With Halloween approaching quickly, in 34 days to be exact, we wanted to share a spooktastic Halloween DIY project with you! Some people like “tricks” and some people like “treats”—well we are here to tell you that “treats” are our favorite!

We put together a Halloween pedicure kit that is sure to be a favorite to share with friends, include in neighborhood “Boo Baskets” and goodies for Halloween sleepovers.

Here is what you need to create this boo-tiful “treat” for your toes:

• 1 bottle of orange nail polish
• 1 orange nail brush
• 1 set of orange nail clippers
• 1 set of orange toe separators
• Black crinkle paper
• String
• Halloween printable
• Box or bag to put in all in

Using our ornate purse box, we assembled one side of the box in preparation to place the items inside. We then attached a “Smell My Feet” tag (using the provided printable) to the handle with a piece of black and white twine.


Continue assembling the kit by placing some black crinkle paper on the bottom of the box. Next line up the pedicure items on top of the crinkle paper and secure the box closed on the open side.

Finish by attaching the tag to the handle of the box.


Now your kits are done and ready to share with some of your ghoulish friends!

At ClearBags, we believe in getting the most bang for your buck. It’s not only a wise course of action but necessary for a successful, thriving business. When it comes to packaging costs, saving a nickel here or a dime there can amount to dollars later, dollars you can apply to growing your business in other areas.

A little business savvy, mindful ordering practices, and some forward thinking may very well provide the jump-start you need to take your business to the next level. Let’s break it down in a way that makes sense and, most importantly, in a way that will save YOU some cents.

While some may say packaging costs a pretty penny, we have five tips for you that will save your money over time.

Tip # 1: Consider Flexible Packaging

Every product requires a package. We rely on packaging to provide necessary labeling and protect the products that we use. Unless you are personally delivering your product directly into the hands of your customers, your product needs packaging. You could use a box, a bag or perhaps even a glass jar to package your product. The question is which of these options will help save you money?

A product like bath salts, for example, could be packaged in a glass jar or in a clear stand-up pouch. The stand-up pouch option offers some clear advantages.

The lightweight material of the stand-up pouch material weighs less and, thus, costs less to ship. A stand-up pouch made from quality material offers a durable, puncture-resistant option that protects your product so that it may arrive safely into the hands of your customers.

The material of the stand-up pouch readily conforms to the shape of the bath salts so this product is easier to store. It takes up less space in your warehouse and on a retailer’s shelf allowing more products for your customers to buy.

A stand-up pouch offers great shelf appeal as well. Customers often choose a product based on how a package looks and feels. A clear stand-up pouch showcases your product, inviting customers to see the color and consistency of the bath salts before they buy it. There is plenty of available space on the package for your company branding to draw in customers. Flexible packaging packs your product with an emotional punch that is a win-win for you and your customers.

Tip #2: Take Advantage of Price Breaks with Bulk Ordering

While flexible packaging has clear benefits, buying in bulk is another way to save on your packaging costs. For example, maybe what you need is 800 plastic bags for your product, so you play it safe and order exactly 800 bags. That’s what you need after all. Consider ordering a little more to get a much-deserved price break. Let’s look at this example with one of our flap seal bags (B75). The breakdown for pricing is as follows:
Here, the customer is saving $18.00 and getting an additional 200 bags. A penny saved is a penny earned. If you put some planning in place and increase your ordering quantities in these slight amounts, you stand to save dollars over time and grow your business.

Tip #3: Try the One-Bag-Fits-All Approach 

Ordering stock bags in larger quantities guarantees price breaks. Another trick to saving money is to use one size of a stock bag to fit multiple products.

Say, for example, your business is cookies. You may have multiple types of cookies with similar sizes that require separate packaging. Ordering one bag size in a larger volume will reduce the number of SKUs and, consequently, give you price breaks. Ordering more bags does not guarantee price breaks when you have multiple SKUs. The key to getting those price breaks is to place an order with fewer SKUs.

Limiting your bag to one size will also reduce your printing costs (if you are printing) as well since each packaging size requires separate upfront, set-up and design costs. When your business really takes off and you can afford more elaborate designs, go for it. In the meantime, a focused approach with less packaging options is one solution for saving those nickels and dimes.

Tip #4: Start with Labels

A label can help distinguish your product branding and is a special part of packaging. You may already print you own sticker labeling from your home office or perhaps you haven’t even contemplated using them for your product. If you are experiencing an increase in volume of orders, outsourcing the printing and design of a label may be an opportunity for you to take your product to the next level with a more polished look.

Investing your resources in packaging may entice new customers you didn’t know existed. What kind of finishing will you choose? Matte, gloss or metallic? What about a fancy holographic image? Many websites offer design services at reasonable rates where you can obtain a professional look for a smidgen of the cost of a full-fledged creative service.

You can minimize your design costs by limiting the number of colors in the design. While this is important, you may also want to weigh the value of capturing the true essence of your brand and what it represents going forward.

A great way to trim your labeling costs is to start with a single-sided label. While food products require specific, nutritional labeling, a single-sided label can work for other products. Stationery and photography come to mind.

In time and with increased volume, you may consider double-sided labels and employ a service to apply the labels to your product(s).

Just think, not too long ago, you were doing all the work of designing, printing, and applying labels. Now your product looks more polished and you have more time to spend on other areas of your business. Outsourcing the printing of your labels may be just the ticket for jump-starting your business and enticing new customers.

Is it really September already? Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas are right around the corner (and if you are a mega retailer, Black Friday and Cyber Monday too!). If you haven’t started preparing for the holiday season yet, you are cutting it close. Take some time this month to lock down the packaging you will need for the upcoming busy season.