Four Ways To Try Thrifting Halloween Costumes This Year

This is Halloween, this is Halloween, everybody make a scene by thrifting Halloween costumes!

The Halloween season is fast approaching and while I’m still not certain how Covid will affect this years trick or treating fun, I know many of us are still preparing costumes for school and small parties. 

Are you a busy parent who would love to thrift a DIY costume for their kid but has no time? Maybe you’re looking for ways to make Halloween more environmentally friendly?

Here’s four ideas for thrifting Halloween costumes for your kids this year with little effort. 

1. Shop an online thrift store 

Since March 2020 hit the online world of thrifting has exploded with options. From apps like ThredUp still going strong to websites like Beeja May and giving us everything we need, shopping secondhand from home has never been easier. Using online thrift store platforms means being able to shop from home and have your treasures delivered directly to your doorstep – all while making an environmentally friendly choice for the holiday. 

Here are some of my favourite Canadian thrift shops offering thrifting Halloween costume options this year:

BEEJA MAY

LODE

2. Head to Facebook

Facebook might be just another social media app we aimlessly scroll – but it’s also an awesome resource for scoring secondhand items. There’s so many options for thrifting Halloween items on Facebook and my top suggestions are:

Your local Buy Nothing Group

Buy Nothing groups are my favourite trading platforms. They’re made to be specifically for your local neighbourhood or town, filled with your neighbours who live close by for easy pickups. The best part: everything is free! Simply scroll to see what people have posted or post your own ISO post and start costume hunting.

Local parenting groups

I’ll say it – parenting groups on Facebook can be some of the most toxic places I’ve visited and I can see the eyes rolling on this one. My suggestion: stick to very local parenting groups! I’m in a few and, much like Buy Nothing groups, there are many who have what you need on hand and are ready to lend out items, give them away for free or sell for a really cheap price. Already in a great parenting group? Don’t be shy about starting a costume swap within the group, too!

Facebook Marketplace 

Facebook Marketplace can be an adventure in itself but once October hits it’s always filled with costumes past ready for a new life. You might even find some Halloween decor to pick up at the same time!

3. Host a costume swap

Not picky about what costume they end up in? Attempting to get costumes for multiple kids at once? Host a costume swap! 

Costumes swaps can be a little more complicated when you add Covid into the mix, but I’ve seen some awesome online ones happening the last few years. There’s a yearly thread in one of our local parenting groups, some start a Facebook event for a specific day and time and others start a whole group dedicated solely to swapping costumes. 

If you live somewhere that you feel safe enough to host an in-person costume swap it’s easy to host one outdoors – a big backyard, at a local park or in the driveway. 

4. Head to your local thrift store

While stores like Value Village do a great job of bringing in a big selection of new products, most thrift stores also carry a wide variety of used costumes, accessories and decor options. If the costume you want isn’t there, or is missing pieces, you can always  take a browse through the store to find odds and ends to add to it. Grab a trick or treating bag, basket or bucket on your way out and you’re ready for a fun night! 

Halloween may be toted as a wasteful, useless holiday to some but as a major Halloween lover I think it’s all about finding simple, easy and more environmentally friendly ways to make Halloween fun. Getting secondhand costumes for you and/or your family is one small way to make a difference – and much cheaper usually, too. Be sure to carry on the secondhand vibes next year and giveaway, trade or donate your past Halloween costumes so someone else gets to give it a new life. 

Happy Thrifting this Halloween!

Be sure to check out some of my other Halloween and Thrifting posts:

EASY HALLOWEEN ACTIVITY ROUNDUP

CANADIAN THRIFT STORES FOR KIDS YOU CAN SHOP ONLINE

DIY HALLOWEEN SORTING GAME

Click the photo below to save this post on Pinterest!