http://www.comicsbeat.com/24-hours-of-halloween-a-saulte-to-ben-cooper-costumes/

What do I do with these Halloween costumes!?

Is it just me, or do we seem to consume more and more, and at the same time live in smaller spaces? I mean, is the fact that we consume more “stuff” indicate we must live in smaller spaces (spending on stuff prevents affording a bigger space?), or do the spaces seem smaller because we have more stuff? It’s somewhat of a chicken-and-egg argument, but I find myself looking for more of a balance to this conundrum on a daily basis.

As you may well know, I am NOT a minimalist…I love stuff! But because of space, or lack of it, I’m always trying to conjure creative display ideas so that my home still functions. One way I do this is to pinch the sentiment out of certain items, and leave the rest for donation, trade, and sale.

For our first Halloween, I purchased a big-ish shadow box for my child and pinned the hat from her first Halloween costume inside. As the years pass, I tuck in a tiny piece from each costume…the feather from her flapper costume, the glasses from her Grocho Marx costume, the flower from her Bip costume… I’ll deconstruct the costume, tuck any parts that can be possibly used again for another costume in the designated box, and get rid of the rest. (For instance, after she was Batman, I passed the bulky utility belt on, knowing she’d never want to repeat a costume, but saved the leotard after removing the bat logo). This way, I’m curating all of our Halloweens, without having to save all the taxing bits. And when I no longer want to have these things on display, I’ll tuck them into a memory box, and save them for my daughter.

An even easier way to curate is with photos. A couple snapshots from each year with some journal pages tucked in to write notes, is a keepsake you’ll love to look back on, and pass on to your kids someday. Because, do we really want to leave them with an attic full of moth-eaten costumes so they can look back on their memories for a fleeting moment before tossing them in the trash? Or do we want to create memories that are simple, heartfelt and, most importantly, compact?

Think about it…these are great ways to “Go Green this Halloween” while still getting our fill of “stuff” and memory-making. Deconstruct, donate or exchange that costume, and see if it doesn’t help build more meaningful Halloween memories, while helping keep our closets and attics clear.

Stay tuned for info on our neighborhood’s costume swap (I mentioned it in my last post…you read it, didn't you?) And look for fun, creative, and easy ideas on www.GreenHalloween.org

How do you cleverly curate Halloween? Leave a note or come in and chat!

Ducky Shincrackers

5618 E Thomas Rd #110

Phoenix, AZ 85018