Halloween Tips - revisited

Here's a reprint of a blog post that I did 5 years ago from a previous blog that I started back then, plus some additional tips from this year:

Options for Halloween Candy
Are you doing something different this year, instead of giving out candy for Halloweeen trick or treaters?

We're trying to keep a low-sugar household (ideally I'd like it to be a candy-free house, but it's been very, very difficult with outside influences. We're trying though, everyday!) I'm not doing it for any medical reasons (at least not that we're aware of right now!), it's just so that we can try to prevent future problems caused by sugar such as cavities, overweight, diabetes, etc. I had bad memories of getting cavities filled when I was in kindergarten and don't want my kids going through that. I've learned from a dietician that excess sugar can eventually lead to extra weight, loss of energy, etc.

Up to last year, we always gave out candy for Halloween trick or treaters. I had two unopened bags left last year, that ended up getting thrown away because I couldn't find anyplace to donate them to (every place I called was already overloaded with candy left from Halloween). (note from Eva 2010: check with local dentists and organizations who may be accepting donated candy to send to troops)

This year (2005), I decided NO to giving out candy. I found some kid friendly treats from Market Day (http://www.marketday.com), which is a fundraising food company that I order from every month, to help support a local school. This is what I purchased to give out:

• Small packs of goldfish crackers with special halloween packaging,
• Individually wrapped pumpkin shaped cookies.

I also found in the supermarket, small packs of halloween-themed pretzels (bats, pumpkins, etc), which my kids loved last year (at their grandparent's house).

Also, I'll be giving out to our visiting trick or treaters a "free class" pass from the karate school that my son attends, so that we can promote fitness instead of candy, and also give some free publicity for the karate school too.

What have you done in the past (or will be doing for this year) for your neighborhood trick or treaters? Maybe it's too late for this year, but what can you think of for next Halloween that would make a difference for the children? Please share your thoughts in Comments. (from Oct. 31, 2005)

I'd like to add some additional Halloween tips and ideas from this year 2010 as well:

1. I collected unopened kids' meals toys throughout the year (I know, I know -- fast food is not the healthiest of options, but sometimes I purchase it for myself as a quick lunch option because it's less expensive, with smaller portions, compared to the regular value meals, plus I get the toy as a bonus, all for under $4). I mix in the toys for the trick or treaters to choose from.

2. Buy treats that your family doesn't like -- less likely to sneak a snack from the stash! (I have to admit though that this year, I did buy candy to mix in, along with the non-candy items mentioned in this post).

3. We purchased small bags of chips and pretzels to hand out.

4. We opened packs of those shaped, colorful rubber wrist bands and sprinkled them in with the other treats in the basket for the kids to pick from. Those went fast! The little kids spotted them and picked them out first.

5. Try to encourage your kids to choose a long-sleeved costume, with room for layers underneath. Kids don't like to wear coats or sweaters over their costumes; they want it to be seen while trick or treating, but sometimes, the weather can get pretty chilly. At least with layers, they'll be warmer.

6. Prepare for bag malfunctions. --had it happen to us, seen it happen this year, where the plastic bag handle breaks or a full bag splits open, spilling all the goodies all over the street. Here are some tips:

• Use a stronger tote bag (we purchased a plain, orange fabric one at the craft store, on sale for 99 cents, and used fabric markers to personalize it).
• Double bag it
• Pack a back-up bag to take with them.
• I carry a separate tote bag with me (containing an extra kid sweater too) when I accompany the kids, so they can empty their sack halfway through and continue trick or treating without it getting too heavy or breaking the bag.
  

7. Other handy things to remember to bring with you trick or treating:

• Tissues
  
• Camera w/fresh batteries
• Small flashlight
• Cell phone
• Keys

8. If you go trick or treating before dinner, plan in advance what you'll do for dinner. It's a good day to use the slow cooker/crockpot if you have one, or plan take-out in advance and call ahead, or have someone start dinner at home before you get home if possible. I made the mistake of not remembering to go to the supermarket before trick or treating, and not having dinner plans prepared in advance for when we came home, which made for some pretty sugared-up kids, plus a belly ache thrown in there for good measure.

9. We adopted this idea after seeing it done by other neighbors: if you don't want to be disturbed when the trick or treaters come knocking at your door (e.g. when you are eating or resting), or if you'll be out with your own kids around the neighborhood doing your own trick or treating, or at work, etc., but you'd still like to offer the little visitors the treats that you bought, you can put out a bowl of treats on your steps and let the kids help themselves. My experience is that the kids will go by the honor system and take only one or two treats; I haven't seen the whole contents of a bowl disappear. I made this sign just for the occasion, slipped it inside a plastic sheet protector, and propped it next to the bowl.



What other tips or suggestions do you have for Halloween while it's still fresh in your mind? Feel free to post a comment or send me an email: cservice {at} sort-things-out {dot} com.

Til next time...
Eva
Sort-Things-Out

"Make It Fresh" Friday Edition

Jennnifer Wilner of New Jersey wanted to freshen up an unused corner of her basement to create a new space for her daughter to play in. She assessed the area and planned how to transform cinder block to a Cinderella-like space, now affectionately called the "Pink Room".

Jennifer explained, "I purchased pink remnant fabric, then my husband drilled a few holes into the cinder block and mounted 1 x 2 x 12' wood strips to the brick. We wrapped the fabric around the wood to hide it, and then attached to the brick at the top & bottom, to give the room some ambiance as well as to hide the ugly brick."

"Also with the fabric, I created a "skirt" to cover the front side of my counter top desk and the back of my bulletin board. Finally, using inexpensive flat bed sheets ($3 each), we threaded speaker wire through the top to create a curtain/divider for our laundry area."

"With some leftover furniture and a few holiday gifts that my daughter had received, she now has a TV stand (re-purposed from an old plastic storage shelf) which holds her Wii and television."

Photo courtesy of Jennifer Wilner

When we talked to Jennifer, it was in the middle of a heat wave in July, with temperatures soaring to 100 degrees. She explained that the lower level basement was the perfect spot to create a play area. "I LOVE that she can play inside, especially on a day like today!" said Jennifer.

Thanks for sharing your ideas with us Jen!

Have you done a "refresh" of a space in your home? Are you looking for "fresh" new ideas on how to transform your space? Drop us an email eva@sort-things-out.com or comment below or on our Facebook Page Sort Things Out.

Helping you to Sort Things Out, one step at a time!

Talk to you soon,
Eva
STO Organizing Coach
Sort Things Out

STO February: Focus on One Thing

The STO System - Make it a Habit
Eva's Edict 5 Minutes / 21 Days

This month, focus on doing ONE thing at a time. Leave the multi-tasking to machines for now.

Let's get started:

Assess The Excess
What are your areas of clutter? Figure out where your clutter zones are.

Pick One Area / 21 Days
Zoom in and focus on just one area to sort through for the next 21 days (experts say it takes 21 day to make / break a habit). If you finish before 21 days, great! Move on to your next area. If you need extra time, you've got 28 days this month, make the best of it.

5 Minutes
Do 5 minutes, then stop. Use the timer to keep you on track. Got 20 minutes to spare? Go to it. Got no time to spare? Do 2 minutes anyway of focused sorting, then stop.

STO - Make it a Habit to make Executive Decisions
I'm promoting you to CEO, in charge of Your Stuff. Separate out the obvious trash and recyclables first, then get in the habit of making quick decisions on what to do with the rest of the stuff. You only have 5 minutes to do this, so just get it over with, then get on with the rest of your day.

Release, Release, Release
You have more important things to do than to spend too much time on this stuff. Just release it, release it's grip on you.

MIYO
Make It Your Own. Adapt it, adjust it, tweak it to make the STO System work for you.

STO - Make it a Habit. Do something, rather than nothing. Every day.

Send me a tweet on Twitter after you've done your 5 minutes @Eva_Abreu #EE5

Photo credit: FreeFoto.com

January is Get Organized Month!

Welcome to the New Year!

Let's Make it a Fun Time in Two-Thousand-and-Nine!

And kicking it off in January is Get Organized Month

Can organizing be fun? Sure it can!

There's lots of neat stuff planned for this month to help keep you motivated and primed to do some serious and not-so-serious organizing, such as...

A new desk calendar, Eva's Edict 5 Minutes Organizing Calendar, memo cube style, tear off one-page-per-day.
Shipping mid-January, just in time when folks start hitting a plateau and begin to lose their momentum from the first of the year. Here's a much needed shot of daily motivation to help carry you forward for the rest of the year.

Workshops & Events
A preview of my local workshops and classes in January & February on the topic of De-Cluttering and Organizing can be found HERE.

...plus more! videos, podcasts, and teleconferences are also in the works.
(Contact Me for more info)


Need help getting organized, like, RIGHT NOW?

Now accepting limited number of Private Clients.

Maybe a workshop isn't your thing; maybe you need more one-on-one attention. As one of my exclusive Private Clients, I'll work together with you by phone/text/email to personally create a custom plan to fit into your crazy life, and throw in that extra edge of accountability to keep you on track. Contact me for a Free Trial 15 Minute Private Client Session


Follow me on Twitter


For fun discussions and daily Eva's Edict "Purge A Pile" assignments, find me on Twitter @Eva_Abreu. If you don't know what Twitter is, it's a micro-blogging / social networking site, that's quick, easy and right to the point, kind of like instant messaging or texting. Don't worry, I'll help you through it if you don't get the hang of it right away!


Ready to Release? Tell me about it and let me know how I can help you Sort Things Out, one step at a time!

Photo credits: Print Perfect Clip Art Deluxe, copyright 2005 Cosmi Corporation, and its licensors. All rights reserved.