Free Halloween Costume Ideas Using Household Trash
Grocery cart – this free Halloween costume idea will require several items of non-perishable products (old deodorant bottles, shampoo bottles, water bottles, cereal boxes with inserts removed, macaroni and cheese boxes, etc.) , a large brown box, some foil and a piece of wood. You will also need some old rope or strings, a black marker, cable ties, some scrap wood, glue and tape.
To start, clean out all contents of desired grocery items to ensure proper sanitation. Now take the large box and cut openings for the feet at the bottom. Using a marker, draw in 1″ x 1″ cubes to simulate the holes in the wire of the cart and cover the entire sides of the box with this technique. Taping the foil to the box is the suggested method for securing the foil, as it is clear.
For the cart’s handle, you will want to make it to face outward, not towards the person wearing it. Using some old wood or cardboard lying around, glue three pieces together (2 sides and one handlebar) to both each other and to the box. For added security, cut some holes inside of the box and secure the handle with cable ties. The cart’s handle is now ready to be wrapped in foil and/or scrap paper. Note: if foil is not available for project, use some old gift-wrap. To do this place printed side of gift wrap face-down and draw 1″x1″ “cart squares” on the blank side of the paper. To keep the cart up, secure it with homemade straps composed out of any of the following: old socks, large store-purchase plastic bags that have been twisted to simulate straps, or some old rope. Be sure to secure these inside of the box. To do this, you will need to make a small hole inside of the box and place the strap inside. Next, knot the strap inside of the box making sure the knot is bigger than the hole. It may take several knots, however when completed, there should be four knotted corners inside of the box.
Finally, it is time to install the trash. Small items like old packs of gum or lightweight wrappers can be secured to the straps using glue or staples. Other larger items can be placed in the top of the cart where the opening for the head is. Additionally, others can be secured to the handlebars with string and placed in the top opening.
Bag of groceries – While not as large, a scaled-down version of this free Halloween costume can be modified for small children using a paper grocery bag. Straps, old grocery items, and the brown bag will create the costume of a bag of groceries, and due to its smaller size, works best for children under 3′ in height. When the bottom of the bag is removed to make way for the child’s feet, be sure to save it. This piece can be used as the “topper” going on the child’s head secured with bobby pins.
This free Halloween costume is created similar to the cart idea, and all grocery items are placed either inside of the bag or secured to the straps. A word of caution about the grocery bag idea though – be sure to keep this costume dry, as water and paper grocery bags do no mix well together.
