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I did something a little drastic this Halloween.

I got rid of almost ALL my Halloween decorations.

And when I say almost all, I mean I went from approximately eight storage bins of Halloween decor down to TWO.

Eight. To. Two.

And honestly? I don’t regret getting rid of a single thing.

But here’s the problem.

Now my house doesn’t really feel like Halloween.

And I’m not entirely sure how I feel about that.

It All Started With Our Great Summer Cleanout

If you’ve been following along here on Pretty Current, you know that this summer we went on a MAJOR decluttering and organization spree.

We tackled everything.

The garage, the linen closet, our son’s closet, our family command center. Basically, if something had been sitting around collecting dust or taking up space for absolutely no reason, it was probably on its way out.

And it felt SO GOOD.

I shared quite a bit about the process in my posts about organizing our garage, decluttering our linen closet, organizing our son’s closet, and creating our family command center.

But there was one area we never really finished.

The holiday decorations.

We had SO MANY bins of seasonal decor stored in our garage, and by the time we finally got around to dealing with that area, school was starting and we simply ran out of time.

There was no way I was going to pull down every single Christmas, Halloween, Easter, and miscellaneous holiday bin and sort through all of it at once.

So we made a deal.

We would go through our seasonal decorations one holiday at a time.

Pull everything out, decide what we actually wanted to keep, and get rid of the rest before putting anything back into storage.

Simple enough, right?

Well, Halloween was first.

And apparently, I had been holding on to an entire decorating personality I no longer identified with.

Eight Bins of Halloween Decorations. EIGHT.

When we pulled everything down from the garage, I was honestly a little overwhelmed.

I knew I had a lot of Halloween decorations, but seeing all eight bins together was a bit ridiculous.

And once I started opening them, I realized just how much my decorating style had changed.

For years, I was really into the farmhouse decorating trend.

When we remodeled our kitchen, farmhouse decor was EVERYWHERE. I liked the cozy feeling of it, although I tried to balance things out with more industrial elements because I didn’t want our house to feel overly feminine.

But somewhere along the way, I accumulated a whole lot of farmhouse decorations.

Signs with words on them.

Pumpkins with words on them.

Cute little seasonal figures.

And GNOMES.

SO. MANY. GNOMES.

Listen, I know people love gnomes, and that’s totally fine.

But I am officially over the gnomes.

I used to put together this enormous Halloween and fall centerpiece on our dining room table with pumpkins, stacked decorations, little witches, and all kinds of seasonal things. And this was just the kitchen table!

And at the time, I genuinely liked it.

But looking at those decorations now?

Absolutely not.

I couldn’t picture any of it in my home anymore.

My Decorating Style Has Changed, and My Halloween Decor Hasn’t

Over the last couple of years, I’ve been slowly moving away from farmhouse decor and toward a much moodier, more collected style.

Think dark academia, antique books, old artwork, interesting objects, deeper paint colors, and pieces that actually mean something to our family.

I’ve already written about how I started creating a dark academia home using decor I already owned, so I won’t repeat that entire journey here.

But the important thing is that I’ve finally started creating a home that feels like ME.

Not a home that looks like I bought everything from the same display at a home decor store.

And once I started looking at my Halloween decorations through that lens, I realized how many things I’d been keeping simply because I’d always had them.

Not because I loved them.

Not because they were sentimental.

Not even because I particularly wanted to display them.

They were just there.

Taking up space in the garage for eleven months out of the year.

And that seemed like a pretty silly reason to keep them.

I Donated Almost Everything Before I Could Change My Mind

Once I decided something wasn’t staying, I didn’t spend a lot of time debating it.

I pulled everything out, looked at each piece, and asked myself whether I could actually picture displaying it in my home.

If the answer was no, it went into the donation pile.

And then I took it to Goodwill.

Quickly.

Because I know myself.

If I let those bags and boxes sit around long enough, I would eventually start thinking:

Well, maybe I could use that pumpkin somewhere.

Maybe that sign isn’t THAT bad.

Maybe I’ll want those gnomes again someday.

NOPE.

Out of the house.

I kept the Halloween decorations I genuinely loved and could see myself using again.

And when everything was sorted, I was absolutely shocked.

My eight bins of Halloween decor had become two.

TWO!

I had gotten rid of approximately 75% of my Halloween decorations.

And the strangest part?

I didn’t miss any of the stuff I donated.

Not one single gnome.

But Then I Realized My House Didn’t Feel Like Halloween

Here’s where things got a little complicated.

Normally, I start decorating for fall and Halloween in early September.

I love fall, and I like having the decorations up long enough to actually enjoy them.

But this year, between our schedules and everything else going on, we didn’t even get the decorations down until October 1.

And then we were gone for a week.

So by the time I finally started thinking seriously about decorating, Halloween was already well underway.

I went all out decorating our front porch, just like I normally do.

And honestly, I loved it.

The outside of our house felt festive and fun.

But the inside?

Not so much.

I put out a couple of Halloween signs near the entryway.

And that was pretty much it.

My husband and son didn’t really say much about it. I think having the front porch decorated helped, and we were so late getting everything out this year that nobody seemed particularly bothered.

But I noticed.

I would look around our house and feel a little sad.

Because while I didn’t miss the decorations themselves, I DID miss having a house that felt festive.

And I hadn’t expected that.

I Want a Moody, Vintage Halloween. But Where Do I Even Start?

I started looking at Halloween decorating inspiration online, trying to figure out what I actually wanted.

And I found myself drawn to a completely different kind of Halloween decor.

Black ravens perched on antique books.

Brass candlesticks with long taper candles.

Old framed artwork.

Bare branches, vintage-looking pumpkins, and a few carefully placed cobwebs.

Things that look like they belong in an old Victorian house or a slightly haunted library.

And I LOVE that look.

It’s moody. It’s interesting. It’s a little spooky without being cartoonish. And most importantly….gnome free.

It also feels much more in line with the way I’m decorating our home now.

But here’s the thing.

When I look at those beautiful inspiration photos, I also wonder whether they’re festive enough.

They’re gorgeous little displays, but sometimes they feel almost too understated.

I don’t necessarily want my house to look like Halloween threw up all over it.

But I also don’t want to look around and wonder whether anyone even knows it’s October.

Apparently, finding that middle ground is harder than I expected.

I Don’t Want to Replace Everything With More Stuff

The obvious solution would be to go shopping.

Get rid of the old decorations, buy a bunch of new dark academia Halloween decorations, and call it a day.

Except that’s exactly what I DON’T want to do.

I’ve spent so much time getting rid of things we don’t need and trying to make our home feel more personal.

The last thing I want is to replace eight bins of farmhouse Halloween decorations with eight bins of trendy gothic Halloween decorations.

Because what happens when I get tired of those, too?

I also don’t want everything to look like it came straight from a big-box store.

There’s nothing wrong with finding something you love at Hobby Lobby or another home decor store. I’ve certainly bought plenty of things there over the years.

But I’m trying to move away from buying decorations just because they fit a particular trend.

I want pieces that feel collected.

Things with character.

Things I might find at an antique shop, a thrift store, or somewhere unexpected.

And ideally, things that aren’t ridiculously expensive.

The problem is that finding those kinds of pieces takes TIME.

And honestly, the thought of hunting down an entirely new collection of holiday decorations feels a little overwhelming.

Especially when I just spent an entire summer getting rid of stuff.

Dark Academia Halloween Decor I’m Eyeing on Amazon

Now, just because I’m not rushing out to replace all my Halloween decorations doesn’t mean I haven’t been looking.

Because OF COURSE I’ve been looking. 😂

I’ve been saving ideas for pieces that might work with the darker, more collected style I’m trying to create.

And while I love the idea of finding one-of-a-kind treasures at antique shops, I’m also realistic. Sometimes Amazon has something that looks beautiful, fits the budget, and works with what I already own.

I’m trying to be much more selective about what I bring into our home, though.

Here are a few things I’m considering.

1. Vintage-Style Candlesticks

I love the idea of mixing brass or black candlesticks with my existing books, artwork, and other decorative pieces.

They’re not exclusively Halloween decorations, either. I could use them throughout the year and make them feel spooky with black taper candles in October.

2. Black Ravens and Crows

Something about a black raven sitting on a stack of antique books just screams dark academia Halloween to me.

I could picture one on a bookshelf or tucked into a display with some old framed artwork.

And unlike my old Halloween gnomes, I think a raven could actually work with my everyday decor.

3. Vintage-Looking Halloween Artwork

I think this might be one of the easiest ways to bring Halloween into my home without completely changing my decor.

I already love displaying artwork, so adding a small vintage-inspired Halloween print in an antique-looking frame feels like a natural fit.

Maybe something a little spooky, but still beautiful enough that I actually WANT to look at it.

4. Moody Pumpkins in Darker Colors

I’m not completely giving up pumpkins.

I’m just giving up pumpkins with words written all over them. 😂

I’d love to find a few smaller pumpkins in black, deep brown, muted orange, or aged metallic finishes.

Something that feels more like a beautiful decorative object and less like a seasonal sign.

5. Old-World Lanterns

I love the warm glow of candlelight, especially in fall.

A vintage-looking lantern could be beautiful on a console table or as part of a larger Halloween arrangement.

And again, it’s something I could potentially use throughout the year instead of packing it away every November.

You could even pair it with some black flameless candles!

I’m not planning to buy everything on this list.

Honestly, I might not buy ANY of it this year.

But these are the kinds of pieces I’m drawn to as I figure out how to make Halloween feel festive again without filling my garage back up with decorations I don’t love.

And if I can find something similar at an antique shop or thrift store? Even better.

Maybe My Halloween Decorations Don’t Have to Be Finished This Year

I keep coming back to this idea that maybe I don’t need to figure it all out immediately.

Maybe it’s okay that my Halloween decorations look a little sparse this year.

Maybe I find one really beautiful vintage-looking piece that I love and add it to my collection.

And maybe next year I find another.

Instead of filling an entire table with decorations just because I have them, maybe I start creating smaller displays using things I already own.

My books.

My artwork.

My candlesticks.

A few pumpkins or Halloween pieces mixed in.

I love the idea of Halloween decorations feeling like a natural extension of my home rather than an entirely different decorating style that takes over for two months.

But I also want to be realistic.

I don’t have this figured out yet.

I’m still trying to decide what feels festive enough, what feels like me, and how to make those two things work together.

And that’s okay.

And Now I’m a Little Worried About Christmas

Here’s the other thing that’s been on my mind.

Christmas is coming.

And if you think I had a lot of Halloween decorations, you should see the Christmas bins.

I haven’t started going through them yet, but I already know there are things in there that don’t really fit my decorating style anymore.

And unlike Halloween, Christmas comes with even more traditions and memories.

I love having a festive home during the holidays.

My husband and son do, too.

So I’m a little nervous that I’m going to run into exactly the same problem.

I’ll get rid of all the things I no longer love, feel fantastic about having less stuff, and then stand in the middle of my living room wondering why it doesn’t feel like Christmas.

I’m hoping I can find a better balance.

Keep the decorations that matter to us.

Let go of the things we’ve outgrown.

And find ways to make our home feel festive without completely losing the style I’ve worked so hard to create.

But we’ll see.

That might be an entirely different blog post.

Sometimes Decluttering Is the Easy Part

I never expected getting rid of Halloween decorations to make me think so much about my home.

I thought I’d sort through a few bins, donate the things I didn’t want, organize what was left, and move on.

And technically, that’s exactly what I did.

Eight bins became two.

My garage has more space.

I don’t have to store a bunch of decorations I don’t even like.

And I don’t regret getting rid of any of it.

But I’m also realizing that changing your decorating style isn’t always as simple as getting rid of the old and bringing in the new.

Sometimes there’s an awkward middle stage where you know what you DON’T want, but you’re still figuring out what you DO want.

And that’s where I am right now.

I want a home that feels collected, personal, cozy, and a little moody.

I also want it to feel festive when the holidays roll around.

I’m just not entirely sure what that combination looks like yet.

So for now, I’m keeping my two bins of Halloween decorations, enjoying the front porch we decorated, and giving myself permission to figure out the rest over time.

And maybe that’s not such a bad thing.

After all, I’d rather spend a few years collecting holiday decorations I genuinely love than fill my garage back up with things I’ll be donating five years from now.

Now I’m curious: Have you ever completely changed your decorating style and realized your holiday decorations didn’t fit anymore? Did you start over, or find ways to make your old decorations work?

Because I could definitely use some inspiration before we tackle Christmas. 😂

Shop My Favorite Dark Academia Halloween Decor Finds on Amazon 🖤

Looking for a little moody Halloween inspiration of your own? I’ve rounded up some of my favorite dark academia Halloween decor finds on Amazon, from vintage-inspired candlesticks and spooky ravens to gothic accents and old-world pieces that can work long after Halloween is over.

I’m still building my own collection, but these are the kinds of pieces I have my eye on as I create a more collected, vintage-inspired Halloween look.

SHOP ALL MY FAVORITE DARK ACADEMIA HALLOWEEN DECOR FINDS ON AMAZON