How to have a Green and Organized Halloween.
Did you know that there are homes out there with entire rooms dedicated to holiday decorations storage? Some are outfitted with uniform rows of shelving units stacked with color-coded bins for Easter, Halloween, St. Patrick's Day, and countless Christmas bins. Others have basements, garages, and attics full of these same bins. If you are one of these holiday decoration hoarders and you are feeling like it's all too much, here are some thoughts for whittling down the decorations without giving up the same festive look:
Before you purchase the next adorable decoration that gives you pause, ask yourself these questions first:
- Do I have a place to store this after the holiday is over?
- Will this item survive for a few years in storage?
- Will this item be high maintenance, requiring electricity, inflation, a noisy air compressor, or light bulb(s) that might be hard to replace? Will it require daily attention?
- Is this decoration trendy and likely to be out of style next year?
- Can this decoration stay out for the entire autumn season and not just Halloween, giving me longer enjoyment?
- Is this item safe for everyone? (Fire, Choking, or Poison hazards)
Consider as many consumable decorations as possible, like pumpkins, straw and leaves as a greener option…
These can form the base of your décor and they can possibly even be eaten or composted at the end of the season.
Consider the durability of your decorations for another season…
Were they worth all of the work involved? Could you have decorated less and still felt the same same sense of fun?
Consider donating your unwanted decorations to Goodwill, a greener option that diverts items from landfills and also creates jobs in your community. (And don't forget to find costumes at Goodwill and donate them when you're finished!)
For greener decorating, try:
- Buying LED lights to save energy.
- Making your own decorations as a creative project, and recycling what you can.
- Choosing beeswax candles over paraffin, which is petroleum-based.\
