Ah, fall. We all enjoy wearing sweaters, drinking pumpkin spice lattes, and watching the leaves change color! With all the seasonal changes, I also look forward to organizing the home for fall. Because I love any excuse to organize, taking the time to swap out things in prep for the cold months makes me feel prepared to tackle winter. Can fall cleaning be a thing?
Here are all my tips for ways to organize your home for fall!
Fall kitchen pantry
After decluttering your kitchen space and getting rid of anything expired, it’s time to organize what’s left.
I don’t often bake throughout the year, but various baking supplies find a way to clutter my kitchen and pantry. Group them all in a dollar store plastic bin. I went a step further and sprayed some of them gold to match the rest of the pantry’s accents. Now, whenever a holiday hits and I need to bake up a storm, I pull the whole bin out to the kitchen!
Fridge
Tupperware is another excellent task to tackle before the season of holiday leftovers begins. Begin by emptying EVERYTHING in your fridge, including the shelves and drawers. That way, you can give everything a good cleaning and adjust the racks for the best spacing.
Then start categorizing everything into the plastic bins — cheese and dairy in one container, sauces in another, etc. Once you have everything sorted, begin loading the fridge back up in a sorted system you’re happy with.
Organize print photos
Organizing my print photo collection was my summer focus project. Not only is it a perfect opportunity to reminisce, but organizing memories allows you to share them with loved ones. Start by making some goals for your photo organization project. Next, gather all those printed pictures, declutter them, then use a systematic process to organize and safeguard your photos.
Do a home inventory
Everyone, in my opinion, needs an up-to-date home inventory. This is also a fantastic way to ensure you have proof in case of burglary or another disaster. Once you’re done doing taking stock, make sure to keep it updated at least once a year.
Go PAPERLESS
Whether you know it or not, paper clutter decreases your overall productivity. Make this the season of going paperless! First, read all about the benefits of going paperless then gather all the essential tools you’ll need. Start going drawer by drawer, scanning, and tossing as you establish a workflow.
Create a routine
Fall and winter seem to get busier than lazy summer days. We have our events, our family, holidays, and things that need to be done before the cold weather hits. Creating a central location and a calendar for everyone’s invitations and obligations is going to make the seasons ahead a lot easier!
Downsize clothes
Cooler weather means bulkier clothing. Bulkier clothing takes up more space. We also tend to buy more clothes without necessarily going through our current wardrobe before going shopping. It doesn’t take much before our closet is overflowing and we don’t know what we have anymore.
Go through your closet before shopping! If you didn’t before, that’s okay; you can do it now. If it feels overwhelming, tackle one part of the wardrobe every day. Do this until you’ve got a hold of the unwanted, unneeded items. And remember to make different piles to make the process easier: KEEP, DONATE, and THROW.
Plan a menu
Plan out breakfast, lunches, snacks, dinners, and even desserts. It saves tons of money at the store, it takes the guesswork out of the old “what’s for dinner” question, and you’ll know exactly what you need.
Start writing down what you plan to serve at each meal!
Create a mudroom space
Whether it’s a couple of hooks on the entry door or an elaborate mudroom, create a central area for everyone to kick off their boots, hang their wet jackets, and place bags and keys. It helps keep everyone organized!
