10 Ways To Bring in Fall

With fall just around the corner, we’re ready to put away long, hot Summer days and embrace the (somewhat) cooler weather. Here’s our top ten tips to transition to autumn.

1. Light Those Candles

While Summer is great for so many reasons, one of the major bummers is that it’s not exactly candle lighting season. Once fall hits, however, it’s game on. Enjoy lighting your favorite candles or picking out new ones. Find a subtle everyday scent and a perfect Fall aroma.

2. Go Apple Picking

Tis the season to go picking and we recommend starting with juicy, delicious apples. After you gather, bring them into the kitchen to thoroughly wash before enjoying slices with peanut butter or baking them into a delicious apple crisp. Can you ever have too many yummy apples? We think not.

3. Clean And Toss

After you’re done snacking, set aside the afternoon to gather old items ready to be donated or tossed. Clean out closets and areas of your home where summer items seem to have gathered (how does that happen every year?) and put them in their rightful storage spots. Give your entire home a careful cleaning or hire a local cleaning team to do the dirty work. Sweep up patios, mow the lawn, and do a pressure wash cleaning on the exterior of your house if you’re really feeling fancy.

4. Bust Out Blankets

Now that it’s sparkling clean inside and out, it’s time for a break – breaking out the blankets, that is. Gather the throw blankets and heavier duvets that were tucked away after Winter finally left. Wash, dry, and bring each to it’s designated room. For research purposes, make sure you immediately snuggle up with one on the couch and enjoy a fall afternoon nap or the latest episode of your favorite podcast (spoiler alert: it’s us, we’re your favorite podcast).

5. Open The Windows

… and all of the doors! Now that temperatures have cooled considerably, let the fresh air in and the stale air out. Enjoy a beautiful breeze, the scent of the changing seasons, and the sound of crunching leaves as neighbors walk by. Turn off the AC and let nature keep you cool.

6. Harvest It Up

You know you’ve been itching to bust out the pumpkin decor, apple and corn themed dish towels, and embrace your inner autumnal self. Pop some bales of hay on the front porch, string lights for a rustic feel, and purchase a wooden welcome sign for a truly rustic feel. Before you know it, your house will feel so harvest and farm like, neighbors will show up to ask when the hay rides are.

7. Get Plaid Crazy

If gingham is summer, plaid is made for fall. Rock your plaid shirts, select a plaid throw blanket, use plaid fabric in your craft projects, and add plaid to tabletop goods. You’ll need a wool, plaid blanket for picnics and Friday night football games, not to mention a plaid scarf for seasonal outfits. Even if it’s hot, wear the scarf and then post if on Instagram so everyone knows it’s officially fall.

8. Organize Your Life

With September comes the perfect time to check in on how things are going for you this year. Get clear on family, personal, and work goals in the remaining months of 2019, utilize a new calendar system if need be, and go over the important events that are coming in the fall and winter season. This is when little league, formals, boy scouts, cheer practice, and back to school conferences all seem to happen at once so get organized now before chaos starts. As a bonus, picking out a planner and using stickers works as excellent motivation.

9. Embrace The Outdoors

Summer is sweet for beach days and long swims in the pool but let’s face it, it’s hot as heck. Fall is the time to get outside, breathe in the crisp air, and go for a long jog. Take family walks with the kiddos, go for a hike with your dog, and make time for town festivals. Read a book on your favorite outdoor furniture or drink your morning coffee on the balcony. Jump in a pile of leaves or collect them to practice colors with your favorite toddler. Whatever you do, get outside and enjoy it now before we’re back to snow and ice. After all, autumn only lasts so long.

10. Sip Seasonal Drinks

Did you really think we’d forget the traditional fall custom of driving up to Starbucks for a PSL? Come on, now, we’d never leave that out! If Pumpkin Spice Lattes are not your cup of tea (yep, we had to), find your signature fall beverage and order it straight through to Thanksgiving. Try apple themed teas, caramel coffees, or a cinnamon sprinkled option. Is there anything more fall than sitting outside at a game, cheering on your team, plaid scarf wrapped around you, and sipping on a hot beverage? No, there is not.

We hope this post has you super excited for September, October, and November, or at least feeling a little better about summer slinking away. We’d love to know what your favorite fall tradition is! Please leave a comment below so we can try some new autumn activities, too. We can practically smell the pumpkin and cinnamon now. Happy Fall!

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All photos in this post are property of HHC Living.