Keesha Bowers Fall equinox brings the cool, crisp evenings while at the same time, we still get to enjoy the warm, summer turning to autumn days.
This is a perfect time, while the days are still warm to prep your home for the change to come in the season. Fall is yummy in so many ways. Let me guide you into getting your home and yourself ready for the cozy times ahead.
For some reason, it is always a big deal to talk about spring cleaning in the spring, but for most of us, as spring hits, we flee our homes to pursue playtime outside in nature. But it is the return to the indoors that happens as the days begin to cool and shorten that brings us in for fall times. Going forward, I will be referring to this as the return to fall fuzziness.
Descriptive words delight me and what better word than fuzzy to describe such a lovely season as fall. As we begin to prep to go in for the fall, we can shift our perspective to the deliciousness of the time by bringing all the things into our home space that bring those pleasant times and memories to mind.
For many, being outside has been an important key to sanity since COVID started.
My kids and I have used nearby nature as a second home and a place to run to clear the stresses of the distance learning day. After an especially hard Monday, we jumped into the car for what we thought may be our last dip into the river. We released our pet tadpole, shared a snack, and walked in slowly to the cool river water to watch our friend swim and hideaway. As my family plans for more time inside as fall is here now, I see an important aspect being how to make the inside feel as cozy as possible, as well as prepping our spaces to reflect a healthy state of mind to go into winter. I believe that when our living spaces feel clear we are able to handle the daily stresses more easily. We are gearing up for a fall purge and to switch out summer vibes to fall fuzziness.
To really bring in the “f” yeah to fall.
We need to prep the inside and outside of our home so we can get into our hygge times with family. Scandinavian culture does it right and hygge is a Danish and Norwegian word for a mood of coziness and comfortable conviviality with feelings of wellness and contentment. Fall is the quintessential time to get our hygge on!
And because we are still keeping close to those in our “pods” we can make our space more inviting for those close friends who come to visit too!
Here is a list of go-to’s for Fall, to bring in the ultimate feelings of fall fuzz:
One.
The most important thing we can do before jumping into any major space changes is to sit quietly and ask ourselves, “what is it that we ultimately want to experience this fall season in our space?”
Grab that delish cup of tea and find the spot you already love and needs no fixing, where you can sit and feel into fall. Read a fall poem to get yourself in the mood. Feel into the surrounding areas of your home and imagine where you see your family or visitors gathering. When you find where the people like to huddle in, start there. For me, it would be the living room, specifically around the wood stove and the area where we like to cuddle in and watch movies. Another area is the kitchen and eating nook.
Two.
Entice your senses with fall.
Now, I am not a fan of any fake smelling or tasting fall items, but to boil a pot of hot cider or cook pumpkin soup, would get me right in the mood. There are some essential oils I like to put into the diffuser, like cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, or ginger that not only smell great but also give our immune system a boost. You can also make small cinnamon bundles and place them around your home, for extra yummy smells.
Three.
Create a Fall altar with your family.
This could be very simple with nature items you cherish, to pictures of family, art, tactile objects (like a piece of fur, pinecones, smooth rocks or feathers), acorns, pumpkins, gems, gourds, candles, a branch or leaves from your favorite tree, colorful fabrics of the season and perhaps a wooden flute that can be played!
Four.
Bring in the fuzz!
And by the fuzz, I don’t mean the law. I mean fall-colored pillows and pillow slipcovers, blankets, throws, rugs, sheepies, tapestries, warm lighting, sweaters, scarves, beanies, and your coziest socks and slippers. Basically bring in everything that brings you warm fuzzies to your heart.
Five.
Take those beautiful wooden and fall colored vintage bowls and baskets you’ve been storing in the cupboard and fill them with the bounty of the fall harvest!
Fill the bowls and baskets with delicious local apples, pumpkins you grew or picked, gourds of all shapes and sizes, fall mums, acorns, pinecones, multi-colored corn, and branches with berries. These are meant to be for snacking on, crafting with, and simply because they make your autumn home more beautiful!
Six.
Change out your art and decor to add in the rich colors of autumn.
And bring in something spooky too! My kids love Halloween so we also swap in skeletons and spooky decor all around the house. I like to add reminders around the house that fall also brings in a time of gratitude for the earth and the abundance of the garden and all the tasty meals enjoyed from the hard work we put in. This year we had so many zucchini, squash, tomatoes, melons, greens, and beans. The garden was a bonding and learning experience for my daughter and I during COVID time as we planted everything from seed and watched with anticipation as things grew, produced, and now return back to the earth. We are thankful for this blessing! And especially thankful for this silver lining gift of these COVID times!
Seven.
Welcome the energy of fall into your home.
By opening the doors and windows on a day that you can purify and release the energy by burning sage, then after you close things up again, walk through the space with rose spray or palo santo to welcome the blessings of this new season. Make a fall wreath to hang on your door. Invite the people in who make you feel most loved for a pot of soup and a glass of wine.
Eight.
Well just because it’s not spring, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t clear and clean.
I usually feel that fall is my most important time to purge. Go through the closets. Make space for less. I look around my home at the end of summer and see the cobwebs I’ve let go and the areas that could use sorting. I’m planning to make art, write, craft, make delicious meals, sip tea and read books this season, so prepping the spaces that may need clearing is essential now. And if you wish to support all areas of your life, go through each room of your home and give some attention to the corners. This shift in energy can help you excel in many areas based on feng shui methods. Where chi moves freely, areas in our life can grow and move more easily as well.
Nine.
Humans are thing do-ers. We like to do things.
Fall is a wonderful time to set out books to read, crafts to make, learn a new instrument or break out some new albums to listen to. Make sure your board games have all the pieces and are ready for fun! Get yourself any needed warm weather gear now, so you can still get out on nature as much as possible for that vitamin D!
Ultimately, whether we love fall or dread the coming of colder days, we can shift our surroundings to bring in feelings of ultimate comfort. That is how I like to define fall.
A time to hold ourselves and take comfort in the little things.
Each moment we have been gifted a chance to see with fresh eyes the beauty of impermanence. Things change. Isn’t that beautiful! Fall is one of the showiest seasons of the splendor of endings. The fabulous colors as the leaves change and return to the ground. May you find the softest and fuzziest feelings as you fall into the sexiest of the seasons!!
UNDER THE HARVEST MOON
By Carl Sandburg
UNDER the harvest moon,
When the soft silver
Drips shimmering
Over the garden nights,
Death, the gray mocker,
Comes and whispers to you
As a beautiful friend
Who remembers.
Under the summer roses
When the flagrant crimson
Lurks in the dusk
Of the wild red leaves,
Love, with little hands,
Comes and touches you
With a thousand memories,
And asks you
Beautiful, unanswerable questions.
