Getting the kids involved with the planning makes Halloween even more fun! Here are some activities that the kids will enjoy - you too!

Halloween can be such a fun time of year! Dressing up the kids, decorating the house, eating up the candy, and of course, seeing all the ghouls and goblins that come to the door begging for candy.

Here are some tricks to help you get organized for Halloween:

We love the idea of the homemade costume! Sure they may be into Superman this year and with rushing around it may seem easier to just go ahead on buy a costume, that's fine. But to, making costumes with the kids is the best way to bond and create real memories for both of you! Here are some simple ideas that you can probably make using items you have at home. Girls and boys can be dressed up in these outfits - or use your imagination with your child to create your own costume!

Kids toys are an inevitable part of the home front clutter, but you can take some steps to wrangle it in! First, make sure the toys have a home. If it's a chest in the family room, a basket in the den, a shelf in your child's closet; it can't be put away if it doesn't have a home. And perhaps you should consider toy storage in each of these places! So if the toy is in the family room, it can be put away in that storage bin!

Closets are always a challenge - which is why we hate to clean them out in the first place!

Here are the basics for your household Emergency Kit - but don't forget to create one for your vehicle as well! Use a plastic container large enough to hold all or most of these items and place it in an easily accessible location in or around your home.

It's great you want to make an emergency plan! Hurricanes, floods, fires, tornadoes, storms and earthquakes are just a few of the natural disasters that strike quickly and usually without much warning. Here are our suggestions on making an emergency plan:

It is important for kids to know they are a part of the family and keeping up the house is the family's responsibility - not just Mom or Dad's! Kids think chores are boring - and, well, they are. So maybe you change up your approach with your kids. Talk about responsibility and their role in the running of the family.

Before you go crazy trying to buy supplies and books, make sure you have what your kids will need from their school and teachers! These lists should be available to you so you purchase the right items for your kids classes. Check with your school before you shop! See if they also have any discounts with local retailers too!

Check out our free downloadable checklist (http://getbuttonedup.com/2010/07/tool-free-printable-back-to-school-checklist-form/) for getting ready for back to school. It will help you get organized in a sane way for that first day of school and starts a month before school and goes up to the first day.