Friends and fellow fall lovers, the time is here: Halloween mini tote bags are back at Trader Joe’s. Fans of TJ’s, tote bags, and spooky season alike have been eagerly awaiting this seasonal product drop, and this week, the grocery store chain delivered. But this year, it’s not enough to just get your hands on a Trader Joe’s Halloween mini tote — now, the cool thing to do is have it customized.
Arriving in stores on Sept. 30, this season’s batch of mini totes looks largely the same as last year’s collection: The bags are 13 inches long and 11 inches tall, with about 6 inches of depth (the perfect size for dorm room trick-or-treating, IMO). The bags come in four colorways: purple with a green logo, black with an orange logo, and two different multicolored options featuring purple, green, black, and orange.
As with past mini tote releases, users flooded social media with videos of people lining up to get their hands on these new bags. From the looks of it, most stores enacted a four-tote maximum for each customer — which may be why, unlike with other viral product releases, it seems like most customers actually walked away with what they wanted.
But if everyone is seemingly able to get a tote this year… how will you ensure yours stands out? Well, that’s where customizing comes in. Diehard tote-owners are taking their tote ownership to the next level by not only rocking their Halloween totes, but fully making them their own: embroidering their names on them, painting them, and more. If you want to join in on the festive fun and customize your own Trader Joe’s Halloween mini tote, here are some ideas to spark your creativity.
- Paint It
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Whether you want to paint a full masterpiece or just add some fun little details, your bag is your canvas (literally, it’s made of canvas). You can pull inspiration from your favorite Halloween movie, your favorite spooky season motifs, or even just paint on your name. No matter your skill level, this is a fun way to get artsy and add some personality to your tote.
- Add Bag Charms
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One of the easiest ways to ensure your tote stands out is to clip on some bag charms — and it takes no time at all while making a big impact. Use whatever charms you already have, or pick up some new ones to match your Halloween aesthetic. The best part? You don’t have to stick to one look — swap out your bag charms based on your outfit or mood anytime you want!
- Add Patches
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Calling all former Girl Scouts: If you loved adding patches to your Brownies vest back in the day, this may be the craft for you. Find some cute patches that match your vibe, and sew, glue, or iron them onto your bag for a nostalgic, whimsical look.
- Tie On A Scarf
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Who said shopping totes can’t be fashionable? If you’re going for an elevated look, grab your favorite scarf, wrap it around the handle of your bag, and voila: you’ve just upgraded your tote in two minutes flat.
- Iron-On Stickers
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Last but certainly not least, you can grab some iron-on stickers and go wild! Stick to a specific theme (like black cats — very Halloween-y) or get creative with whatever stickers speak to you the most. You really can’t go wrong!