouraging your children to be as creative as possible with their ideas.
3. Don’t treat yourself: It’s a good idea to spread out treat-buying over a few weeks, but not if you’ll be tempted to eat all the goodies before the big night. That’s hard on the pocketbook and your waistline. Store the treats in an out-of-the-way cupboard so you, or hungry family members, don’t happen upon them while searching for a snack.
4. Don’t run out: If you’re new to an area, ask neighbours how many trick-or-treaters you can expect at your door. If you have teenagers who are too old to trick-or-treat, enlist them to hand out candy and keep track of how many visitors come to your door, so that you’ll be prepared for next season. Reward them with any leftover candy.
5. Safety first: Make sure your child’s costume is not flammable and does not obstruct his or her vision. Find creative ways to incorporate reflective tape into the costume so that driver’s can see them. Arrange a trick-or-treat group with your child’s classmates with a designated route. Recruit a few parent volunteers to take the children around the neighbourhood, so that someone can stay at home and hand out candy.
6. Consider alternatives: If trick-or-treating is not popular in your neighbourhood, why not host a Halloween party or an afternoon costume parade for the children. Encourage parents to get involved and dress up as well – Halloween doesn’t have to be a “kids only” celebration!
From pumpkins to goblins, don’t let Halloween scare you. With some simple planning, this spooky day can be a stress-free adventure for the whole family.
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