[556boyer]

Something I have been putting a lot of thought into lately is WHEN should I set up my yard?

Last year I simply decorated the inside of my house and it turned out totally awesome. I started setting up around the first week of October and was busy up until the time the party started

This year my focus (now that I have my own house and am not renting) is my front yard. I am doing a fairly extensive graveyard scene. I want it to be up long enough that others can check it out and enjoy it, but not so long that I get annoyed at having to pull everything down for every windy night or rainy afternoon. Another concern is dumb teenagers who might decide to pick on the wrong trigger happy neighbors decorations. I have seen no evidence of any trouble from anyone in my neighborhood at any time, but having a nice scene set up will likely start to draw outside people in to the neighborhood (at least I hope it will turn out that good).

So my question - when does everyone else set up their decorations? What do you do first (inside, outside, front yard, back yard, etc.)

Post picks of your recent decorated yards or houses for some inspiration (especially graveyard scenes)

Thanks guys!

 

[bert1913]

i take every halloween off (it's a national holiday in my book) i set everything up through out the day, then tear it down that same night.

 

[Dr. Phibes]

October 1 I drink a few whiskey drinks, rock some music, switch to some beers and haunt my yard. My neighbor does the same. Sort of a ritual now. I put maybe 60% out then, and add that week. Typically lighting is last to illuminate what I want properly.

 

[556boyer]

October 1 I drink a few whiskey drinks, rock some music, switch to some beers and haunt my yard. My neighbor does the same. Sort of a ritual now. I put maybe 60% out then, and add that week. Typically lighting is last to illuminate what I want properly.

I like your style. Do you have any built props that you had to waterproof? The majority of what I have out there will be foam construction and I have not figured out if or how I want to waterproof them. I was hoping that the paint would help enough and the fact it no longer rains in Colorado is playing to my fortune in that respect.

I was also leaning towards putting out the bigger stuff and slowly adding on each week so the yard is not stale and continues to change. I will only add lighting maybe a day or two prior to 31 and finish that evening with all the spot lights, animatronics, piped fog and music to make it all come together for Halloween....just my thoughts

 

[556boyer]

I love being self employed and a student. I just take off whatever day I want. Of course I never work on Halloween (except to scare the crap out of people checking out my haunt )

 

[Lil Spook]

we start unpacking labor day weekend....

it takes us that long to pack the "regular" house away... and turn the entire house - every room - every corner - into Halloween Haven by party time.

insane. but so worth it.

 

[556boyer]

we start unpacking labor day weekend....

it takes us that long to pack the "regular" house away... and turn the entire house - every room - every corner - into Halloween Haven by party time.

insane. but so worth it.

There is something magically special about a house haunt that has details EVERYWHERE. My wife and I will get there someday

Thankfully she is as Halloween crazy as I am. It helps that we both share birthdays close to Halloween to make it a more fun holiday (mine is 10-27 and hers is 10-30)

 

[WitchyKitty]

Our local orchard has their Fall Craft Show and Pumpkin Harvest on the last weekend of September every year. We go to that early on that Saturday morning, pick out all our pumpkins, get some fall treats, maybe buy some Halloween decor from the craft show, (sometimes we stop and visit other farms/orchards/pumpkin patches in the area, as well) then we go home and begin our Halloween decorating for the rest of the day. We put up the graveyard out front first and any other outdoor decor, then we move to the indoors and finish up in there. We have done this every year...it's our tradition. So basically, this year we will be decorating Sept. 28th/29th.

 

[mariposa0283]

my cemetery fence will probably go up october 1st then ill work on the grave yard off and on between then and halloween. will probably have it 98% set up (besides the few things i put out on halloween night that can get ruined by the rain or other elements) by the middle of october

 

[Dr. Phibes]

I like your style. Do you have any built props that you had to waterproof? The majority of what I have out there will be foam construction and I have not figured out if or how I want to waterproof them. I was hoping that the paint would help enough and the fact it no longer rains in Colorado is playing to my fortune in that respect.

I was also leaning towards putting out the bigger stuff and slowly adding on each week so the yard is not stale and continues to change. I will only add lighting maybe a day or two prior to 31 and finish that evening with all the spot lights, animatronics, piped fog and music to make it all come together for Halloween....just my thoughts

Most of my stuff is weatherproof. If I had delicate stuff I'd hold off.

 

[myerman82]

I usually start around the second week of September. Maybe a little later this year. Do those at set up on Halloween night and take down the same night afraid of theft? I do understand that theft does happens a lot but if I'm going through all that work I want to be able to enjoy it for a few weeks. I'm sure if people were vandalizing or stealing I would feel the same way. Luckily, so far I have not had any problems. I have heard of houses a few blocks away having inflatables cut up and decorations stolen. I guess my house looks to much like a haunted house as is.

 

[Rania]

I am starting install in the middle of September this year but we open our yard haunt on October 18th. There will be a full moon that night!

 

[556boyer]

I usually start around the second week of September. Maybe a little later this year. Do those at set up on Halloween night and take down the same night afraid of theft? I do understand that theft does happens a lot but if I'm going through all that work I want to be able to enjoy it for a few weeks. I'm sure if people were vandalizing or stealing I would feel the same way. Luckily, so far I have not had any problems. I have heard of houses a few blocks away having inflatables cut up and decorations stolen. I guess my house looks to much like a haunted house as is.

I'm not expecting any issues. We shall see. If there are, I'll bait them back in with better props and make them into props lol

 

[556boyer]

I am starting install in the middle of September this year but we open our yard haunt on October 18th. There will be a full moon that night!

Do you guys get a lot of people to the yard haunt?

 

[Dr. Phibes]

Do you guys get a lot of people to the yard haunt?

60 to 75 maybe?

 

[Madame Leota]

I start setting up usually the first Saturday in October. I'll get the fence and tombstones set up the first day and gradually add to it all month. Also, I absolutely MUST watch It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown that night, then it's official!

 

[adnval]

We start the last weekend in Sept or the first weekend in Oct. People in my neighborhood expect it. A few years ago we lagged until the second week in Oct. and had a bunch of people knocking at our door in the evenings inquiring if there was something wrong. Didn't wan tto tell them we were just being lazy. On Halloween we always get the parents that tell us that their kids drag them out every night to come by and take a look.

 

[Wyatt Furr]

October 1st or weekend closest too.
If am am not employed by then, I guess it will be whenever I feel like it.
Is it bad that I really want to have just one October that I can haunt to my hearts content with out worrying about a real job?
This is where the guilt is supposed to kick in.....still waiting for it........hmmm........nope not yet......

 

[randyjb77]

Will be starting to set up first weekend in September

 

[matrixmom]

I would wait @ 2 weeks before. I did one year on Oct 1 and alot got blown around, destroyed, etc by Oct 31. I am going to buy this year "never Wet" from rustoleum to spray on my some of my props that I couldn't weather proof with drylok. They have this at Walmart $18.99 (never wet)