Halloween is coming around! This is one of the most exciting holidays in the calendar and it’s always so much fun to see people’s costumes.

Love it or hate it, with the holidays come preparations. But don’t worry - we’re here to help. Here are 6 tips to help you make your home the best stop on the block, whether you’re hosting a party or greeting trick-or-treaters.

Get creative with your treats

Who doesn’t love candy? We certainly do. But with people being more and more health conscious (and rightly so), parents may welcome (or need!) an alternative for their kids. 

There are some awesome alternatives to candy and this is a chance for you to get creative in the kitchen. Berry & The Boards is showcasing incredible, tasty Halloween treats that stray away from the usual candies, including themed vegetables, fruit, dips, baked goods and sweet treats. Click here for some inspiration.

Love this look but don’t have time to craft your own charcuterie board for your spooktacular party? Check out our local fave cheese crafter here in Houston! The Cheese Chica has created delicious fall treats - you can get in touch with her on Instagram or by emailing her here.

Be aware of different colored pumpkin buckets

Every year, children will go trick or treating with pumpkin-shaped buckets to hold their candies. Of course, the most common color is orange, but other colored pumpkin buckets can carry different meanings.

A teal pumpkin bucket signifies that someone has allergies and special dietary requirements. A great way to let trick or treaters know that you’re offering treats that are gluten free, dairy free, free of nuts, diabetic friendly, or something else, is to put a teal pumpkin bucket outside your front door or gate!

Children or adults with blue pumpkin buckets could be on the autism spectrum. People on the autism spectrum can have really varied abilities. Some people with autism are non-verbal or have other communication difficulties, for example. So, try to keep that in mind when you’re greeting people.

It’s so important to be inclusive and respectful to trick or treaters so that everyone can enjoy the holidays.

Be aware that REAL pumpkins attract pests

Yep! Your Jack-O’-lantern can be a big attractant for pests, for example:

• Rodents
• Snails
• Slugs
• Ants
• Flies

Plus, they can really start to smell after that time! With that in mind, make sure you dispose of your pumpkin after a few days, such as by composting it. 

However; there are some things you can do to ward off pests from your pumpkins. 

Firstly, remove as much flesh as you can from the inside of your pumpkin. This is the most attractive part for pests. Secondly, keep your pumpkin away from the wind and away from any cracks in your home. The wind can blow bugs onto or around your Jack-O’-latern and bugs and other pests can easily get through small cracks (even really small cracks!) in your home’s structure.

One more tip: Try to keep your Jack-O’-lantern out of the sun. Warmth speeds up the rotting process.

Eco-conscious Halloween decorations

Holiday decorations can wreak havoc on the environment. Halloween is no different, but we know how fun it is to give your home a touch of spooky charm.

There are lots of different eco-friendly decorations that you can buy or make yourself at home. You can get creative with paper, plants, and spare household materials. Here are some Halloween craft ideas for varied budgets and abilities. They’ll look awesome displayed around your home and yard!

If you already have plastic decorations, it’s fine to use them - there’s no benefit to wasting them. Try your best to take really good care of them so that you don’t need to buy new ones year after year. Or, you could donate them to someone else so that they don’t have to buy new plastic. 

When you’re throwing a Halloween party, be conscious of what you actually need. Single use plastics (plastic cutlery, plates, cups, etc.) are filling up our land and oceans. Instead, you can opt to use your usual crockery and cutlery for guests. 

Check your decorations for pests

When you’re unboxing your Halloween decorations, you could be disrupting pests that have been living in the storage space. Decorations are typically stored in basements and attics, which happen to be favorite hiding spots for pests.

Carefully inspect your decorations to make sure they’re bug-free. If they’re not, clean them. Having infested decorations is a surefire way to encourage any pests to spread through your home, so this is super important.

If you do find pests living in your decorations, give us a call on 281-326-9915. We’ll find the source of your problem and carry out a treatment plan.

Tip: Pests really love cardboard boxes, so try storing your decorations in sealed plastic containers.

Avoid leaving your door open

As the temperature drops a little in October, it’s really common for bugs to try to make their way into your home for extra warmth. As tempting as it can be to keep opening your door to greet the little ones with their treats, it might not be the best idea. If it’s a warm, dry day, you could set up a festive table in your front yard ready to meet trick or treaters.

It’s not just insects coming indoors that can cause problems. We have plenty of mosquitoes in Houston and nothing ruins festivities like having them crash the party. An effective way to keep mosquitoes away this Halloween is having your yard fogged.

Our botanical-based yard fog kills mosquitoes on contact. It’s completely safe for people to come to your yard after a fog because our treatments are people, planet and pet friendly. Learn more about our yard fog and other eco-conscious mosquito treatments here.For more about our green pest control solutions in Houston and Austin, Tx, click here.