When did it go so BIG with so much expectation- when let’s be honest it is no Christmas!
But with those expectations comes STUFF - so this Halloween here are some tips on managing the spooky clutter whilst still getting into the spirit (see what we did there) of the whole thing.
Costumes are so readily available now you can pick them up when you are grabbing a pint of milk from the supermarket, but you could have a think about how you can use something that you already have- a bit of face paint and a witches hat with an existing fairy outfit makes for a spooky fairy witch. Or rather than jumping to buying a costume, how about pjs- ok hear us out with this one- last year Ellie didn’t have anything for Charlie last year and as usual the mum guilt kicked in that despite the fact that he wasn’t that bothered he should be able join in with his sister and friends, So, she bought him skeleton pjs- which he went out trick or treating in and then has continued to wear all year. Ellie definitely got more value from them than a costume and he was probably the comfiest kid at the Halloween party.
You can also think about what you can share/exchange with friends – or pick up second hand (and cheaper) on selling sites like Vinted or Facebook Marketplace.
Next up decorations…when we see some houses, sometimes our first thought is, where do you store all these things the other 364 days a year?! But in all seriousness, this is an important question to ask yourself before you commit to the purchase. If you have ample space to store seasonal décor, perhaps with Christmas bits and pieces then knock yourself out we say. But if you are struggling for space then maybe think about if you really need so much to achieve the same effect.
A great clutter free approach to decorations is some craft projects with the kids. With half term being in the lead up to Halloween how about making tombstones out of cardboard packaging, or bats out of toilet rolls. I think that we will be making spiders with existing craft supplies, which the kids will love showing off to their friends. All of which can be recycled afterwards rather than stored.
Ok, now let’s talk trick or treating - the kids coming to your door to get sweets and chocolates literally give zero s**ts whether it is from a cauldron, or a themed bowl- in fact I bet they wouldn’t notice if you gave it to them out of the dog bowl (not advised…), so don’t lured into buying and storing those Halloween specific things.
Similarly with collecting sweets and treats on Halloween night – in instead of purchasing a plastic bucket, how about an old pillowcase or something similar the kids can decorate themselves. This will guarantee no one else will mix up their sweets with yours too, bonus!
And Pumpkins- We love a bit of pumpkin picking with the kids (don’t forget to book
your slots!) and then carving. But last year we made the mistake of not planning what we would make with the leftover pumpkin flesh when we did the carving- which led to panic searching for recipes and dashing out to the shops for last min bits, so it didn’t go to waste. So this year, we hope that you will join us in planning some recipes and being prepared by having the bits in your food shop - we are thinking pumpkin curry!
We don’t want to sound like the Halloween equivalent of a scrooge- we will be fully embracing the Halloween spirit with the kids. We just don’t really remember as a child all the houses being so elaborately and competitively decorated, and we are pretty sure we just used to put on a crumpled witches hat with a dark coat as a cape and a bit of face paint- but we all had just as much fun. So, we think that is what we will be keeping hold of this year- we can’t wait to get involved and make sure the kids have a good time, we just don’t want an excessive amount of Halloween stuff taking up space in our houses all year round.
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Whatever you decluttering and organising challenge, just remember, we get it and we’ve got your back
Have a spooktastic time!
Ellie & Lucy x x