The Halloween home stretch is upon us, so it’s time to make sure your home is properly prepared for a spooktacular evening! Many of us have fond memories of trick-or-treating with family and friends, going from house to house with a big smile and a bigger bag. If you’re reading this, you likely are hoping to help contribute to that experience for a new generation of trick-or-treaters.
In this article, we’re sharing some tips on how to make your home the best trick-or-treat spot on the block. Going big on decorations can certainly help, but you don’t need to break the bank to foster festive vibes. A little bit of thoughtfulness and effort can go a long way!
Clear a Path
Make it easy and safe for the kids to make their way to your door. Sweep up the walkway to clear it of debris and other little hazards. If you have paving stones, check for loose ones. Clear out any bikes or other unattended, unintentional lawn ornaments. Walk the path a couple of times to make sure it’s ready for all of the eager but clumsy children who will tread it all night.
Put Up Festive (and Safe) Lighting
Set the mood with some spooky string lights around your house and make that walkway even easier to navigate with Halloween-themed path lights. Then, be sure that your front door is well lit and visible from the street, so parents can keep an eye on their kids. While you may think of Halloween as a dimly lit, ominous evening, parents and kids need to be able to see!
Decorate!
You don’t need expensive inflatables or fancy light displays (though they are always welcome). Little touches can go a long way to make your home more inviting for the little ghosts and ghouls roaming your neighborhood.
You can sprinkle your porch with colorful paper leaves, string up cobwebs, and set out some pumpkins—even better if you’ve carved a fun design. Though, you may want to swap candles out of your Jack-O-Lanterns for small electric lights.
Remember, trick-or-treaters are generally younger kids. If your goal is to make your house a hit with costumed kids, it might be best to lean into more playfully spooky decorations than genuinely scary.
Load Up on Treats
Ultimately, the best trick-or-treat spot will be decided by the treats. Make sure you stock up on a variety of tasty candies for the kids to load into their bags. The kids will give bonus points for full-sized candy bars if you can get them.
Though baked goods might sound like a fun idea, they could make some parents a little uncomfortable, especially if they don’t know you very well. It would probably be best to stick to storebought treats in their original packaging.
Also, consider that kids may have allergies or dietary restrictions, so try to keep a good variety of options available. Maybe keep nut-based treats separate from the others for good measure. If you plan to leave your candy out, put it in a very visible location, consider labeling nut-based candies in a separate container.
Finally, don’t limit yourself to just candy. Trick-or-treaters also love little Halloween trinkets, like vampire teeth or spooky stickers. These can be relatively cheap to stock up on and a total delight, especially for the younger crowd.
Use a Speaker
Another way that you can set a spooky mood for trick-or-treating is by setting out a speaker to play some Halloween hits. Of course, you’ll want to be mindful of volume if you’re playing your tunes outside.
Secure the Pets
As much as we love your dogs and cats, it might be in everyone’s best interest to keep them away from trick-or-treaters. All of those new people can be overwhelming for the animals, and you never know if the kids may be scared of animals or allergic.
Bring Your Halloween Spirit
Don’t forget to have some Halloween fun yourself! Wear a costume, and bring some fun energy for the kids. Think less, “What are you supposed to be?” and more, “I love your costume!” If you’re having fun, everyone else will, too.
Happy Halloween!
Halloween can be such a fun time for homeowners. If you were a big Halloween lover growing up, you might have been waiting years for your chance to bring some joy to a new generation of trick-or-treaters. We hope this article helped scare up a few fun Halloween ideas for your home this year!
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