Tap Your Creativity for a Halloween Costume

#Halloween — America’s third-favorite holiday and rising — is nearly here. If you plan to go to a party, go on a pub crawl or hand out #treats in #costume and don’t already have something picked out, you’re down to two options: Buy off the shelf or get #creative.

Here at The Organizing Blog, we prefer the latter option. It’s almost as much #fun to think up and create a costume as it is to wear one — and a DIY costume always gets more recognition and admiration in the moment when done right.

Many of the classics — old and new — are super-simple. Dracula? Just don a cape and add some plastic fangs. The mummy or Invisible Man? Rolls and rolls of gauze. Jason Voorhies? A hockey mask and some grubby clothing. A witch? Pointy hat and gothic dress.

But if you really want to exercise your #creativity, The Cub says, think about the things that you (or your child) like. Maybe there’s a favorite movie, TV show, musician or video game character; can you turn that person/concept into a costume?

A few years ago, for example, popular adult costumes included Breaking Bad’s Walter White and Jesse Pinkman; today, it’s probably more Ted Lasso, Bad Bunny, Barbie and Supergirl. Then, of course, there are the high-concept costumes: “Cereal Killer,” anyone?

Whatever you choose, the #thrift and #secondhand stores supplied by generous #donations to ClothingDonations.org are a treasure trove of lightly used #clothing, props and craft supplies that will help you complete your look.

Still stuck? There’s nothing wrong with turning to the internet for a suggestion, but we urge you to make a costume your own. Pick a concept, make a list, gather the elements (base layers, props, wig, prosthetics, etc.) and grab the glue gun if you have to.

Your costume doesn’t have to be perfect. Have some fun with it — even a DIY costume fail is better than store-bought. Happy Halloween!

Shop the Thrift for Back-to-School Items

One way to save on back-to-school #clothing and supplies is to shop the #thrift and #secondhand stores supplied by your generous donations to ClothingDonations.org. When readers decide to #declutter and take advantage of a #free #clothing #donation #pickup, they often #donate lightly used but stylish garments that can have second lives outfitting the entire family. Thrifts are also a great place to look for inexpensive craft supplies, knickknacks and books, so if your student has a diorama to build or a costume to create for the school play, check the local thrifts first. #BackToSchool

Get the Kids Crafting for St. Patrick’s Day

You can keep the kids busy during St. Patrick’s Day with a variety of Irish-themed craft projects, Country Living says. Help them paint rocks to look like gold nuggets at the end of the rainbow, or create paper shamrock pots. Green party hats are a must for any kid-friendly celebration, and you can get them to help decorate with shamrock garlands. And just like you’d set cookies out for Santa, try creating a leprechaun “trap” featuring green-frosted cupcakes and gold foil-wrapped chocolates. Remember, you can usually find lots of craft supplies and inspiration at thrift stores supplied by ClothingDonations.org.

Thrifty Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas

Valentine’s Day calls for a special celebration of relationships, but it needn’t cost a lot of money to show you care. You can use your creativity to craft a special gift. Good Housekeeping suggests an array of options including fresh-baked bread, hand-stitched sachets and a jar filled with a year’s worth of date-night ideas. Make a flower vase out of a disused Mason jar and make a heart-shaped bath bomb to pamper that special someone. Look for supplies at local craft stores and at thrifs supplied by generous donations to ClothingDonations.org.

Craft Your Own Holiday Cards

One of the best ways to keep the holidays cheap is to rely on your own creativity to carry the season. Start today by making and sending handmade cards to your friends and family, HGTV suggests. With a few simple materials — paper, glue, felt, glitter and so on — you can easily make cards that look like they cost a fortune. Try creating a Santa card with a cotton-ball beard, for example, a winter scene with glitter “snow” or a card that turns into an ornament. Whatever you craft, it will be inexpensive and fun to spread a little bit of holiday cheer.