Your Home Maintenance:
A 'Pumpkin-ized' Halloween

Pumpkin Carving
Buy small pumpkins for
the kids to decorate
themselves. If the kids are
too small or not able to
manage a carving tool –
provide a marker and
some food from your
kitchen for a unique look.
My favourite is a ‘roasted
red-pepper tongue’ – very
realistic. Instead of real
candles – battery operated
candles are readily
available as a child-safe
option (i.e. Canadian Tire).
If you are crafty too, make sure
you keep a pumpkin for yourself
so as not to hinder your child’s
creativity.

Costumes
Encourage your child to pick a costume that is both warm enough for the weather and bright to warn cars of their presence. It is critical to keep their line of site clear for safe street navigation. If you can convince them, a nice ‘Crossing Guard’ costume with fluorescent stripes is ideal. Unique costumes are fun; safety and health are better!!

Treats
If your family is like mine – don’t buy the treats too early or they will be gone and you’ll be back to the store for more!! Candy and chips are not the only options!! How about stickers, fake teeth, and a slew of other options available at the local party store? Have standard gifts for the masses and then some special packages, for the children you know with their tastes in mind. You neighbours will appreciate the extra effort and so will the kids!!

Make sure to check all of the treats for safety and allergy issues prior to letting your child loose on them!! Limit them to 2-3 pieces that evening. Keep the stash out of reach and dole out over several days/weeks to limit the sugar rush that keeps us ALL awake at night!!

October 31 Evening Logistics
Feed the family early with healthy food, filling their tummies as much as possible before they start eating ‘junk’.

If you are a 2-parent household, remember that one stays home to dole out treats while the other takes the kids on their adventure. If you are lucky enough to secure help – get someone else to manage your door and join the kids for the fun you won’t forget! If you must leave your house unattended – be kind and leave a small basket of goodies with a note for each child to take one or two while you’re gone.

Clean up
Remove pumpkins from public areas to limit the temptation of kids who prefer the ‘trick’ element of the evening. Smashed pumpkins are tough to clean up and attract unwelcome critters throughout the night.

Lastly – have a spooky, cooky good time!! Halloween is for the kids – even those of us who are over 40 but young at heart.

If you have a storage or home maintenance challenge and need ideas to solve them, or if you have a comment about how some of my ideas have worked for you, email me.

Article by Sheri Gammon Dewling
Markham Organizing Maven
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