# So when do you start officially decorating?



## MissMandy (Apr 18, 2011)

Last year I decorated around now LOL But I'm trying not to this year. Although, I got a couple of blow molds from craigslist the other day and they're still in my living room


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## KellyC (Jun 16, 2012)

Oct 1st or the first weekend in Oct, and then keep adding stuff the whole month long


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## Deadna (Oct 19, 2002)

Same as always....I do it now because that's when the stuff hits the stores and when I bring it home it goes on a shelf/table immediately.
My neighbor gave me a lighted hutch back in april that has been filling up with yardsale items all summer


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## BlackFriday (Aug 24, 2011)

The last weekend of September


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## Scatterbrains (Nov 16, 2008)

Some of them are up year round....I figured this would fade away a couple years ago, but they're still there on each end of the sidewalk in front of the house


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## myerman82 (Aug 2, 2011)

I have some stuff up now. As I find new stuff in stores it goes up. I usually start to officially decorate the rest the last week of August. Each year I keep telling myself I won't go overboard inside but I never listen. LOL As soon as I unpack everything I want to put it all up.


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## sneakykid (Sep 19, 2010)

I try to do it within the first week of October because my roommates aren't as excited for Halloween as me. Also, while thinking about decorating and the holiday all through September, it gives me something to look forward to at the start of October. The anticipation is almost as fun and electrifying as the day itself.


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## KingCrabLegs 1.99LB (Jul 21, 2011)

I set up the last week of September!!


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## IowaGuy (Jul 30, 2012)

I'm taking the free advice given to me in one of my previous posts "Getting Attention". I'm gonna put some 'weather durable' props out Oct 1st and very very slowly add until probably the week of Halloween, then just slam our yard that Tuesday and Wednesday


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## Dark Passenger (Aug 22, 2011)

I keep things out year round, both on purpose and by accident. I still have two bats hanging from my porch because I forgot to cut them down, so I already have my first outside decorations of the year displayed. I'll continue with outside decorations on October first (so as not to annoy my landlord by breaking out my skeletons too early), but for the inside items, it starts in September.


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## matrixmom (Oct 29, 2010)

Second week of October...Im afraid its going to be a repeat of the torrential rain last year....and to prevent vandalism


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## witchymom (Oct 6, 2008)

last year the bug hit me in mid september (if not a little before)

going to try and be good and not put anything out till october this year lol


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## Trinity1 (Sep 5, 2009)

I have a few things out now in the house. I'll put more out as we get closer to Sept. What's out now if what I bought at the Yankee Candle Boney Bunch preview party....so as I get any new things I'll leave them out. I actually don't want to go too crazy with decorating this year. Normally I have a ton of string lights and what not and it gets kind of crazy. This year I'm going for the minimal but creepy affect.  We'll see what happens though, once I get started it can get pretty crazy pretty quickly.


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## vwgirl (Jul 16, 2012)

Right now my house looks like a haunt that exploded, we are in the middle of computer programming our singing skelly and building our cemetary columns. But the official start of inside decor goes up the second week in Sept. Out side goes up the first weekend in Oct.


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## kallie (Dec 4, 2007)

Last year I decorated about this time and this year I'm trying to hold off. I've been buying a few things here and there and just leaving them laying out, so I guess I'm unintentionally decorating I'm gonna try to hold off til the first week of September.


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## kallie (Dec 4, 2007)

Scatterbrains said:


> Some of them are up year round....I figured this would fade away a couple years ago, but they're still there on each end of the sidewalk in front of the house


Scatter, how'd you make that?


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## Madhatter00 (May 24, 2012)

I usually start decorating the inside of my house the first week of Oct. then during the month leading up to the big day, I decorate the outside. The more expensive items are usually the last to go out.


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## Darkpumpkin (Sep 17, 2008)

Usually around the second week of September. That way I have a chance to really appreciate everything until I have to put it away again. I have 5 totes full of stuff so it does take some time to set everything up.


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## BooToYouToo (Apr 24, 2011)

I used to start the inside in September, but a couple of years ago I got the flu and between being sick mid month and having no energy for the rest of September I didn't start until October. Then it felt like a job and I didn't enjoy it as much. Now I give myself permission to start in August so that I can slowly decorate (I haven't started yet) and get the most enjoyment out of it. I am thinking of starting this weekend 

The outside gets done in October so that we don't look like total freaks!


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## Shadowbat (Sep 27, 2009)

week after Labor Day.


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## hauntedsparks (Sep 9, 2010)

I will start putting out some fall decorations in August. For example I have a bowl of moss balls on my dining room table that I've already added some wooden acorns to for some fall spirit. After Sept 1st I start decorating the inside of the house for Halloween. I'm working Labor Day weekend this year though, so it will probably end up being the next weekend before I can start hauling out decoration boxes. I'll gradually put up all of my indoor decorations/finish projects throughout September.

The first weekend in October I plan to decorate the windows facing the street and will start adding to outdoor decor throughout the month. I want to have skeletons climbing up the front of my house this year, which I probably won't do until the day of because I'm afraid one of my neighbors will complain to the HOA. We're not supposed to "excessively" decorate, lol.


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## Lisaloo (Sep 27, 2011)

I just pulled all of my indoor stuff down out of the attic this past Sunday. I'm going to try to hold out until the middle of September since it seems I can't properly clean some areas when everything is fully set up and that starts to get on my nerves about the middle of October. I really cannot wait though, it was such a treat going through all the boxes and bins this past weekend and remembering all the goodies I picked up last year on clearance!

We won't put anything outside until probably the second week in October.


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## MrNightmare (Mar 2, 2009)

I start decorating the inside of the house the weekend after Labor Day.


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## Halloween Scream (Sep 29, 2010)

MrNightmare said:


> I start decorating the inside of the house the weekend after Labor Day.


Exactly the same here! We'll pull out our tubs after Labor Day weekend and put up the inside decorations. Some things, like the DIa De Los Muertos dispay that completely takes over my husband's office, don't get put up until closer to Halloween. October first a few outdoor decorations go up, and we slowly add them throughout the month. I anticipate everything being done early this year due to getting ready for a baby on top of the holidays!


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## Midnite Spookshow (Jan 25, 2012)

Last year was a mess, it was first time trying to make my own stuff so we didn't end up getting our outside deocrations up until 2 and 1/2 weeks into October. This year, I am going to be much better prepared  I plan on decorating the inside the 3rd week of September and the outside the last week of September. I always end up buying more stuff and just keep adding as I purchase  I wish I could do it now but I just have to wait! lol I'm too excited


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## Kardec251985 (Jul 25, 2012)

I have some autumn decorations out now but will be putting my Halloween decorations up the 3rd week of September, per my husband's advice. Last year on November 1st I heard "where are all of the decorations going? They haven't been up long enough!" so I'll get a small a head start this year. Decorations will go up on my deck in October once my creeping flowers that cover the bannisters die for the season.


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## frogkid11 (Aug 6, 2012)

Scatterbrains said:


> Some of them are up year round....I figured this would fade away a couple years ago, but they're still there on each end of the sidewalk in front of the house


WOW!!!! Were those zombies painted on? They look fantastic!!!!!


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## chinclub (Oct 6, 2011)

Last year I started Oct. 1 and I went all out inside and out. It took almost the whole month to get it all done. Due to some schedule issues our Halloween party this year will be Oct 12.  So I loose half of the month. I guess I will have to start Mid Sept really getting serious. I am in the middle of heavy prop building right now and I don't want to go to the attic so new stuff just finds a place around the house. I have had a decayed nanny sitting at my kitchen table for over a week. Its funny to see reactions and double takes when people come over since she isn't expected this time of year.


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## Paint It Black (Sep 15, 2011)

Usually start Oct. 1 and add to the display every day. This year I'm not sure. This is the first year I have built things ahead of time, instead of just during October. I have things stacked up in the office and garage, ready to go, and just a few more builds to go. I still like the idea of adding things to the outdoor display little by little throughout the month, so the neighborhood kids get to see something new when they come by to check it out.


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## sookie (Sep 19, 2010)

The first weekend of October is when I put my stuff out usually

But since the first one is later this year I may start around Thursday Oct 4


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## Ophelia (Nov 3, 2009)

I'll probably start putting up my autumn decorations this week. It's probably the only thing that will keep me from putting up my Halloween stuff right now!

Normally, I do autumn in Sept., then indoor Halloween items the first week of Oct., with the outdoor the last week of Oct. Once Halloween is over, the outdoor decorations get packed up that night, and the rest of the indoor throughout the next week. I leave the autumn decorations up through Thanksgiving.

This year is going to be different, as we're also expecting a new addition to the family. Ours is due at the end of Sept., though. So, between that and my urge to decorate, I'll probably move everything up by about two weeks. Autumn this week, like I said, with indoor Halloween in mid-Sept., and outdoor when my in-laws are visiting in mid-October(free labor!). That's the ideal timeline, obviously!


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## jenlea81 (Aug 13, 2012)

I usually have hubs take down everything "so i can just see what i have" Labor Day. The inside gets decorated for autumn/halloween the next day (or sometimes that day lol). Outside I do autumn the day after Labor Day. Oct. 1st all Halloween outdoor decorations go up. I'm a little bummed because our house is going up for sale so I'm not going to be able to decorate much. Cross your fingers it sells asap and I'm in a new place by Oct. 1st!!!!


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## xPUMPKiNxKiNGx (Jul 5, 2012)

I put up my decorations on Halloween day. That way the props don't get damaged from wind or rain. And I take them down that night around 11pm after the trick-o-treaters have all came and left. This is to avoid theft. Fortunately, in my 12 years of decorating for Halloween I've only had one small prop stolen, so I would say pretty good luck so far.....


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## KimmyBlanks (Oct 12, 2008)

In my home it's like a Halloween museum all year. I have my Halloween stuff up all year round and just continue to add to it. As for the outside I start to add things at the end of September


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## KingCrabLegs 1.99LB (Jul 21, 2011)

what i did last year that got a lot of attention was running my fogger the whole month of October for a few hours a day. I live at the end of the a cul de sac and out street is pretty busy but before you get to the end there's another street where cars turn at so they don't really make it to the end. So i was trying to think of a way to get them to past by and see the house and what better way then with fogg they see it and are like hmmm whats that then Bam you see the whole house done up.. Also i have a neighbor whos at the end of the cul de sac who decorates there yard so it helps them out too..


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## James B. (Oct 8, 2009)

I am going to start the last weekend in September this year, it being the 29th and 30th. I have plans for the weekends following that.


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## Spooky_Girl1980 (Jul 12, 2010)

I'll start pulling out boxes and tubes in the next two weeks and start as soon as labor day weekend is over. I may start inside a little early this year seeing that I'm working now(Whoo Hoo more money for Halloween decor!!)


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## HALLOWEENTOWN3110 (Aug 5, 2012)

i normally start putting my decorations up on the 1st of october......


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## GhostTown (Jul 6, 2011)

We lightly start a fall theme in September. Mums, gourds, un-carved pumpkins, fall decor. First week of October the corn begins to go up around light posts what not as well as setting out some foam pumpkins and a few other mild Halloween things. Second week of October it's no-holds-barred.


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## Halstaff (Nov 8, 2009)

I'm starting extra early this year as I'm hosting our local make and take next Sunday and I want some things out. I'll probably use the new props I've completed for this year and then just leave them out. I'll pull a few of the tubs with indoor decorations out on Saturday and add some things inside as well. With my long to do list for this year almost completed, it will be a nice reward to start celebrating early!


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## Madame Leota (Sep 19, 2005)

I usually start the outdoor display on October 1 and indoor goes up whenever I feel like it. This year, I plan to keep indoor decor to a minimum, as I've spent the last few months repainting and redecorating every room of the house and I'd like to just enjoy it this way for a while. I plan to do my porch for fall right after labor day and the yard display will begin in October and slowly build throughout the month.


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## Ravenous222 (Dec 30, 2011)

Normally we start around the beginning to mid October to get everything done, but this year we've been going around all over the place buying props, finding deals, ect so we may end up starting earlier haha.


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## Defenestrator (Jul 27, 2009)

If past is prologue, I'll spend much of September trying to keep my wife from overdoing it inside as we get ready to host the party the Saturday before The Day. 

Then, props will begin going out in the yard the 1st weekend of October, and slowly build to a crescendo in time for the party. That way, the full display will only be out for a few nights. I feel like this has everything up long enough to be enjoyed, but not so long as to have undue exposure to the elements, or theft/vandalism.


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## frogkid11 (Aug 6, 2012)

[Jedi ]Cloak_Dagger said:


> I put up my decorations on Halloween day. That way the props don't get damaged from wind or rain. And I take them down that night around 11pm after the trick-o-treaters have all came and left. This is to avoid theft. Fortunately, in my 12 years of decorating for Halloween I've only had one small prop stolen, so I would say pretty good luck so far.....


WOW!!!!! That seems like a lot of work to enjoy it all for less than an entire 24 hour period.


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## BeaconSamurai (Nov 5, 2009)

Due to the large number of High School & Middle school brats that walk by and all the trouble they create. I do not set up til Halloween itself! Then I take it all down the same night.


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## Gothikim (Jul 25, 2005)

HOA says I can start outside on Oct 7, so that's when I get started. Don't want to tick off the neighborhood nazis 

Inside I start on Oct 1 or so so I can have the inside done before the cemetery goes up!


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## TheMayor (Sep 3, 2011)

I usually pull my indoor stuff out Oct 1st but before that I start using my Hallowe'en coffee cups in September. Sometime during the beginning of October I set up my "flying crank ghost" for a night...give the neighbours a glimps of what's to come!


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## beautifulnightmare (Oct 31, 2010)

September 1st I usually decorate both inside and out. Drives my DH nuts but I just can't wait any longer. Lol


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## oODdities (Jun 21, 2012)

I begin pulling down my halloween boxes on last day of august....so the countdown is on ~~

It takes me nearly 2 months to decorate for our party....during the summer months I am in "build" mode, making what ever I need for the theme of our party. This year I am using every "make and take" prop I made each month of this year and using it for the party... I decorate inside the house, backyard and front yard too.
Should be interesting.....pet sematary!!!
Good luck everyone on your upcoming party, haunt or function!!


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## ThedaBara (Sep 30, 2011)

I start on the last day of September, that way I can wake up on October 1st with our house fully decorated! I also force our poor dog to wear Halloween themed bandanas, and if it's chilly enough, his Halloween themed doggie shirts. Yes, I am aware that my dog probably hates me and is plotting my downfall for putting clothes on him


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## Dr_zombie (Aug 15, 2012)

START!!!!! My stuff never comes down!!


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## mariposa0283 (Aug 15, 2012)

i like to wait till the end of september at the earliest just because i dont want the novelty of the decorations to wear off before halloween gets here. the coffee shop in town (building one of maybe 5 businesses that are actually still open in this town lol) already has decorations in the front window. i had to just laugh and shake my head. i think the owner might love halloween even more than i do. that has to be the only reason why hes decorating so early.


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## GhostTown (Jul 6, 2011)

mariposa0283 said:


> i like to wait till the end of september at the earliest just because i dont want the novelty of the decorations to wear off before halloween gets here.



I'm with you here. I think decor over extends it's welcome and starts to wash away into visual background noise for people.


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## lisa48317 (Jul 23, 2010)

*I wait until after my daughter's birthday on 9/28 to do the outside. And it just happens to be on a Friday this year, so you know what I'll be doing that weekend (other than cleaning up after her party)!!!!

The inside has stuff here & there almost all year. Stuff that I buy / make that doesn't get put away, ya know.*


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## tweety16_6 (Aug 10, 2011)

i usually start last weekend of september or october 1. it takes me a few weeks to get the house dressed up, so can't finish it all in a day or so. have to say i wait with blacking out the windows and ceilings until the day before the party.... don't want to feel like a bat for 3 weeks.....lol


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## DayTek (Aug 20, 2005)

Our Thanksgiving is the second Monday in October, so any time after that I'll get out the Halloween stuff. Prior to that, it's just Fall decor. Labour Day sometimes feels too early, especially if the weather is still quite warm. I have a tradition to get the Fall stuff out anytime after my birthday, which is September 19th. It works out quite well. 

I was at the grocery store about a week ago and they've cleared out all their Summer plants in front of the store. I told my husband I can't wait until they fill the space with mums because that means Fall is right around the corner!


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## obcessedwithit (Jul 13, 2009)

I start on the inside of my party barn labor day, have to rearrange everything, then start outside end of Sept. then week before party, set up the dance hall in the back of my barn. Have to rearrange that to , so I can get the feed to my horse.


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## 89Lt1 (Oct 17, 2011)

I just found out we are having my wife's cousin's baby shower at my house on Oct 6th. Best part is it is a Halloween theme! I am going to have most of my last years decorations up by then and use the rest of the month to work on new ones. Best year ever!


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## chinclub (Oct 6, 2011)

89Lt1 that is so great. Its always fun to have an excuse to get those decorations out even earlier.


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## Guest (Aug 16, 2012)

I have two Halloween fears: 1. Vandals, 2. Weather. I live in highly populated area. Never had a a vandal yet, but have had a bike stolen off the porch. We can't know our neighbors as well as we'd like- military post, supposed to be all friendly and supportive, but not so much.

Weather is worse, tho. Who has brought down and put up their entire haunt MANY times within a few days because of rains winds snow? Everybody? Yeah, me too! Chasing a tarantula prop down the street in windstorm at 3 am is really stressful. And sad. I sincerely hope nobody peeked out and saw me doing so. After I fell, the blood was dripping down my legs and the dirt mixed in...clutching a giant tarantula...in a house coat. I am sure that was the scariest sight anyone could see at Halloween!

I will play it by ear and put the lifesize out last. I probably will only have the full haunt out the last 2 weeks before halloween, but I am doing alot in my windows inside this year, and I am hoping the windows will make up for it!


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## Mordessa (Jul 23, 2007)

When I start pulling things out is usually determined by how excited I am to see it all go up. The year before last, I couldn't wait to get started and had the walls inside up in the middle of September, and a lot of the other inside decorations up around then too. Doing it early like that gave me a great advantage time-wise because I could tweak til my heart's content! Hehehe

The outdoor stuff doesn't usually go up until around the second week of October or so. We don't want it to be up outside so long that people stop stopping to stare at it.  So, we leave it out there for the last 2 weeks and then take it down usually the weekend after the party. 

Reading all these posts makes me feel totally behind though!! lol I'm still working on finishing the gargoyles for my cemetery columns, and then I need to finish the columns too, and then I'll need to make all new walls for this year, hopefully that won't be too bad after I get the airbrush I'm ordering tomorrow... and then I need to make the stuff for the moving wall I wanna do, and the melting clock... Oh man, what am I doing on the boards right now, there's work to be done!!!


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## moonbaby345 (Sep 14, 2010)

I start bringing up the boxes from storage around sept.29th and start decorating on Oct.1st.I like to celeberate Halloween for a full month.


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## BofHalloween (Jul 17, 2012)

I start my inside decorations in August and do my outside haunt a few weeks into Oct. I use to do my outside much sooner, but i had most of my decorations stolen and the rest was torn to shreds. Some people just suck. It's sad that we have to worry about this in a nice area, but i'm pretty sure it was neighborhood teens. Disrespectful fart faces. I had DH pull down all my storage bins last night and i plan to decorate inside this weekend. I like to enjoy it for a few months. I also decorate Christmas on Nov. 1st. Why bother putting up my normal decor once Halloween is gone.


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## MissKitty (Jun 30, 2012)

I'm decorating for Fall right now and at the end of September, I take it all down and Halloween goes up.

Can't wait!


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## xPUMPKiNxKiNGx (Jul 5, 2012)

frogkid11 said:


> WOW!!!!! That seems like a lot of work to enjoy it all for less than an entire 24 hour period.


Yeah, your right. The real reason is kind of embarrassing. Its because I decorate my folks house, since my apartment wouldn't have the same effect. Moreover, my folks don't like me putting it up early and they make me take it down right away too. However, my wife and I are looking to buy a home soon so hopefully I can decorate my own home at my own leisure.

In addition, I suppose it's not all that bad because my beloved props and decor are protected from weather and vandals. Moreover, it's kind of cool for the kids because if you put your props up early they have already seen them and it's not much of a surprise on Halloween night. That and it's like the house transforms into an Haunted House the night of.


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## wickedwillingwench (Sep 16, 2011)

BofHalloween said:


> I start my inside decorations in August and do my outside haunt a few weeks into Oct. I use to do my outside much sooner, but i had most of my decorations stolen and the rest was torn to shreds. Some people just suck. It's sad that we have to worry about this in a nice area, but i'm pretty sure it was neighborhood teens. Disrespectful fart faces. I had DH pull down all my storage bins last night and i plan to decorate inside this weekend. I like to enjoy it for a few months. I also decorate Christmas on Nov. 1st. Why bother putting up my normal decor once Halloween is gone.


yeah...eggzackly.


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## CaliforniaMelanie (Sep 8, 2008)

Some years I've started in mid-August, but I like to "officially" start my spooky decorating on the first day of fall. Before that, I do start putting up autumn stuff, just not officially scary stuff. I like to start that in early Sept.


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## kmb123 (Oct 6, 2009)

Just dragged (drug?!) all my bins/boxes/bags out of the attic tonight. I love it because I hit the sales after the 31st the previous year and pack it away immediately so I tend to forget what I got. It's like Christmas morning all over again when I start going through all the stuff. I love that "Oh cool, I forgot I bought that!" feeling, it's so exciting!!! My DH thinks I'm nuts. 

I usually start decorating the inside on October 1st. I am limited on what I can do outdoors due to stupid HOA regulations.  We always have our party the weekend before Halloween, so I put out my beloved gargoyles and some strategic lighting the night of the party. On Halloween day, I put out a bit more for the TOTer's. We have a fairly extensive set up in the garage that we do for our party, so I always leave that up and bring many of the indoor props that were used during the party into the garage to spook it up a bit more. 


We always have the garage door up and make the TOTer's come into our garage to get the candy. That's just my sneaky way of giving the kids a good scare and avoiding and fines or problems from the pesky HOA. Muahahahaaaa!


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## RattandRoll (Sep 6, 2007)

first weekend of Oct I start putting stuff out for my yard haunt


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## GhostTown (Jul 6, 2011)

Today.... right this minute!!


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## AngelaRod1986 (Oct 11, 2011)

I am beginning my indoor decorating after my husbands birthday (Sept. 16th) because I don't feel we can enjoy long enough if I wait for Oct. All my outdoor ones will begin coming out Oct. 1st! I love this holiday too much and feel that if all the Christmas lovers can begin before Thanksgiving, I can start in the middle of Sept. (at least inside)! I have a friend whose wife had already brought out her little hand cloths for the bathroom and that was two weeks ago I was there.


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## Jules17 (Aug 31, 2010)

Usually I start on Oct 1st. I just pulled out my plastic bins from storage to start looking through them so I may end up starting a little earlier.


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## myerman82 (Aug 2, 2011)

I usually go all out with decorations outside and inside. However this year I decided to not go crazy. I do have out my Home Goods, Yankee Candle, and other favorite decorations inside. I will continue to put up my other favorites (flying ghost, skeletons, ect.) I just think the decorations take over my house and it really looks nicer right now. I usually have lifesized props in my living room and I have a morgue scene going. I also have a life sized witch reading tarot cards and other scenes going inside. As much as I enjoy going all out I'm scaling down a bit this year. I haven't decided yet if I'm going to go overboard outside like I normally do.


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