As the leaves turn crisp and the nights turn colder, there’s no doubt that goblins and ghouls are almost ready to come out to play. Before they knock on your front door seeking treats, be sure to get your home ready for Halloween fun while staying safe and keeping your setup easy.
Keep Safety in Mind
Halloween should be spooky, but your attention to safety shouldn’t be scary. When evaluating all of your Halloween plans, be sure that safety is at the forefront of your mind.
- Fire Safety: Faux cobwebs, cumbersome Halloween costumes, and open flame can be a bad mix. Stick with battery-operated candles for fun without the flames.
- Clear Pathways: Garden hoses, protruding bushes, and debris can all become tripping hazards. Remove anything you can to clear a space for excited children who may not be as cautious as you’d prefer.
- Keep it Well-Lit: A dimly lit area may be spooky, but it can also make it difficult for guests and trick-or-treaters to navigate. Keep paths clearly lit.
Try a Theme
A theme can make decorating a breeze. Consider harboring a crew of motley skeleton pirates or creating a graveyard in your front lawn. While Halloween doesn’t require a cohesive theme to be fun, a creative theme can achieve a wow factor.
Make Setup Simple
Opt for a few key items to simplify setup while having a big impact. When paired with a few finishing touches, these decor options can ensure you can have a great display without spending a ton of time.
- Fog machine: Eerie fog can have a big impact with little setup and relatively little cost
- Projector lights: Haunt your house with floating ghosts through projector lights
- Inflatable decor: Find your family’s favorite character and put up an inflatable Halloween option for kid-friendly fun.
Get the Neighborhood Involved
A decorated house is fun, but a well-decorated neighborhood is far more exciting to trick-or-treaters. This year, get your whole neighborhood involved by hosting a decorating contest. You can even have a spot to collect votes from anyone who visits the homes.
Empty Trash
Empty your trash before you leave to ensure no unpleasant odors accumulate while you are away. In the weeks leading up to your vacation, be careful about what you throw away (and how). Putting a large empty TV box on the curb for the recycling center can alert criminals to valuable new items.
