Haunted Hallways ~ Consider Apartment Building Trick-or-Treating!

Where will you be trick-or-treating this Halloween? Have you considered taking your kids to an apartment building or  complex? Instead of a Haunted House, maybe they would enjoy a Haunted Hallway. Did you know that the Dallas/Fort Worth area is the fastest growing region in the country for apartments? According to Freddie Mac, DFW added more than 7,300 new units this year. That is impressive. There are many advantages to trick-or-treating at an apartment. I can remember my parents taking me up and down the hallways of the NYC apartment we lived in. Until I was 5 years old, that was all I knew. And there weren’t many elevators at that time — we walked up 13 stories to get to my grandmothers apartment. I can still remember the hallways decorated with flashing lights. It was a lot of fun. Rent.com knows everything there is it know about apartment buildings. They did some research and came up with a list of advantages to trick-or-treating at an apartment building this Halloween.

• Less Tricking, More Treating:   Apartment buildings have the potential for kids to grab a lot more treats in less time.   Hitting 10 apartments on  one floor is a lot faster than walking between 10 homes!  
• No More Bundle Up Blues:   There is nothing worst than having a great costume and having to cover it up with a coat because it’s too cold.   If you’re inside an apartment complex, chances are you won’t need a jacket.   No layers inside.
• Separation Anxiety, be Gone:     It’s really easy to lose track of your group or parents when going from house to house.   Inside the cozy halls of an apartment building, parents can spend less time worrying about getting separated and more time  having fun.
• Do Without the Danger Zone: There is also less traffic to worry about inside a building or complex.   So it’s much safer than walking the streets.
• Treating Then Retreating: With less time spent walking from house to house, more time can be spent at a Halloween party or just enjoying all the treats you collected.
• Host With the Most: And if you live  in a complex, why not host a fabulous fright fest in your apartment.   Encourage your neighbors to take part so trick-or-treaters have more to do than just grab candy.

Remember if you are thinking about going to an apartment building or complex you do not live in, call ahead to make sure that building welcomes guests.    I would hate for you to show up and be turned away because the apartment is not taking part in Halloween.

And if you live in an apartment and want to prepare for a “spooktacular”  Halloween, here are some tips Rent.com compiled for tenants.   This will generate a little excitement and participation from all your neighbors.

• Get Your Building on Board:  Post a note and sign-up sheet in the lobby of your building.    Be sure to include different tasks   allowing neighbors to volunteer for picking up things like candy, decorations or pumpkins.
• Confirm Candy Time:   There is nothing worse than turning in for the night and hearing a knock at your door.   Establish a start and end time for all trick-or-treaters.   Plan to open your doors early for the younger crowd.
• Share the News: If you live in a densely populated area, consider inviting neighboring apartment buildings to join in the fun.  
• Bring In the Kids: Notify everyone in your building including the doorman or lobby attendant to make sure they are on board.   They can also help turn away trick-or-treaters if it’s past the intended time.
• Lay the Ground Rules: Communication is the key to a successful Halloween.   There may be some neighbors who don’t want to participate.   Make sure you hang signs on the doors of those apartments that are giving out candy.   And if you will not be home, but want to join in the fun — consider leaving packaged candy outside your apartment for kids to grab.

Whether it be in an apartment complex or a housing development, Halloween is intended to be a night of fun.   It’s also about creating memories for your children.   I’m really glad to have the memories of wearing my wonder woman mask and plastic body costume and collecting candy in my little plastic pumpkin head!   I wouldn’t change a thing.