I admit it – I love fall. The back-to-school and ‘start of something new’ energy makes me feel excited and optimistic. It also makes me want to organize like crazy! After the laidback-ness of summer, fall is prime-time to reassess, reorganize and reboot. Here are 4 simple ways to do just that!
1. Make your entrance-way awesome
Let’s face it, flip flops don’t take up much space, but shoes, boots, rain-gear, jackets, bags, umbrellas, and scarves do! Since we know it will rain, it will get cold, there will be returns to make and a pile will form at our entrance (or mudroom/foyer/landing), find space for things sooner rather than later. I love having a shelf with double hooks underneath – more bang for your hanging buck! With labeled storage boxes on top of the shelf (one bin per person perhaps?) this is a great solution.
2. Streamline your closet and clothes
You know when it’s just cool enough that you can warp a cozy scarf around your neck or wear your favorite sweater outside with no jacket? Such a lovely feeling, if you can find them! Before bringing in the new, time to sort through your summer clothes and release those that don’t serve you anymore. Do the same with your kids clothes – they grow fast, and there’s always a need for donations at churches, moms groups, shelters, value village, etc. Now you’re ready to rock your coolest boots, scarves and cozy jackets – as long as they are easy to find and you feel good in them!
3. Prep your pantry
Once we say goodbye to popsicles and margaritas by the pool, it’s time to think about a shift into fall foods. A bit more hearty and comforting, consider buying seasonal fall foods that may include beets, pumpkins, squash, apples, and my favorite, chestnuts. I definitely include pumpkin-spiced lattes in this mix! Whether you’re walking in the hills or to the office, consider making a healthy trail mix to have on hand that combines salty seeds, tangy ginger, crunchy nuts, chewy cranberries, and rich coconut flakes. One goal I have this fall is to learn more about canning and freezing from my mom – her pasta sauce, chili, and lecho (a Hungarian meat, pepper and meat stew) are delicious, and I am excited to try her newest recipe of pickled beets, onions and peppers this year!
4. Create your holiday checklists
Is anyone else looking at their calendars a lot more lately?! In order to avoid the stress of last-minute preparations, why not make your Halloween checklist now? If you know you’ll need costumes for you and/or your kids, treats to hand out, and decorations to put up, start your checklist now to avoid all the stress of last-minute prep. And for those counting down to another big holiday, our friends at xmasclock.com tell me there are 67 days days until Christmas! It is never too early to create your to-do lists!
Amidst all our fall organizing, let’s remember to enjoy this special season. Whether hiking outdoors, enjoying a local fall fair, picking apples, making seasonal food, visiting art studios, or savouring a pumpkin-spiced latte – breathe in all that fall has to offer!
Please reach out with any comments or suggestions – we would love to hear from you!
About the Author
Having caught the organizational bug early on trying to “balance” things out as an elite gymnast, Jessica Tudos brings diverse skills and experiences to professional organizing. Drawing from her global work as an experiential educator, author, and motivational speaker, Jessica is on a mission to empower people to lead healthy, creative and organized lives. jessica@easeup.ca