Fall Organizing Tips
We all love it - the crisp cool mornings, cozy sweaters, changing leaves, Hocus Pocus on the television. Fall is officially here! It’s also the calm before the storm of the holiday season and winter weather, so now is the time to get your home ready and organized for what is ahead. Grab your PSL and lets dive into these easy fall organizing tips.
Create a Seasonal Wardrobe Capsule: Transition your closet from summer to fall with your favorite cozy attire. While you are unpacking fall and winter wear, only keep items you are excited to wear – you will be left with a closet that makes you happy to get dressed in the morning (with a PSL in hand, obviously).
Bonus Points: As you pack away your summer clothing, be sure to donate/sell/recycle the summer clothes you didn’t wear (your future self will thank you when you are packing for spring break).
Cozy Weather Storage Solutions: It’s time to bust out the blankets for streaming your favorite movies or a binge-worthy show on Netflix from the couch! Instead of leaving them heaped on your couches and chairs, grab a woven basket or wooden crate for blanket storage. By the front door, place baskets or bins for hats and gloves and a boot tray to keep wet boots off the floor.
Kitchen Pantry Refresh: It’s soup season! Fall is the perfect time to do a once over and check staples for expiration dates and donate food you aren’t going to use by the expiration date. After a quick clean out, stock with your favorite soups (Rao’s is my go-to when I can’t make my own), hot chocolate, and baking staples.
Wise Tip: Make sure you don’t donate expired food to food pantries as they can’t pass it on. If it’s expired, trash or compost it and recycle the packaging.
Schedule a Fall Cleaning Day: No one likes it, but we gotta do it. Grab your favorite warm beverage and dust the forgotten corners and baseboards, vacuum under furniture, wash windows and window coverings, give the rugs and carpets a clean, wipe down all surfaces, clean ceiling fans, and change the HVAC filter.
Wise Tip: When you clean your ceiling fan, change the direction of the blades. The fan blades need to turn clockwise to create an updraft and circulate warm air around the room.
Bonus Points: Get your chimney and fireplace cleaned and checked so you can safely use your fireplace throughout the fall and winter.
Winterize Outdoor Spaces: Plan for leaf and yard waste removal. Clean up and prune gardens and flower beds and trim back tree limbs that need attention. Clean and store outdoor furniture. Winterize your irrigation systems and store and drain hoses; be sure to turn off water to your outdoor spigots, too. It’s also a great time to clean and winterize lawn mowers and outdoor equipment. After the leaves have fallen, make sure your gutters are clear of debris to avoid problems with winter rain and melting snow.
Holiday Hosting Prep: Take stock of your entertaining essentials – tableware, serving dishes, table linens, candles, vases. Make a list of items you need to purchase or replace and shop those upcoming sales for bargains.
With a little planning and determination, you’ll have your home ready for cozy season. Happy fall organizing! You got this!