5 Ways to Get Yourself and Your Home Ready for Fall

posted on September 18, 2020 | by Caitlyn Campbell

September is one of my favorite months because the leaves start to change color, the temperature starts to cool down, and we can wear cozy sweaters while enjoying hot drinks like apple cider or PSLs. I’m a huge fan of being able to cuddle up and be cozy. But in order to get fully ready for fall there are some things that I always do to prepare myself and my home for the new season. 

1. Declutter Your Space

One of the things that I do in September is declutter my living space. It doesn’t sound like a grand old time, but I love using the start of a new season to get reorganized. I go through all of my summer clothes, and anything I didn’t wear this year, I donate. Then I go through my home and find the areas in it that have clutter—we all have those areas. Currently, my dining room table is the landing zone for anything that my husband and I haven’t gotten around to dealing with, or finding a home for.  Starting a new season with an organized home makes me feel like I’m getting off on the right foot, and it helps me enjoy the new season that much more. 

2. It’s All About Hygge

Hygge is a Danish word that has no literal one-word translation into English, but it means having or creating a feeling or a moment that’s cozy or charming or special. This moment/feeling can happen by yourself or with people, or at home or out someplace. For example, a hygge moment could be having a potluck with friends over at your home, with a fireplace going (or candles), with some wine, and playing some board games, while you all laugh and tell stories about that time when…

Hygge could also be you curling up with a blanket and a good book while the soft autumn sunshine falls across your page as you drink hot chocolate. 

Hygge is less about you having to do or buy something, and more about appreciating the moments that come your way and acknowledging that they’re special. It’s about slowing down and being grateful for the little moments that can end up being worth so much more than we realize. 

If you’re interested in learning more about hygge, I would suggest reading The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking. Meik is the CEO of the Happiness Research Institute—he literally studies happiness for his job—and it’s a quick fun read.

3. Stock Up Your Pantry

Fall is also the time where everyone gets back into cooking, which means that it’s time to restock your pantry for all of the amazing things that you’re planning on making this season. Last year I got into making soups. My butternut squash soup is pretty delicious, I have to say. This year I think I’m going to perfect my chicken noodle soup recipe, and also learn how to make pastry dough so I can make pies. I find that the fall season calls out to my nesting sensibilities. I love having food in the freezer that I’ve made that I can heat up. It’s healthier than ordering in, and it’s such a time saver for those nights when you’re running late.

I also stock my pantry differently in the fall than in other seasons. This is the season of cinnamon sticks, diced vegetables for soup, dried fruit, and beans. I stock up on ingredients that will turn into hearty meals to beat back the chill.

4. Plan Activities & Adventures

One of the most important things I do when fall comes is to pick 2-3 things that I really want to do, and want to get excited about in these months leading up to winter. For example, I always want to make a day out of going apple picking. I scope out which place I want to go to, and my husband and I make a day out of it. We get up early in the morning and have a pancake breakfast, then we drive over and pick apples. We always stop and have hot apple cider. Most of the farms we go to have a little store so we make sure we stop and look through it (I always end up leaving with a bunch of things), and then when we come home we start dehydrating apples and making an apple crisp for dessert to accompany a delish dinner. Having something that you can look forward to makes the season more enjoyable. Some other ideas are having a bi-weekly girls night, or a monthly potluck with friends, or going camping. Whatever you like to do, make it an event of it  so you have something to get excited about this season.

5. Prepare For Seasonal Affective Disorder

The hardest thing for many people (and sometimes they don’t even realize it) when it comes to fall and winter is the lack of sunshine. We get vitamin D from the sun, and when it doesn’t shine, and when we’re not outside as much, we get less of it. Vitamin D is important because it helps you feel happy, and balances out your mood (among other things). Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that occurs during fall and winter for a lot of people, and it hits people during this time because there is not enough sunlight for them. To help stave off SAD, talk to your doctor about a vitamin D pill. And if SAD is something that really affects you look into getting a sunshine lamp. These lamps mimic sunlight and sitting under them for a particular period of time each day can greatly decrease symptoms of SAD. 

While it is disappointing that summer has left us, and thus all of the great warm weather and sunshine, fall is still a great season. There’s so much to look forward to, and the five ways listed above to prep yourself and your home for fall are a great way to get ready for it.