# When Do YOU, Start Decorating For Halloween?



## kakugori (Aug 26, 2013)

I still have things a few things out from last year. >.> <.< -_- It's stuff that needs worked on.


Actual on purpose decorating just depends on my mood, probably not until some time into October. I don't decorate so much as I put on a haunt, which occupies most of my time and mind, so any indoor stuff is secondary. I did display our vintage things last year, and we have ceramic "village" things that haven't been out in a while for lack of space.

Outside, a week or so before I'll start the "building" things like walls and fence, all props go out day of Halloween in a mad scramble.


I do have my planning book here with ideas for this year, the first purchase has been made, and I planted pumpkins in April - so that counts for something.


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## pcman312 (Sep 26, 2013)

I'm planning on decorating at the beginning of October, but that's primarily because I'm decorating indoors. I'm in charge of the decorations for work and have big plans this year.


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## vampyrespro (Dec 29, 2011)

Whenever the bug bites! So it varies for me too. This year, half the stuff is already up and it's only July.


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## Icepick (Nov 24, 2013)

Due to my HOA, I can't put things out 30 before any said holiday, and have to have it down no later than 30 days after. That being said, I start with the small stuff right away, and save the larger items for day of. I may put out bits and pieces of the larger stuff out on random nights to test out and plan the layout. Projection show gets tested a few days before, mainly to make sure my lawn markers (PVC pipe pounded into ground) have not moved at all from rain and or dry soil. On the flip side, everything comes in after the ToT's stop coming around.


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## Charles'HolidayHaunts (Jul 15, 2014)

i start around mid September...the big animatronics don't go till october though


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## myerman82 (Aug 2, 2011)

I start the indoor decorating the first week of August. The outside decorations with start to go up around mid September.


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## Echo Sorceress (Apr 29, 2014)

I wait until Halloween Month Day (October 1st) every year. That way I can have an early Halloween-style celebration to kick off a month of Halloween festivities!


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## Palladino (Aug 29, 2013)

On October 1, I put out the first item in the front yard. It is always something small that relates to the theme I'm doing that year. Then, as each day passes, I put out more stuff, increasing in amounts and impact as the month moves towards the big day.


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## Laurie S. (Dec 4, 2007)

September 25th.


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## Paint It Black (Sep 15, 2011)

Palladino said:


> On October 1, I put out the first item in the front yard. It is always something small that relates to the theme I'm doing that year. Then, as each day passes, I put out more stuff, increasing in amounts and impact as the month moves towards the big day.


That's about what we do as well. The neighborhood kids come by all the time to see what else has been added.


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## drevilstein (Mar 25, 2014)

October 1st for me too


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## RCIAG (Jul 19, 2010)

Usually the first weekend in October the stuff inside goes up & the blow molds go out. Everything else outside goes out the night of Halloween.


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## midnightgrin (Oct 31, 2012)

Whenever I first see pumpkins for sale. I can never resist buying them on the first sighting of the year. They give my home a distinct touch of fall that I've been missing all year.


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## UnOrthodOx (Apr 24, 2007)

In the house, whenever the boss feels like it. Outside...I was supposed to stop?


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## wensteve (Apr 9, 2012)

We haul everything out of storage around mid Sept and keep it all in the garage. Then as I go through boxes I bring the indoor stuff in and set it up and leave the outdoor stuff in another pile in the garage. Then depending when my husband is off we decorate the yard usually the weekend before Oct 1st.


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## annamarykahn (Oct 4, 2009)

last year was the earliest for me ... friday september 13th ... i put out a few things ... and slowly add more stuff in the yard as i felt like 

the weekend before the big day is when i really started putting stuff out ...

normally i have a ton of stuff that needs modifying/painting that i got the previous year's sales ... so that takes some time to do, and it goes out as they're completed

amk


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## StacyN (May 26, 2013)

midnightgrin said:


> Whenever I first see pumpkins for sale. I can never resist buying them on the first sighting of the year. They give my home a distinct touch of fall that I've been missing all year.


Agreed! Me too.

I do all my inside stuff by mid-September. Outside on October 1st.


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## GhostTown (Jul 6, 2011)

Oh... I don't know. I've found putting a date of "when I have to do it" starts taking the joy out of it. Halloween just sort of ramps up as the season progresses, and I let it come to me.

I'll go here, then go there, start seeing some Halloween around town, in stores, fall decor, the smell of a candle, visiting an apple orchard, make a pot of chili..... BOOOM!!! Get the Halloween stuff out!!

Dunno man. It just sorta happens.


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## Jerseyscare (Oct 2, 2012)

Labor Day weekend, lawn gets cut short, crashed witch goes up on side of house and fence goes up.
And the same as others, things get added, moved and taken away, lighting adjusted as the display gets creepier and changes over the next 60 days.
On the 31'st the last items added (vacation day), watch the school (k-3rd) Halloween parade, wait for school to let out and TOT starts.
The kids go home in their costumes, parents park for pickup on my street, so kids stop before going home.
After TOTs stop, everything but the fence comes down and out of site.
November 1st (vacation day) fence down and rebar pulled up , (so its ALL gone by the time school lets out) and then off to the 4-5 Spirit stores.


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## kuroneko (Mar 31, 2011)

I typically hold out until labor day to start putting out the fall décor. Of course there is a little Halloween mixed in there, but I try to wait until the first day of Autumn to start putting out the actual Halloween stuff. I spend the next few weeks leading up to Halloween putting more and more things out. I like adding things to keep people coming back to check out what's new.


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## zombiesrule (Dec 6, 2010)

I always put u[ my decorations the first Saturday in October, and the decorations come down Nov 1st no matter what!!!


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## Scatterbrains (Nov 16, 2008)

When my kids can help me move the funeral carriage


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## xxScorpion64xx (Oct 15, 2011)

October 1st, cemetery goes up and gradually more stuff follows leading up to the big night.


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## JaCk (Jul 15, 2014)

November 1st!  But the majority of my props come out in early September. --JaCk


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## WitchyKitty (Sep 20, 2012)

September first, all my indoor and outdoor Autumn/Harvest decor goes up. The last weekend of September, we add in all the Halloween decor inside and out. We choose to decorate that weekend every year because the Fall Craft Festival and Pumpkin Pick is that weekend annually at one of our local Orchard/Pumpkin Patches. We make a big weekend out of it, decorating, getting pumpkins, cider and pumpkin doughnuts, ect. Now we have added in two other local farm/pumpkin patches that we visit, too, so it's a super fun weekend for me...one of my absolute favorite times of the whole year, that, and Halloween night, anyway, lol.


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## xxScorpion64xx (Oct 15, 2011)

JaCk said:


> November 1st!  But the majority of my props come out in early September. --JaCk


Either you are super early or super late


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## Shadowbat (Sep 27, 2009)

second week of September.


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## matrixmom (Oct 29, 2010)

Usually @ 2 weeks before Halloween due to weather. It really all depends on weather, hoa restrictions, and whether you think your props won't be vandalized or stolen. Inside I start decor with fall leaves in sept and progress to Halloween in October


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## matrixmom (Oct 29, 2010)

Wow that sounds like so much fun!



WitchyKitty said:


> September first, all my indoor and outdoor Autumn/Harvest decor goes up. The last weekend of September, we add in all the Halloween decor inside and out. We choose to decorate that weekend every year because the Fall Craft Festival and Pumpkin Pick is that weekend annually at one of our local Orchard/Pumpkin Patches. We make a big weekend out of it, decorating, getting pumpkins, cider and pumpkin doughnuts, ect. Now we have added in two other local farm/pumpkin patches that we visit, too, so it's a super fun weekend for me...one of my absolute favorite times of the whole year, that, and Halloween night, anyway, lol.


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## screamqueen2012 (Aug 2, 2012)

i have a big game room i now keep decorated with alot of my witch/voodoo stuff...i dont take it down, makes for interesting reactions during the year from repairmen etc....lol.......we decorate our whole downstairs heavily goth victorian and i am putting it up around first of august, our whole family loves it. i like to enjoy the decorations.......we do our porch in sept and depending on weather is when we do the yard, alot i cant do if its going to rain outside and its not under cover.


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## LairMistress (Jul 31, 2009)

Inside, sometime in September, although I'd really like to do it today!

Outside, I put up a few things close to the house, or on the porch at the beginning of Oct., but I don't set up the cemetery till the 30th. We have two nights of ToTing, so I set up "the day of", due to theft issues. We just bought this house last summer, so last year was our first year here. I had put up a few things, and was going outside to take pictures when I heard a group of people coming down the sidewalk. So, I stood in the open doorway, waiting for them to pass, and one of the girls in the group ran up into my yard to steal one of my blue mosaic solar lights that were supposed to be year-round decor. She dropped it when I ran out and yelled at her, but the whole group had their arms full of decorations that they'd stolen from other houses on their route.

That's the main reason that I want a real fence this year, but I doubt we'll do it.


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## doto (Nov 20, 2009)

Whenever my wife lets the kids and I start.


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## JaCk (Jul 15, 2014)

xxScorpion64xx said:


> Either you are super early or super late


Now, which do you think? Is 12:01am on November 1st EARLY enough for you? Personally, I find I never have enough time to prepare! Big plans this year! So much to do!


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## StormyNight (May 21, 2014)

We usually put our inside decorations up in the middle of September.


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## All Hollows Eve (Jul 25, 2013)

Usually have everything set up by the last week of September. I want to enjoy my work for as long as I can


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## BigGeek (Nov 3, 2006)

I definitely have stuff out in the lawn by the 1st of October, and usually I watch others in our area for a bit of a clue. If anyone starts to put pumpkins or other stuff out in mid-September, then it's all on! I put most things out except for some more "touchy" animatronics, which wait until the Big Night for...maybe a few days earlier ;-)


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## Corpsesnight (Dec 23, 2011)

Decorating the inside of the house today with the wife! Pictures to come soon!


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## 224N729 (Jul 18, 2014)

I usually unpack the shed and move everything to the garage the last weekend in September, (Thats an all day project itself.) Then gradually start putting some big stuff together, like the cemetery fence, pillars, huge spider web from the house...moving on to the tombstones and graves, and then lighting, which again is an all day project. I say I wrap up the yard within a week. then have 3 weeks or so for the haunted garage. I know i'm already itching, checking stores whereever i might be for seasonal items and ideas


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## boo who? (Feb 28, 2005)

On or after Oct. 1, the "friendly" decorations go up. Fall garland and orange and black bows decorate the mailbox. Those goofy happy scarecrows come out. Inside, I start to stage projectors and silhouettes, treats, and gather the things that will eventually go outside.

The larger and scarier decorations (tombstones, skellies, spiders, etc.) all go up for the "day-of." Everything is taken down by the afternoon of Nov. 1.


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## eresh (Jul 20, 2014)

already started building a halloween tree. Found the idea from 'dark gardener' from a post in 2008! My wife and I are brainstorming all year for new ideas for our
big party!!


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## Paul Melniczek (Jun 5, 2009)

We start the first week of September plus keep stuff up in the den all year round. It matches good with my lobby cards from classic horror and science fiction movies.


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## screamqueen2012 (Aug 2, 2012)

two more weeks and im going to do the inside of my house...................


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## CaliforniaMelanie (Sep 8, 2008)

Indoors: August. Outdoors: end of September or beginning of October.


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## halloweenscreamqueen (Jul 23, 2007)

Halloweenboy101 said:


> When I decorate varies, its normally in late August or early September!


No, no... The question should be, "When do you STOP decorating for Halloween?"


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## The Auditor (Apr 2, 2006)

When I wake up.


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## Neuf350Z (Feb 12, 2006)

I usually put stuff up the second week of October. 

Here's a question for everyone....do you put out everything or are there things you only put out on Halloween night? I've had trouble with theft over the years so I put out my big stuff/props that took a while to build out on Halloween night only. Another advantage of that is offering something they haven't seen all month sitting out in the yard.

If we're talking "when do you start building" then my answer is 11/1


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## The Auditor (Apr 2, 2006)

I have a few things I reserve for The Night, but that's because I live in the woods, and travel elsewhere to set up for the night. What's staying at the house gets set up at the same time. When I lived in a neighborhood, it all went out and stayed out. Except, of course, for the new stuff I picked up as the season progressed.


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## Miller22 (Aug 28, 2013)

We live with an HOA and they have rules about decorations. They are silly though and put a "45 days prior to the holiday" rule in, likely for Xmas lights. We take advantage and start with Halloween in late Sept. We have to have everything set up a week prior because they do a decorating contest.


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## just_Tim (Sep 3, 2009)

indoors I start late August around Aug 18th. I figure Halloween comes and GOES so fast ! That I want to enjoy it, so indoors starts in Aug. Outdoors I start with some props late Sept, then the better props through Oct, and some of my better latex props I can not put out until Halloween day, because I live in the desert and even in Oct the sun is shinning bright ! and will damage them.


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## just_Tim (Sep 3, 2009)

Miller22 said:


> We live with an HOA and they have rules about decorations. They are silly though and put a "45 days prior to the holiday" rule in, likely for Xmas lights. We take advantage and start with Halloween in late Sept. We have to have everything set up a week prior because they do a decorating contest.


just curious I have wondered living in a HOA are they strict about what types of props you can display ? I have always wondered that like if the say nothing to scary or etc.. or are they cool about it


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## Saki.Girl (Aug 22, 2012)

start in sept and it all comes down day after Halloween or the first weekend depending when it falls


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## Miller22 (Aug 28, 2013)

They seem pretty cool about it. Our first year we had a gallows with a hanged mummy and a blood fountain - and we won 3rd place. The next year we didn't have the Gallows but we have a spiderweb tunnel and we had other creepy/scary things. Other people put store bought "scary" characters in their displays and there doesn't seem to be an issue.


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## kyhauntfreak (Jul 29, 2014)

i decorate inside on 1 September and outside starting September 25, We live in a duplex and are the only people in the entire area to decorate and have had 12 tot's in 4 years total. Last year i just did a few inflatables and JOL'S. This year i am doing much more with a graveyard and ghosts.


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## 31salem13 (Apr 19, 2013)

I slowly start putting things up art the end of August. Everything must be up, for me, by Oct 1st so I can enjoy the season! (I don't do too much outside anymore due to neighborhood turds.)


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## Reynard Muldrake (Oct 29, 2004)

Kind of "whenever the bug bites", I have some stuff out but I'm holding off on most of it untill September.


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## chromachord (Jul 25, 2014)

Well, my birthday is on September 27, so I usually start putting up stuff on that day. We lived in a town home gated community, and were one of the few houses who decorated. We got a lot of kids!

We now live in an apartment building. The only people who see our decor are the neighbor and our guests.  Makes me a bit sad, but I know that we'll move someday and get to have the proper haunt I've always wanted!


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## fennyann (Sep 6, 2012)

We usually get started at the beginning of September! I would do it earlier, but my husband would kill me. Haha.


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## slash (Sep 9, 2010)

last weekend in september.


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## Mapleton Manor (Aug 2, 2014)

I start building new things usually in june or july so i have plenty of testing and tweeking time. And we put the display up usually by Labor day weekend and it stays up until mid november. My wife would leave it up all year if she could and just put like Santa hats on the charactersfor xmas, and bunny ears for easter,and new years hats and such. LOL Two years ago i build the Mosoleum and have never seen her that excited, she was like do you know any other girls that have a mosoleum?


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## Trinity1 (Sep 5, 2009)

I normally start putting stuff outside in Sept. but we're hopefully getting our front porch re-done this fall. Depending on when that happens I'm not sure I'll even be able to get anything out. I'm sure I'll figure something out.....


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## slash (Sep 9, 2010)

I always admired those haunters that put their halloween props out only on Halloween and take them down they after that sure takes a heck of a long time, to do in 1 day. I know the reason mainly because of the fear of thefts and vandalism. I could never set up the day off I will get too anxious and I dont think I will have the time to do that all. That is my worst nightmare of not having enough time as the big day draws near.


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## Deadview (Aug 9, 2011)

Oct. 1st, the fence is first but I wait for the good stuff to go out. I'm always concerned some nut will come by and damage the rest.


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## Corpsesnight (Dec 23, 2011)

Here is the living room can't get enough of halloween!


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## Jules17 (Aug 31, 2010)

I usually start on Oct 1st but a late Sept start is creaping into my thoughts more and more.


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## S_Toast (Jul 19, 2011)

Since the hubby doesn't share quite the same level of Halloween love that I have I usually wait until the last week in September. That being said, I start props and crafts on November 1st then don't stop...ever... Hubby does enjoy a good prop build though. Something about being a carpenter.... coffins!!!


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## Dead Eighteen (Aug 2, 2014)

I wait until the first weekend in October to start setting up outside, and slowly build up. So far I haven't had any theft issues, but I don't put the big, good stuff out till the day of. 

The garage haunt starts end of September-ish.....I'm terrified of not having enough time, too. Then it all comes down pretty quick....my indoor Christmas decorating is pretty intense (a tree in every room!) and takes a lot f time so that starts right after Halloween.


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## NOWHINING (Jul 25, 2009)

when the Halloween Bug bites is when I am digging in the attic.


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## CaliforniaMelanie (Sep 8, 2008)

This thread got me so in the mood for fall that I picked up a cinnamon apple candle today...took one whiff and it was instant fall for me despite the heat...I have the candle as part of my dining room table centerpiece.


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## highbury (Aug 4, 2014)

I don't put anything up in the yard until the morning of October 31, and then we take it all down that night after trick-or-treat is over. Yes, I am crazy...


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## saber55 (Aug 12, 2011)

Already up,( inside that is)It has officially started as of the 1st of August!


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## carolann (Sep 24, 2008)

Usually it's the last week of September/first week of October. We're moving this year around that time though so I have no clue when I will decorate.


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## ichasiris (Aug 8, 2014)

Ha, I just talked about this in another thread similar. Last year it was mid-August, but this year I'm waiting until September 1st. Just have a few little things here and there and my fireplace mantle.


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## zombieprincess (Nov 1, 2013)

We're finishing up props in September. I start sorting through stuff for the inside decorations during that time and we start putting stuff out around October 1st. We are much busier with extracurricular activities for the kids this year so we may start putting some stuff out in September. Or it'll be a made rush to get it all done. My hubby actually takes Halloween off so that as soon as we get the kids off to school we hit the local Spirit-Halloween City stores to see if they have any stuff that's damaged. We've scored several animatronics that had pieces missing or the box had been damaged and they let us have them for like $5-$10! We take them home and use the parts to create something better. We then spend the rest of the time putting any finishing touches on the yard.


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## slash (Sep 9, 2010)

few more weeks.


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## The Regent of Shadows (Jul 22, 2012)

I usually wait until mid September. There is not a specific date, but it is when I wake up one morning and I know it is time for fall to begin. There is a brisk breeze flowing through the trees and the leaves are turning to bright oranges and reds. There seems to be an air of mystery and a little magic in the air. Then I know that is when the decorations go up, the lights go on, and the music never stops.


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