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Halloween 2026 lands on a Saturday, October 31, which means more parties, more trick-or-treating and less time on the night itself to pull a costume together. The ideas usually show up weeks earlier: a costume tutorial on TikTok, a porch setup on Instagram, a makeup look someone shared in a group chat. The trouble starts when you go looking for them again.
This guide shows how to collect those ideas in one place so the costume, the makeup and the decor are ready before the weekend arrives.
Halloween shopping starts earlier every year
According to the National Retail Federation's 2026 Halloween survey, 74% of Americans plan to celebrate this year, and total spending is expected to reach $13.5 billion. Costumes ($4.4 billion) and decorations ($4.3 billion) each outsell candy. About half of shoppers, 49%, plan to start in September or earlier.
The same survey found that online search, cited by 32%, is at its lowest in a decade as a source of costume ideas. If your ideas come from the feed instead, you know the pattern: you see a costume in a reel, save it, and keep scrolling.
Why Halloween ideas get lost
Halloween ideas come from everywhere at once. A costume from a TikTok, a wig from an Amazon link, face paint from a beauty creator's story, a skeleton garland from a screenshot of a store window. Each app keeps its own saved list, and none of them talk to each other. By late October you remember the idea but not where you saved it.
Step 1: Save every idea to one place
When you see a costume or decor idea you like, share it to Sorti from the share sheet, or take a screenshot. Sorti reads each save with AI and files it into the right category automatically, so a costume tutorial, a product link and a makeup screenshot do not end up in the same pile. The original link is kept, so you can always get back to the creator who made it.
Step 2: Keep the costume, makeup and decor separate
A good Halloween board has three parts:
- Costume: the outfit, the props and the tutorial that shows how it comes together. - Makeup: the look, the products used and any step-by-step videos. - Decor: porch, table and party ideas, plus the pieces you want to buy.
Sorti sorts saves into categories and sub-categories on its own, so you do not have to build these folders by hand. Months later you can search by description, like "the witch costume with the green cape," and find it.
Step 3: Plan it with the people you are dressing up with
Group and family costumes need everyone on the same page. Put the ideas in a shared folder and let the whole group add to it, so the vote happens in one place instead of across five chats.
Step 4: Buy before the weekend rush
For anything you plan to buy, save the product link rather than a screenshot of it. Sorti tracks the price on saved products and sends a notification when it drops, and it can alert you when an item is back in stock. With Halloween on a Saturday, ordering by the middle of the week before is the safe bet for delivery.
Step 5: Keep it for next year
The costume you did not get to this year is still a good idea next October. Because everything stays organized and searchable, your Halloween saves become a running list you can come back to every fall.
Frequently asked questions
When is Halloween in 2026?
Halloween is on Saturday, October 31, 2026.
How much will Americans spend on Halloween in 2026?
The NRF expects a record $13.5 billion, or $115.14 per person, with costumes, decorations and candy each above $4 billion.
What is the best way to save Halloween costume ideas from TikTok and Instagram?
Save them all to one app that organizes them for you. Sorti saves TikTok videos, Instagram posts, links and screenshots in one place, sorts them automatically and lets you search by description. It is free on iOS and Android.
How do I find a costume I saved weeks ago?
If you saved it to Sorti, search for it by what it looks like or what it is. Sorti's search works on meaning, so you do not need to remember the creator's name or the caption.
Download Sorti free on iOS or Android and keep this year's Halloween ideas where you can find them.