Storing Your Scary: Ideas for Halloween Storage
In the 21st century, Halloween continues to be one of the fastest growing consumer holidays every year for people of all ages. Contrary to popular opinion, Halloween is not merely a holiday for young children where they go door-to-door to collect candy on their trick-or-treat mission and show off their costumes that they have been working all month to perfect.
Instead, Halloween is a time for parents to dress up with their kids, college students to let loose for a night during their fall term, and grandparents to pour candy into the bags of youngsters ringing their door bell. It is also a holiday that many people across the globe celebrate – and they do so in incredibly diverse ways – whether it be in terms of how and what kind of candy they hand out, how they decorate their homes, neighbourhoods and front yards, whether they wear a costume, and if they decide to celebrate by hosting or attending a Halloween party.
As a result, Halloween is not only a popular holiday across age groups, but it is also a hugely profitable holiday. That is, more money is spent on costumes, decorations and candy for Halloween celebrations than most holidays combined, save Christmas. According to Forbes, on average, consumers will have spent nearly $7 billion on Halloween in any given year. Moreover, the average consumer will have spent approximately $74 on costumes, candy or decorations in order to Halloween proof their homes, apartment buildings and condominiums. The bottom line is: consumers spend a lot of money on the many elements of Halloween whether it is purchasing candy, designing their front yard, or making, renting or buying costumes for the Halloween season. This means that like other popular and profitable holidays, Halloween can be very expensive and trying on your bank account.
One of the ways to address this challenge is to consider the possibilities that storage and storing Halloween costumes and decorations creates for those who love the holiday but not necessarily the endless receipts associated with purchasing all your Halloween needs. So how can you get maximum usage out of your old superhero and princess costumes and all the decorations you have accumulated across the years?
Most people think that storage as an option is only for household items that you do not have enough space to showcase, do not regularly use, or seasonally use. Very few people consider Halloween costumes and decorations among those items. In part because many people dispose of their decorations or pass along their costumes because they do not have the intention of recycling them or reusing them in the year that follows. However, storage as a Halloween option can help consumers save a lot of money, particularly if you are interested in saving money, storing the items for future use, or keeping them in the best condition to pass down to future family members or friends.
So, what steps should you take to store your Halloween items?
First, storage experts suggest properly cleaning your Halloween items before placing them in your storage unit. Halloween costumes can get dirty while trick-or-treating as children step in muddy grass or gravely drive-ways. Kids also love to play dress-up and eat sticky candy while still adorned in their costume. For this reason, be sure to properly wash and package your Halloween costumes before carefully storing these items in a plastic storage bin in your child’s room, playroom or storage bin. If you intend to store your items at home, consider placing them in in a closet, basement, attic where they will be out of your way and you do not have to worry that your children will get their hands on them. Alternatively, you can also opt to store your Halloween items in a storage unit which will help you maximize the space you do have at home.
In order to properly prepare and store your items for future use, be sure to properly launder your items – and this will likely require that your item is either dry cleaned or hand washed based on the manufacturer’s instructions. An important fact to remember is that given the amount of time your item will be stored, you should ensure that all stains are removed from the costume prior to packaging it and storing it away. The reason for this is because items can be permanently stained, ruined and damaged if the stains are not immediately tended to. It is also a good idea to try to package and store costume items in such a way that retains their original shape. For example, stuff helmets with bubble wrap in order to keep their shape and then store upright. Or, use acid free tissue paper in between the folds of a costume and keep them in a folding bin to ensure that the costume keeps its shape. Finally, to avoid any damage that can come from moisture accumulation, consider packaging your costume items in an acid free plastic container (orange to signify Halloween) or garment bag, and then hanging them up (to maintain their shape and limit the amount of space you are using up to store your item). The reason for this is because plastic bags can trap moisture – this moisture can create unwanted outcomes such as irreparable harm and damage to your item if left in a long-term storage scenario.
Storage experts argue that with the proper storage strategies and spaces, storage practices can save you a lot of money, help you salvage items that hold sentimental value, and find space to keep items that may otherwise not have a home. In the case of the Halloween, this might include your favourite childhood costumes, items that you spent time and energy making from scratch, or items that you intend to pass along to valued members of your family and extended social circles. While Halloween is a holiday that does not seemingly have expensive items, purchasing costumes and decorations can become rather costly, and storage options offer consumers a way to save dollars while also saving memories.