Ready or not, fall is bearing down on us here in Southeastern Massachusetts. Yesterday when I got up it was only 40°! Time to break down and try on those blue jeans. And time to get everything ready for fall – which leads me to this week’s Ten on Tuesday topic: Ten Things You Do To Get Your Home Ready for Fall.
- Swap out the spring/summer curtains for the fall/winter curtains. I don’t actually have to do that this year since I never swapped out the curtains last spring as I was enjoying them so much. I will, however, be making new table runners and matts so that I have red/white ones to match the red/white curtains and blue/brown ones to match the blue/brown curtains. See above photo for reference.
- Wash the windows. I won’t have to do the living room and bedroom ones this year since they are new(!!!!) but the ones in the kitchen (and there are 6) must be done.
- Put away the pretty decorative candles I have on top of the woodstove. They can’t stay there once we start having fires.
- Speaking of candles, swap out the summer scents like Pineapple Cilantro and Paradise Spice for the fall scents like Macintosh and Buttercream.
- Purchase and plant mums. Of course, this means giving up on my beautiful summer container gardens and I’m not ready to do that just yet.
- Stack firewood on the deck. Much like my plants, I am not ready to put away the deck furniture and Dale just bought me an outdoor heater for my upcoming birthday so we’re going to have to put off firewood on the deck for a while. I hope.
- Get out the extra quilts, the flannel sheets and the down comforter. I do like how cozy all of that makes our bedroom feel.
- Finish up any decorating projects. We often have something going on and we also have an upcoming Halloween party so everything must be finished. Now. (I really hope Dale is reading this post today.)
- Decorate with pumpkins and gourds and fall leaves. Right now my house is in a transitional state – the sideboard in the dining room still has beach glass and shells in glass containers but the mantel is decorated with shed antlers and mini pumpkins and gourds.
- Clean and sort the sock drawer. Time to get rid of any socks with holes and make sure they are clean and ready to wear. I haven’t had to break out the wool yet but it’s coming, I can feel it.
That’s my list and, while I despise winter, I do enjoy fall so some of this actually makes me happy. I’d be happier, though, if I didn’t have to do any of this until, ohhhhhhh, November.
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that’s good list! I think of Fall starting here more around the beginning of October, so I have a few more weeks. (and like you, I didn’t swap out some of my stuff last spring, so there’s not as much to do!)
Love your list! I adore fall weather and we seem to be having an early fall here in PA.
I’ve got many new windows as well and will be making curtains over the winter…it’s nice not to have to wash them this year!
I love that you make your own table runner to match your curtains! Window washing – ughhh…. We usually do that just before it gets real cold and we put the plastic over the windows to keep drafts away.
Fun list! Though, being in California, I don’t have to do half of the things you mentioned…
Your house is a lovely place to be in fall.
I don’t do most of those things, so almost everything I do involves food. I’m surprised I’m not a complete sphere from all of the baking I do once the temperature dips.
Wish I could sleep under one of your quilts again and maybe even come to your Halloween party! Maybe then, I’d face fall.
Time to get out the hand knits and to think about baking again. If I lived in an old house I would be getting out the storm windows.
Good list! Mine would include a different wreath on the front door and would eschew the flannel sheets–I like “crispy” sheets year round.
Oh yeah, I’d like to do a lot of this, like… NEVER! But, it is what it is. I do enjoy fall. (Have been resisting long pants/jeans this year like never before!)
My daughter and her beau will be coming for a week in early October. She told me she is looking forward to coming home to our Halloween decorations. Guess I’d better get on that! Happy fall! (You swap out curtain??!! You amaze, Carole!)
My fall routine is : denial, avoidance, knit a sweater, be sad about the winter coming, bake fall stuff, be sad about winter coming, more denial and avoidance, wear shorts and a longsleeved top with a wool scarf…..and I’ve already started using the down comforter this week. I admire your decorative arts commitment!
About a week ago, I went through a spell of stocking up the pantry. It’s kinda a nice feeling to have a little more supply of things on hand…even if we do only live about 5 blocks from the grocery.
Windows! I forgot about those.