Sprucing Up Our Winter Nests

One is truly blessed if they’re fortunate enough to live in New England in the fall. Its spectacular, warm, subtle hues are a welcome break from the bright colors of summer. The long, late afternoon shadows that usher us indoors for a cup of tea give us time to pause and appreciate our interiors again. Fall offers many opportunities for reflection and gratitude for the blessings that surround us.

It’s also a time of assessment and sowing, a time to redo things just a bit like switching out light weight accents for heavier materials, updating colors from cool to warm and bringing sweet smelling autumn scents into your home. Without overwhelming myself or you, I’ve put together a fall “to do list”. I’m always more efficient if I make a list of what needs to be done. Pick and choose which ones you want to get done. Maybe it’s just the last one on my list! I hope spending time outdoors this fall and preparing your home for the colder months ahead, inspires you to take a look at your decor and find ways to refresh and renew your surroundings.

– Pick up some fall gourds. From pumpkins in shades of orange, green and white to unusual gourds in all shapes and sizes, this is all you need for fall decorating.

– It’s harvest time. Stock up on root vegetables and connect your energy waves to those of the calming earth.

– Make preserves.

– Check home safety devices. Check batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and check the expiration date on your fire extinguisher.

– Change the water filter in your refrigerator and kitchen faucet if you have one.

– Assess the dining room. If you’re planning on hosting a major holiday, take stock now on your seating, table space and entertaining essentials. Don’t wait until Thanksgiving eve to realize you don’t have a platter for the turkey. (I did this one year.)

– Start a holiday gift list. Take the pressure off of last minute gifts. Begin browsing and getting ideas. Remember, less is more.

– Clean out the spice draw. When was the last time you checked the expiration dates on all of those dusty spice containers? Spices don’t typically go bad but they do lose their potency and become less flavorful over time. This is when I like to have some of my essential oils handy, like basil and oregano because they never lose their potency.

– Bring serenity to the bedroom. Add an extra layer of warmth with flannel sheets or a cozy blanket and velvety pillows.

– Declutter the family room. Cooler nights bring us indoors for movie nights and sporting events. Purge your movie collection and put away items that belong in other rooms, then you can relax and watch TV without looking at what needs to be cleaned up.

– Shut off exterior faucets and store hoses. We don’t want frozen pipes!

– Deep clean the kitchen. Take a day to tackle this big task to keep your kitchen working efficiently and looking great. Degrease the range hood, clean out the refrigerator, vacuum the refrigerator coils, wash the tile backsplash, scrub tile grout, seal granite countertops, clean light fixtures, wipe down your cabinets, clean out the trash cans, clean small appliances and clean the oven.

– Schedule chimney and heating system maintenance. Make sure your boiler is in good working order before you need to turn the heat on.

– Remove your screens and wash your windows. If I’m stuck inside all winter, I want to clearly see the lovely snow falling outside!

– Stock up on unscented candles. I like unscented bees wax candles. They won’t make your
ceilings gray and they aren’t scented with synthetic fragrance that may be harmful to your health.

– Diffuse essential oils in every room of your home, scents of clove, cinnamon bark, tangerine, thieves and abundance in honor of the harvest season.

– Take a hike and gather grasses, berries, acorns, etc. and make your own bouquet or potpourri. Decor doesn’t have to be expensive!

– Keep someone else warm by donating blankets, throws, coats, hats, gloves that you no longer have use for. Someone will really appreciate this!

– Take a detox salt bath with Epsom salts and essential oils – salt absorbs negative energy and essential oils generate LOVE in the body. After all this work you deserve this one!

I’m sure there are more tasks I could come up with. I’ve focused mainly on just the interior of our homes. I’d love if you shared some of your own seasonal tasks by commenting below, it’s always appreciated. Wishing you an abundance of beauty found in this radiant season and have fun!

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