Seasonal Cleaning

Top 6 To-Dos to Get Ready for Halloween

Halloween is one of our favorite holidays, right up there with Christmas, New Year, and the 4th of July. About 76% of American adults do something for Halloween. A fun fright night is exactly what you need to release your inner child (or at least let loose for a night before it’s business as usual). We concur! But are you prepared?

Even though Halloween is still a month or so away, it’s never too early to check off all your important to-dos. Yes, cleaning and organizing before the day is vital, but we’re talking about the practical and spooky Halloween tasks you sometimes put off until the last minute.

1. Choose a Costume

What would a festive Halloween night be without a costume? Even if you’re planning to stay in for the night, dressing up can get you in the holiday spirit (Hey, maybe that’s what your costume could be). You might consider an entire family costume where you all dress up as Scooby-Doo and the gang or the Minions from Despicable Me. For an individual costume, look at what you’ve got around the house and save money and time sifting through stores for the same old, unoriginal stuff.

If you’ve already done your Halloween preparation for this year, maybe start thinking about next year. Following Halloween, every store will deeply discount fall and Halloween-themed décor to make room for Thanksgiving and Christmas. You can get decorations at many places for 50-80% off the original price.

2. Gather Your Eerie (Yet Delicious) Recipes

We’re sure you’re planning a fun and frightful shindig, stock full of eerie and delicious foods, drinks, and desserts. If you don’t quite have your menu chosen yet, we’re always happy to help!

Check out some of these newfound fearsome favorites:

Before you plan your party menu, ensure that your guests don’t have specific food allergies. You want to accommodate your loved ones and avoid a spook-filled night in the emergency room.

3. Create a Spooky Playlist

You know we love a good cleaning playlist, but Halloween preparation requires a solid, spooky selection of music. There are a plethora of Halloween-theme songs that you can add to a playlist to help set a creepy mood. Think Michael Jackson’s Thriller or Bobby Pickett’s Monster Mash. Also, ambient music/sounds like creaking doors or slow footsteps are perfect additions to your playlist.

4. Buy Halloween Decorations Now

Buying interior and exterior Halloween decorations is one of the most important things to do before Halloween, of course. But we don’t mean a spider web here or there (unless minimalist décor is your thing). We want your home to be the talk of the town with frightful yet fun yard displays, lighting, and more.

5. Snag Trick-of-Treat Candy & Toys Early

Even with a couple of months until Halloween, stores will start putting out candy in anticipation of the day. Ensure to snag a bag early so that you don’t miss out or get stuck with the less popular selections. Also, consider age-appropriate items and candy-less treats for younger and older kids and those with potential food allergies, like fidget spinners, fidget cubes, pop-its, glow bracelets and necklaces, hair scrunchies, mini plush toys, etc.

6. Design a Halloween Night Safety Plan

There have been nearly 4 million child fatalities between 1990 and 2010, showing that children are twice as likely to die on Halloween than on any other day. What does this tell us? That it’s important to have a safety strategy in place, so your fun-filled night of terror doesn’t turn tragic. For children younger than 13 interested in trick-or-treating, always have adult supervision. If you have a child between 12 and 13 who wants to venture out on Halloween night alone, check local regulations regarding age limits for unaccompanied trick-or-treating. Still, use your best judgment when it comes to your child’s safety and well-being.

Merry Maids® Can Get You Ready for a Festive Night of Fright

Before the ghosts and ghouls come out for a scare, your home has to be in order. Merry Maids® can help you tackle all the cleaning and organizing to-dos before Halloween and show you that your home can be immaculate while scaring the boots off trick-or-treaters (in a good way). Trust our cleaning and organizing pros to support you with competitively priced and comprehensive services that get everyone excited for Halloween.

Get your free cleaning estimate or a gift card for a loved one today!