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12 Spooktacular Tips for

a Fun, Safe Halloween

by Maria Gracia Join our newsletter to be notified when the newest Organizing Article is available. Ghosts, witches, goblins and black cats . . . yes, it's Halloween once again. Here are 12 tips to ensure this holiday is a fun, safe one for you and your family. 1. Make a list. Make a checklist of everything you'd like to do for Halloween…making/buying costumes, attending an outdoor festival, carving a pumpkin, picking up some scary (or not-so-scary) books or DVDs at the library, taking the kids trick-or-treating, following safety precautions, and baking pumpkin pies. 2. Be safe with costumes. Be sure costumes are the right size. This will help to prevent trips and falls. Decorate costumes or treat bags with reflective tape, for visibility, if trick-or- treating at night. If your kids are carrying around glow sticks or flashlights…even better! They will help your kids see better in the dark, and drivers will be more likely to see them a well. Non-toxic face paint is better than masks; sometimes masks block vision making it potentially unsafe to cross the street. 3. Don’t assume that your kid(s) will cross the street safely. Yes, you’ve been teaching your kids and grandkids safe-street-crossing for years. But trust me, when there is a special event going on, like trick-or- treating, many kids forget how important it is to look both ways. And that goes for adults too, especially with so many people walking with and talking on their cell phones! 4. Decorate for the season. It's time to pull out your Halloween decorations from year's past. If they're not in one organized place this year, be sure you put them all in one organized place for next year when you're done with them. Label the box “Halloween Decor” or “Fall Decor”…whichever is most appropriate. 5. Make your jack-o-lantern creation a good experience. Carve it safely, with the proper tools. In my opinion, kids should not be carving their own pumpkins until they are 10 or 12 years old, depending on their strength and skill level. Even at that age, an adult should always be supervising and helping. If you use a candle in it, use a tea-light that is encased in a metal holder…or opt for a battery- operated one or glow sticks. 6. Find the festivities. Local newspapers and Facebook (click on “events”) are great resources to find out what Halloween festivities are happening in your area. Schedule some outings for your family, like apple picking, pumpkin picking, corn mazes, and hay rides. 7. Get your Halloween viewing organized. Look up Halloween flicks you plan to stream and get them into your “watch list.” Otherwise, search through TV listings and make a schedule of Halloween specials/movies that will be airing. If the family can't be together when a particular program runs, set your DVR to record it and watch it together later on. If you own Halloween DVDs, pull them out and place them in a basket near the TV. 8. Buy treats ahead of time. If you’re planning to hand out treats to the kids trick-or-treating in your area, on your next grocery run begin buying Halloween treats. By the time trick-or- treat is here, you'll be ready. If you buy candy/chocolate, buy the kind that your family likes to eat. If you have leftovers, you can freeze and enjoy them throughout the year. 9. Consider an allergy-free trick-or- treat stop at your home. If you’re giving out non-food treats, be sure to have a teal-colored painted pumpkin on your porch so kids with allergies know your home is an allergy-free, trick-or-treat zone. 10. Turn your porch light on during your local trick-or-treat hours. Many neighborhoods ask residents to turn on their porch lights if they have treats for the kids. This way, if you’re giving out treats this year, the kids will know to ring your doorbell. And if you’re not giving out treats, the kids will know to skip your home. 11. Organize treats into treat bags or 3-ounce cups. Spend time before Halloween, placing a few treats into each treat bag or 3-ounce paper cup. Every trick-or-treater will then get an equal amount of treats. Plus, you’ll be able to separate each bag or cup on a tray for no-touch, safer distribution. 12. Enjoy the season. Be sure to get yourself outside to enjoy the crisp, fresh air and the fall foliage. Take a walk at least a few times a week this month. Enjoy your neighbors' Halloween decorations. Walk through a corn maze. Take some photos for your memory book and your social media page. Back to Organizing Articles Index