Skeletons in the Closet
It’s that time of year again, the one right after costume time. Time to put away the gigantic plastic spiders and cotton webbing. It’s time to re-store the life size garden ghouls and find a place for the glow in the dark skulls to rest until they are needed again next year. It’s that time of the year right after Halloween when you find that more than ever, you need storage!
Halloween can be an eventful part of the season. All the dressing up and party decorating can give a real boost to the creative kid within you. But after the party is over and you are properly recovered from your sugar high, you realize that every year you seem to acquire more stuff. Of course we recommend having separate storage for Holiday decorations but here are some tips on how best to keep the scariness to a minimum:
- The Comb Over. A common mistake in wig storage and costumes that are primarily fur based is forgetting to brush them out before storing them. After the party they are often knotted, dirty or wet. It is important to try to get them back to their original state before putting them away. Airing and combing them out will insure that your long black Elvira wig and Ware Wolf costume will live to see another party day.
- Keep it Cool. Remember that humidity and temperature can have a great effect on fabric. If these factors do not remain constant, fibers expand and contract over time causing the deterioration of color. For your more expensive costumes and long term material storage in general, we suggest considering climate controlled storage.
- Color Wonder. Nothing says organization like color coding. If you are storing your Halloween stuff in boxes, use a large orange marker to label its contents. If you are able to purchase plastic bins, select appropriate colors like orange or purple. This will allow you to easily find what you are looking for when it comes time to drag it all out again next October.
- In Packaging We Trust. Whenever possible, it is great to save original packaging for all costumes and decorations. Often manufacturers take into consideration the long gevity of these items when designing their packaging.
