October is here and that can only mean one thing! Halloween! If you are a Halloween junkie, it’s never too early to start decorating for the holiday! So run out to a pumpkin patch or your local grocery store and grab a few pumpkins to carve. Here are a few tips.

Keep it fresh: apply Vaseline onto the cut edges of your pumpkin to lock in moisture. Pumpkins shrivel up quickly, but Vaseline will add a few extra days into its shelf life.

Put it in water: another key to making your pumpkin last is to soak it in water for a few hours once every few days. Lack of moisture is the enemy, so keep it wet.

Use a template: most people aren’t pumpkin carving experts, so there is no shame in getting a template to help you out.