- We've outgrown our trunk and now use a large trailer for our pumpkin haul!
- Handmade decorations, such as these bats cut out of black construction paper, offer a unique and stylish touch.
- Elevate your spooky decorations by adding flowers, branches, vines and other items that are found in nature.
- Our front porch boasts a collection of gourds, mums and jack-o-lanterns, festively welcoming visitors. Glowing jack-o-lanterns and colored outdoor lighting are a great and inexpensive way to make your home stand out this Halloween!
By Lauren Mingay
Team Leader, RRS
Last week, I had the privilege of golfing at the beautiful Fire Ridge Golf Course in Millersburg, OH. At the top of one of the rolling hills sat this beautiful oak tree basking in the sun and slowly shedding its leaves. As we made our way down the fairway, a sudden sweet fragrance hit me and took over. I recall asking the gentleman I was golfing with, “do you smell that?” I’m pretty sure he expected me to come back with something inappropriate as he looked at me in anticipation of the punch line, but I had him take another pause and breath it all in. Fall is in the air and for the next month, nature will be revealing her most amazing colors and fragrances throughout Ohio.
I was so excited to write this blog, even if my team are the only ones who will read it (that’s still a big fat maybe, too!) but as many of my close friends, family or even social media followers know, I’m a Fall/ Halloween Junkie. I can honestly say that I spend more time and money decorating for Fall/Halloween than all other holidays combined. I have found where the best mum and pumpkin deals are… which will be revealed below, so you have to keep reading. I have also learned that I must avoid certain sections in a store if I’m in a hurry because somehow, I get sucked in EVERYtime. And more importantly, I have been able to help my sellers make their homes look so amazing by using the elements of nature we experience in Ohio each Fall.
I have fond memories, which I will forever cherish, with my dear mother-in-law, Bette who would come visit our family in Ohio from Northern Michigan. We would drive up to the Panera Bread parking lot on Burbank Rd. in Wooster to score these incredibly massive mums. I believe they sold 3 for $12 at that time. We would then drive through the country looking for local pumpkin stands and fill the car with our favorite picks. When she and I would arrive home, the rest of the family would tease her, asking why she had to bring Ohio mums and pumpkins to Michigan. She might have only saved a few bucks, but the adventure and country drives are why we did it.
Recently, I found a new one-stop-shop that is a whole adventure of its own; I know Bette would have loved it! My friend TJ introduced me to the produce auction in West Salem. He probably wishes he wouldn’t have, because the last trip, we pulled a goose neck trailer that was completely full of 100’s of pumpkins and mums. We spend an entire evening at the auction, buying up pallets of pumpkins and mums in various shapes, colors and sizes. As a matter of fact, our next trip is coming up soon and I, for one, can’t wait!
Once we unload our purchases, my dear family (who thinkknow I’m totally nuts) help me spread them throughout our property, both inside and out. Don’t get me wrong, we decorate with a LOT of these items, but I also save several for my sisters and friends, and I really enjoy delivering them to our clients. An easy way to decorate for fall is to set a pumpkin or 2 beside your entryway and then scatter a few mums about, preferably at varying heights (use a chair or a stool, for example). I also like to accent with all sizes and colors of pumpkins throughout the house.
As I said before, Halloween is, hands down, my favorite holiday. I really don’t know how or when it started, but I have narrowed it down to the combination of my love of fall and also loving to throw killer parties! Last weekend, I unloaded tote after tote of various mummies, witches, skulls and more. After laying everything out in my living room, I knew I had to start with the basics. I ventured out into the night with my flashlight, searching through the woods to find the perfect tree branches. One by one, I drug massive old limbs into the living room and strategically placed them around our house. On my hunt, I came across an old metal fence that had dead vines and a few old branches sticking out. “Perfect!”, I thought, as I added it to the collection. After placing a few zombies, spiders, lights and other creepy items, it really started to take shape into another spectacular display, if I do say so myself! I’ve included this photo to show you how, for next to nothing, I was able to use the elements of nature from my own backyard to make my kitchen cabinets look “epic” (as my 11-yer-old would say) for Halloween.
I encourage all of you to spread the beauty of the season throughout your home, and I hope you’re able to spend some time this fall enjoying what mother nature has to offer. A hike through Wooster Memorial Park, a trip to the Pumpkin Patch, a bon-fire with some great friends, or just soaking in the sights, smells and sounds of fall. I wish you all a Happy Fall and a Freaky Halloween!