Halloween is a fantastically fun holiday that can inspire you to go all out when it comes to decorations and costumes. Still, spending loads of money on great costumes for the kids every year can get a little pricey. Fortunately, you don’t have to waste all of those old looks; they’ll come in handy for various future projects.
Make Creative Halloween Decorations
Just because Halloween is over and the kids are quickly growing doesn’t mean you have to trash their old costumes. You can turn those old costumes into yard decorations to use all year long or just around Halloween time. This Halloween, spend some time choosing stupendous-looking kids costumes for parties. Why? Because later, you can stuff that Frankenstein or Buzz Lightyear costume with old clothes and cotton batting, and it will look amazing in your yard or hanging from your porch. The whole neighborhood will be envious of your creative yard decorations.
Upcycle for Different Events
Before you recycle the old costumes, try upcycling them. Lots of kids don’t want to wear the same costume twice–at least where all of their friends can see it. If your little one went as a pirate or a ballerina, that costume could come in handy during a school play or a dance recital. They could also wear it to a cousin’s costume-themed birthday party or another holiday party. Hang onto it for at least a year so that you get the most use out of it. You can even collect costumes from family and friends and put them into a dress-up bin. Encourage your kids to perform a play of their own.
Halloween Hand-Me-Downs
Do you have more than one child or other young relatives? The rules for hand-me-downs apply to Halloween costumes as well. This is particularly true if you have a younger child, niece, nephew, or neighbor who looks up to one of your older kids. The little ones will love wearing a big kid’s costume next year, plus you’ll save someone else from spending money.
Initiate a Costume Swap
Another way to save while getting the most out of the holiday is to swap costumes. If your kids are part of a playgroup, have best friends at school, or if you’re close to a group of mothers, talk about swapping costumes. Each child gets something new—to them—and no one has to spend money on a brand new costume. After you’ve swapped as much as you can, you can either look for different ways to reuse old costumes or donate them.
Dish Up Home Decor
Lots of costumes are made from interesting materials like metallic fabric, netting, or velvet. If you’re crafty, start cutting up old costumes. You can turn them into place mats, use the pieces for quilting, or create lovely collages and decoupage projects. There are all sorts of possibilities, including picture frames and pot holders. Pinterest is a great resource for ideas and patterns for DIY home decor.
Cut It Up for Festive Decorations
The right Halloween costume works for different holidays as well. Keep that crafting spirit and start making holiday decorations. Different pieces from the costumes can work as tree ornaments on their own, but you can also make garlands and ornaments out of bits and pieces of fabric. Get inventive and invite the kids to join in; they’ll feel tickled knowing that their old Halloween outfits are now long-lasting holiday decorations.
By following these tips, you can feel better about buying a really creative or pricey Halloween costume. What’s the most inventive way you’ve ever reused an old outfit?
Featured photo credit: Eyestetix Studio via unsplash.com
