TL;DR
Get furniture and decor delivered free — and shop member deals
- Fast, free delivery on millions of items
- Access to Prime Big Deal Days deals on October 6–7
- Prime Video, Amazon Music and more included
An Ideal Home report says professional organisers recommend decluttering four areas in October: Halloween decorations, wardrobes, baking supplies and home medicines. Their advice includes checking dates and condition, making unused items easier to find, and taking unwanted medicines to a pharmacy for safe disposal.
Professional organisers quoted by Ideal Home recommend using October to sort Halloween decorations, wardrobes, baking supplies and home medicines before colder weather and the busier holiday period. The suggestions are practical household advice, not a formal health or safety directive, and focus on removing unused or expired items and making what remains easier to find.
For Halloween decorations, Shannon Murphy, founder of Simpl Living Co, advises checking for items that have gone unused for several years, are broken or no longer fit the household’s taste. She says decorations in good condition can be donated while there is still time for someone else to use or sell them ahead of Halloween. The recommendation is to review what is already owned before buying more.
Murphy also suggests sorting wardrobes as seasonal clothing is put away and warmer clothes come out. She recommends considering whether summer items were comfortable, fit well and were actually worn. Reviewing those choices while the season is recent may help people decide whether to keep clothes for next year or pass them on.
Rebecca Crayford, founder of lifestyle management business RCLM, recommends checking use-by dates in baking cupboards and removing ingredients that are unlikely to be used. She also advises arranging supplies so people can see what they have, reducing the chance of buying duplicate packets. For medicine drawers, Crayford says to check expiry dates, group similar products and take unwanted or expired medicines to a local pharmacy for safe disposal rather than putting them in household rubbish or flushing them away.
Four Areas to Sort Before Winter
The suggestions address common seasonal changes: Halloween items are in use now, wardrobes are shifting from summer to colder-weather clothing, and baking supplies may see more use as people spend time indoors. A review can also make household items easier to locate when needed, particularly medicines during cold and flu season.
The practical benefit depends on each household’s needs; the report does not present measured savings or health outcomes. Its central point is that a short check of items already at home can help prevent storing things no longer wanted, overlooking expired ingredients or medicine, and purchasing supplies that are already available.
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
Why October Is the Suggested Time
Ideal Home frames October as a useful point between the end of summer and the colder months. Seasonal clothes are being swapped, Halloween decorations are timely, and households may be preparing for more indoor activities. The report says getting ahead before the holiday period can make home organisation easier, but it does not prescribe a single method or schedule.
The article attributes its recommendations to Murphy and Crayford, whose work involves professional organising and decluttering. It also mentions broader wardrobe methods and storage products, but those are separate suggestions rather than necessary steps in the four-part checklist.
“Take a look at what you have and consider whether there are decorations you haven’t used for a couple of years, are broken or no longer suit your taste.”
— Shannon Murphy, founder of Simpl Living Co, quoted by Ideal Home
Advice, Not a Required Checklist
The report does not provide research comparing October decluttering with other times of year, or quantify the time or money people might save. It also does not specify local rules for medicine disposal; its general recommendation is to ask a local pharmacy to take unwanted or expired medicines. Households should follow the instructions for their own products and any local disposal guidance.
Whether an item should be kept, donated or discarded depends on its condition and the household’s circumstances. The article does not say that every household has all four areas to sort, or that decluttering them will prevent illness or other seasonal problems.
A Seasonal Check at Home
The next steps in the report are household decisions rather than scheduled public developments: inspect decorations before Halloween, assess summer clothes while memories of wearing them are fresh, check baking ingredients before stocking up, and review medicine dates and storage. People who find expired or unwanted medicines can contact a local pharmacy about safe disposal.
Ideal Home’s article offers these actions as preparation for colder months, with no later announcement or formal follow-up identified in the source material.
Key Questions
What four things do organisers recommend decluttering in October?
The report names Halloween decorations, wardrobes, baking supplies and home medicines.
What should I check when sorting Halloween decorations?
Shannon Murphy recommends checking whether decorations are broken, unused for a couple of years or no longer to your taste. She says items in good condition that you do not want could be donated.
How should expired medicines be disposed of?
Rebecca Crayford advises taking unwanted or expired medicines to a local pharmacy for safe disposal, rather than putting them in the bin or flushing them. Check local guidance if you are unsure.
Why sort baking supplies before winter?
The report links October with more indoor baking and recommends checking use-by dates, removing ingredients you will not use, and arranging supplies so existing items are visible. That can help people spot duplicate or half-used packets before shopping.
Source: rss
Halloween Picks
halloween
As an affiliate, we earn on qualifying purchases.
