It’s always fun to meet all of the kids in our community
on Halloween. When I lived in a high-rise, residents enjoyed decorating their
entries with pumpkins and spooky decor.
We’ve all walked or driven by that home or apartment
where the resident has decided to see how long it will take for the pumpkin to
disintegrate, or they have simply forgotten about the vegetable and it makes a
mess at their front door. It’s unsanitary as it attracts bugs and critters that
will eventually come to feast.
The holidays in the coming weeks mean many of us will
start to transform our homes with door wreaths, lights, blowups and more. For
renters, there may be additional considerations related to where and for how
long one can hang decorations. Many communities keep strict guidelines about
the lights and decorations permitted on outdoor spaces like balconies. Lights
that blink on and off all night may disturb your neighbors. Blowups or motion
sensor holiday decorations may need to be set on timers to limit the hours they
entertain your neighbors. Most of the rules in a community tend to be practical
and are meant to be “good neighbor” policies.
Hanging holiday lights inside, particularly near curtains,
should be carefully monitored to be sure they aren’t touching fabric or
anything that could become a fire hazard.