Summer’s long days of lounging outdoors are soon coming to an end. However, as days shorten, fall calls us back inside to attend to what might now be some neglected spots around the home.
You might be overjoyed to welcome spiced-apple reed diffusers and cable-knit throws to your space. But, before the fall decor shopping spree begins, it may be worth checking that your home is well organized before it receives anything new. Restoring order to your home won't only help clear your space (and mind) for some seasonal decor, but it will also allow you to usher in autumn on the right foot.
A total overhaul might be needed to organize your whole home, but professionals say there are a few spots that are common culprits which you should try to tackle first. So, before you put the pumpkins out, brush up on some easy home organization ideas and center your attention on these particular areas.
1. The Entryway
First impressions count, so organizing and entryway is key to setting the tone in your home. “With the weather getting cooler, I'd suggest starting with the entryway or mudroom," says professional organizer Di Ter Avest, owner of Di is Organized. “It's amazing how quickly this space can turn into a mess with all the boots, jackets, and umbrellas piling up. Make sure there's a spot for everything — wet shoes, coats, and whatever else tends to clutter up the area.”
If your outerwear for the colder months has degraded overtime, now is the time to throw them away. For the pieces in good condition that don’t get much wear, ask yourself why. Are they on the ill-fitting side? Do they clash with your current style? If so, it may be worth making a trip to a donation point.
Di’s personal trick is to keep a small basket in the entryway for seasonal accessories such as gloves and sunglasses. This felted basket from H&M home goes down well with lovers of scandi, brutalism and other design styles that put texture at the forefront.
2. Kitchen Cabinets and Shelves
As the temperature drops and gatherings move indoors, the menu shifts from barbecue to baked dishes and these take a significant amount of time to prepare in comparison. Di advises that you do a full-scale clear up of your countertops at the start of September. “You'll want easy access to your most-used items, so consider setting up a coffee or tea station and having a designated area for serving dishes and utensils,” she says.
Di also suggests that the dining space itself can be organized — she advises experimenting with different table settings and seasonal decor to find what feels intimate and welcoming. She personally likes to use pie plates and a special set of dinnerware for her fall table decor ideas.
3. Pantry
An audit of your food storage is important as we head into the cooler seasons. Look at the dates on jars and packets and organize them by what to use first. Throw out any items past the use-by date and reorder what is left — the first to go out of date at the front and the last at the back.
If you’re unsure of where to start with your pantry organization ideas, why not begin with your spices? A more sustainable and aesthetic option is to buy reusable spice jars and refill them at your local market. These labels are helpful not only for organization but also for dating the spices, plus they make your spice storage look so satisfying, too. (We love these affordable glass and bamboo spice jars from Wayfair that come with spoons.)
While you're at it, it may be a good time to check that your utensils are all in working order. If handles are hanging by a thread, it may be time to let your staple utensils go and purchase a new set. Having a designated drawer (or if you move with the open-shelving crowd, utensil rail with "S" hooks) makes food preparation a much more peaceful pastime so don’t forget to put things back in this new designated place when you’re done.
4. Desks
Fall marks the start of school and, for many of us, a return to a more regular work routine. To start things off on the right foot, dedicate some time to apply some desk organization ideas. Whether you want to add shelves or storage systems, or you simply need to get round to filing that paperwork that's piling up, it's likely this part of the home has been neglected over the summer.
On the topic of life admin, the entryway is also a perfect place to put a calendar for a last-minute look at your upcoming schedule. Elana Mendelson, CEO of interior design firm Elana Designs, likes to go through emails and make color-coded notes on the calendar of upcoming events, categorized by the person in her home that they are relevant to. She finds it especially helpful to keep on top of work and family life.
5. Closets
Not all of us have the luxury of extra storage to stow away our summer clothes nor the time to dig for weather-appropriate items. Reworking your closet organization ideas so that sweaters, boots and shawls are a quick grab is essential as the season changes.
“Transitioning your wardrobe for the fall is the perfect excuse to declutter and reorganize. If you have limited space, consider packing away your summer clothes and bringing forward all your cozy sweaters, scarves, and boots,” Di advises. “Some of our clients like to rotate their clothes, so using clear bins or labeled boxes to store off-season clothes keeps everything neat and makes it easy to find when the weather warms up again.”
Di also suggests keeping track of your wardrobe habits to help manage the space. “Since you're going to be swapping out summer clothes for your cozier fall wardrobe, it's a great opportunity to purge those items you didn't wear this past season,” she says. “Assess what you didn't wear last season and consider donating those items.” For aspirational minimalists, Di’s personal trick is to curate a capsule wardrobe so that there isn’t need for seasonal rotations.
If you’re a parent, it may be worth checking your kids’ closets, too. Elana recommends placing pants, sweatshirts and long-sleeve shirts and other fall items lower in the closet for quick reach. “It's organized for them so that they think, ‘What's in front of me is what I'm going to be using most’,” she says.
Organizing your home for the new season doesn't have to be an enormous undertaking Focus on these specific areas and your home is sure to look less cluttered and be systematically streamlined in next to no time.
