For this post, we partnered with Goodwill Southern California. All opinions expressed are our own.
Being a Halloween fanatic can take a scary slice out of your wallet.
One minute you’re treating yourself to a pumpkin spice latte, and before you know it, the trunk of your car is overflowing with shopping bags filled with scented candles, skeletons, and fun-sized candy bars.
After a few years of celebrating, a ghoul’s gotta get smart about hunting down the best deals.
That’s why we haunt the aisles of Goodwill Southern California each year for affordable Halloween decor and costume pieces that match our budget.
Halloween Hunting at Goodwill Southern California helps us save money while adding unique treasures to our Halloween decor collection, and a big part of the fun is not knowing what you’ll discover.
Since Goodwill Southern California operates more than 82 retail stores with merchandise from more than 40 donation centers, there are different pieces to discover at each location and new items every time you visit.
If you’re stuck deciding on a theme for your decor this year or have no clue what costume you want to don for that party you’ve already RSVP’d to, you can walk into Goodwill Southern California and find inspiration in the moment.
When we visited the Goodwill Southern California location in Atwater Village this past weekend, we knew we wanted to find a few pieces of decor to haunt our home, but we didn’t have a specific theme in mind. Instead, we embarked on the hunt open to exploring what items sparked inspiration in the moment.
We walked into the store, immediately spotted a display of curtain rods, and our imaginations were off to the races.
Over the past few weeks, we’ve been brainstorming what to do with the back room of our apartment. The space is too small to set up a true dining table or lounging area, but we knew we wanted to get more use out of the space by creating a small nook to read and relax by the window.
We had purchased some black out curtains for the window months ago, but we still hadn’t hung them or done anything else with the space. The curtain rod was the inspiration piece we needed to get our minds in a creative space and move the project forward.
We already had a small chair and side table that we thought might work in the space, but we had to make sure the little nook was outfitted properly for Halloween season. We directed our hunt to the Halloween section at the front of the store.
The Halloween section was packed with an eclectic collection of costume pieces and Halloween decor- a Halloween lover’s dream! The shelves were lined with rare pieces and vintage items you’d never find in an average retail store. Before long, our cart was spilling over with treasures to transform our little room into a haunted hideaway.
Once we returned home, we got to work revamping the space with our finds.
Our goal was to create a cozy space to read, listen to music, and relax by the window. We began by clearing out the space and doing a simple surface wipedown and vacuum.
Next, we installed the curtain rod by drilling in the rod holders and hanging the curtains. Black out curtains may not fit everyone’s decor, but they function perfectly for our space. They block out the sunlight that causes a pesky glare on our television and help keep the back portion of our home cooler in warmer months. Hanging those curtains had been on our home to-do list for months, and it felt amazing to finally put them to use.
Years ago, we adopted a small guest chair and side table that never found a proper place in our home. We moved those two pieces into the space to create a seating area and a place to enjoy a warm cup of coffee and a good book. The nook was beginning to feel cozy, but it needed a touch of Halloween to create the spooky atmosphere we wanted.
A lamp with the shade removed was an ideal fixture for our rotating Halloween effects light bulb.
Adding a few throws and a pillow help increase the comfort factor.
He certainly adds some movement and character to the space.
When it comes to decorating for Halloween, proper lighting is key. Using a few color-changing LED bulbs we had in our collection and a strip of tube lighting we picked up at Goodwill Southern California, we were able to create that spooky atmosphere that’s signature of Halloween season.
Sprinkling the space with a few of the Halloween decorations we picked up at Goodwill Southern California and a few pieces from the Halloween collection we’ve acquired over the years, we were able to create a bewitching ambience in the area that was perfectly suited for Halloween season.
Using items we found at Goodwill Southern California, we were able to convert an area rarely utilized in our home into a haunting little haven.
Making Goodwill Southern California our Halloween hunting headquarters is a choice that’s as kind to our Halloween spending budget as it is to our community in Southern California. Goodwill Southern California provides education, training, work experience and employment placement services to the surrounding community. Donations help fund employment programs for those with disabilities and disadvantages, including: veterans, at-risk youth, individuals with disabilities, those formerly incarcerated, and the homeless.
Goodwill Southern California’s mission is to “Transform Lives Through the Power of Work”, and we’re proud to use them as a resource for costumes and decor each Halloween season. Be sure to follow them @GoodwillSoCal
Stay tuned later this week for more treasures and find out how we’re using simple pieces from Goodwill Southern California to create last-minute Halloween costumes this year.
What’s your favorite treasure you’ve found while thrifting?
Let us know down below!
Visit Mr. and Mrs. Halloween for horror news and Halloween treats throughout the year!
For more, celebrate 365 with us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, & Instagram.