Well-Organized Living Space: Ways to Update Your Home for Fall

Often, when the seasons change, I too start to feel a need for change. It isn’t usually a desire for anything drastic, but instead a gentle tugging at my feminine need to nest. This is about the time that I begin to clean and reorganize closets, rearrange furniture and add seasonal accents—subtle touches that make my living space continue to feel cozy, inviting and inspiring. It is very simple to update your home for fall, refreshing your environment and allowing it to continue to be a peaceful haven.

Reorganize your closet. Have your closet make sense for your lifestyle and the weather by pulling out summer items and beginning to replace them with light fall attire like thin sweaters and cardigans, long sleeved tops and sweater dresses that you can wear sans hose. Additionally, decide if you want to organize your pieces by color, style, brand, etc. and make that change. You’ll start to get a fresh perspective on all your items as you see how they can be mixed, matched and layered; and this will reveal any holes in your wardrobe or staples that need to be replaced. If you’re feeling like a total closet overhaul, try using fresh storage accessories, like a new shoe rack or uniform hangers throughout.

Toss things that you no longer need or don’t use. It’s easy to acquire lots of items that kind of pile up and take up space, without being functional or useful--like paperwork, old magazines, expired mail and even clothing and shoes that we no longer want. Take some time to organize your important papers and mail in a Pendaflex filing system or your file cabinet and recycle the rest; and give those clothing items to goodwill. Why not choose your favorite magazines to arrange neatly on tables or bookshelves for display? You’ll breathe easier without all the extra clutter.

Change out your bedding and buy new pillows. Bedding gets worn very quickly and easily through nightly use. Update your sleeping quarters by bringing in a different set of sheets, as well as new and fully stuffed pillows. And, if you really want to give the entire room a fresh look, switch out your comforter for a richer fall color like chocolate, deep purple, forest green, mustard, oxblood or pumpkin.

Toss lush throws casually over your bed and chairs. Sometimes nothing feels better on a cool day than curling up for a few moments, lazing with a warm mug of your favorite beverage and a good book. Keeping throws draped lazily over your bed, or chairs in your home, makes warming up that much easier.

Update your accent pillows. Make simple updates to your décor by switching out your current throw pillows for new ones! Find new colors, patterns and styles that speak to you and adorn your sitting areas with them.

Add lighting. Since it gets dark so much earlier in the cooler months, why not bring additional light into your home? If you’re someone who tends to feel cheerier when there’s bright light surrounding you, you’ll love finding cool lamps and light fixtures that give your home a luminescent glow even when it is darkest outside.

Add fall-scented candles. Celebrate the season by bringing in fall fragrance in the form of deliciously scented candles that permeate each room. The aromas may even incite pleasant fall memories, making you feel instantly more peaceful and calm.

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