It is almost October 1st, and that means Halloween season. When you walk into your local department or grocery store, there are probably already mounds of styrofoam tombstones, polyester cat ears, and other festive items displayed at the entrance or in the check-out aisle. While it might be tempting to snag some of these deals on costumes and decor, you can save money by making use of what you already have at home. Not only can this help cut down on clutter and save space in your house, it’s also a great exercise in creativity for kids and adults alike. Challenge yourself and your family to come up with unique, one-of-a-kind Halloween costumes and decorate sustainably using the tips below.

● Start with what you already have in the house. Make sure to check everywhere: the back of your closet, that unopened drawer, the long-forgotten boxes in the basement. You might have great costumes or decor lying around that you have totally forgotten about!

● Put out all of the decorations you already have, and make a list of what you actually need to buy before going shopping. Just like a grocery list, this can help decrease impulse purchases and prevent you from ending up with multiples of the same item.

● Start planning your costume early, and don’t buy items unless they fit into your planned costume.

● Shop each other’s closets! (with permission of course.) Kids can have a lot of fun picking out something from a parent or grandparent’s closet for a “decades” costume, or wherever their imagination takes them. Adults can also share closets! Find a friend with a different style but similar size and I can guarantee you’ll be inspired by their wardrobe.

● Organize a costume and/or decor trade with friends. Everyone brings costume or decor they no longer want, and gets to take home something fun and new instead. Anything left over at the end of the night can be donated.

● You can also repurpose items that might otherwise head straight to the trash bin. For example, an old sheet can be draped like a toga for an ancient Greek/Roman warrior costume or cut up into strips for a mummy costume. Or of course, just cut out some eye holes for a classic ghost! Sewing is not required to make a great costume (although it can be helpful), glue is a great option if you don’t want to break out that needle and thread, and safety pins are great if you don’t want your work to be permanent. Fabric glue is inexpensive and can be purchased at your local craft store, and other types of glue that you might already have at home (hot glue, super glue, E6000, etc) will work on the majority of fabrics. Just try a small test area before gluing your whole project.

● If you need additional items to complete your look, head to your local thrift/secondhand shop (or even yard sale!) instead of Spirit Halloween. Fast fashion costumes will often be poorly made, or made of lower-quality materials, and might not even make it through a night of trick or treating without ripping or breaking. By shopping for deadstock and used costumes, you are more likely to find a quality item that you or someone else can re-wear in the future. This is also a great way to find high-quality decor that you won’t have to replace every season, unlike that styrofoam tombstone that will likely start disintegrating before October 31st.

● If you are more inclined to shop online, or are looking for a very specific costume or decor item, check out eBay, Mercari, and other used sites before browsing Amazon. You might be able to find a great deal, and help to stop the overconsumption cycle.

From the Committee for a Better Environment, trick or treat and enjoy a sustainable Halloween!