Being born and raised in South Florida, I knew very little about seasons until last August when I made the move to New York. Now that I’m entering my second year up North, I can actually say that I’m looking forward to making the transition from Summer into Fall. The girls started school last week and with Labor Day today, I figured it would be a perfect time to blog about preparing our homes and ourselves for Fall.

• Fall cleaning is just as important and necessary as Spring cleaning. Flip your mattress (this should be done twice a year), winterize your pipes, and clean out your closet. You know the drill~ anything you haven’t worn in the last year, donate. Anything with tags still attached, wear or list on ebay. Items that need repairing should be sent to the tailor (make sure to give your shoes the once over too to keep your heels in pristine shape). Make room for a few fall purchases to update your look.
• Give your garden some TLC. Uproot summer plants from the soil, dispose of them, and don’t forget to turn the soil over. Now is a great time to invest in some Chrysanthemums. They come in all different colors and are the ultimate fall flowers. Go to your local nursery and purchase a generous amount to give your yard a beautiful, autumnal look.
• Change your tablescape. I use a different table runner for each season and fill a tall, glass container with seasonal things. Goodbye, seashells, hello, pine cones!
• Change the scents that surround you. I start with my air fresheners. I’m slightly addicted to plug-ins and switch the scent to correlate with the seasons. Try “Warming Apple Cinnamon Medley” for the scent of fall. Heaven! Varying your hand soaps, lotions and even your perfume is a simple luxury that will make you feel at one with the changes around you.

• Scour the fall fashions and choose a few key pieces that will add to your wardrobe. Check out one of my favorite blogs for some inspiration and direction.
• One of the easiest ways to stay current is with your nail polish. Make the transition from your Summer brights to jewel tones or other new fall colors.

September 23rd is the first “official” day of Fall so make sure to celebrate by noshing on some delicious seasonal foods. Put a date on the calendar to go apple picking and pick up your pumpkins for carving and decorating. And finally, for all my fellow Starbucks junkies, make sure to grab a Pumpkin Spice Latte (just released!) to really put you in the fall mood.

xo,

Tanya