As fall slowly makes its way to us, with the changing of the leaves and the crunch-crunch of your feet on the ground in the crisp air, I figure it’s time to pay attention to your home again.
In the summer, you could resist attending to your home, as the longing to be outside the sun and take in the beauty of the best time of year (in my opinion) was strong. But if you want to prepare for winter, fall is the best time to cultivate a space that will keep you joyful, even in the chill that’s coming.
Take a weekend or a few afternoons to get your space together. The older I get, the more I understand my mother’s frantic early morning cleaning and her need to get furnishings for the season. Don’t underestimate the power of beauty to keep your spirits up as the sky darkens earlier and earlier in the evenings.
Set up a coffee/tea station
As a tea lover, I have a big collection of loose leaf teas that I cycle through. Setting up a particular place with my kettle and my sugar and my main loose leaf teas brings me joy. For you, it could be as simple as a Moka pot or a Keruig, or as intense as a Breville. Collect your favorite mugs and set up hooks for them on the wall so they’re easy to reach for. Put sugar or honey or whatever else you love – some people like Maldon salt or a coffee syrup – close at hand for your morning cup. That way, one of your first steps in the morning is reaching for something that will warm you up.
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Adorn your house in what you love
This will be different for everyone, depending on your tastes and your budget. In my case, I have books everywhere. They’re on my nightstand, on bookshelves, on my dresser, on my coffee table. When you look around and take in your space, you don’t want to see clutter or be negotiating with yourself on why you have what you have, you just want to feel joy. In my case, it’s an out-of-control home library. In your case, it can be an artists’ work you love. It can be your artwork. Flowers from the farmer’s market. Candles. Lamps for a warmer space. Anything that makes you smile when you walk in.
Deep clean your space regularly
In order to feel rested in your home, you can’t be surrounded by clutter or excess. Don’t be afraid to have a regular decluttering session per season. There’s that quote – let what you have in your home either be useful or beautiful, ideally both. So ask yourself – Is this thing useful? Have I used it lately? Is it adding to my space in a positive way? If not, could I give it to a friend or neighbor? A clean space makes it easier to enjoy your home and relieves your mind of that sneaky feeling that there’s something you need to do. You can just relax.
Invest in what you care about
What makes a home cozy to you? What makes you able to curl up and settle down? That is what you need to invest in. I don’t recommend spending hundreds of dollars, but you may need to spend a little bit more time perusing through stores and pondering what will actually give you a peaceful home. Is it lighting? Find some warm toned light bulbs to put in your lamps. Is it blankets? See what you can find in your closets and look at some homeware stores. Is it bedding? Look into what gives you that hotel bed-like feeling. Maybe it’s new sheets and a cotton percale duvet cover. Figure out where you want to put your energy and do so wisely.
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Have snacks on hand
I fear snacks have only risen in price as I’ve gotten older. They were always a luxury but seem to be even more luxurious now. That said, don’t be afraid to get in the kitchen and make your favorite at home. Make some homemade granola. Bake some muffins or cookies. I love baking something once a week, usually a loaf cake of some kind, and then enjoying that in the mornings or evenings.
Tomato soup and grilled cheese is an amazing combination! I need to work on my cardamom buns.
Thrift or get from family
Most of my home at the moment has been gifted to me or thrifted. Furniture is expensive and while I can’t have a perfectly curated home, I can enjoy the elements that do work well together. Don’t let financial pressure keep you from enjoying your space. If you do the hard work of thrifting key pieces, you will always have a unique space. And maybe you can reuse what family or friends have decided they don’t need.
Every thing has its place
If you live in a small home, you know that in order for things to look and feel neat, everything in your home needs to have a place. Surfaces need to be organized and cleared. Otherwise it signals to your brain that there’s a mess that needs fixing. A part of having a cozy home where I can rest means reducing the appearance of clutter. If you don’t have a home for a particular item, you should ask yourself if it’s useful to you or if it’s even something you desire to have. The less things you have, the easier it will be to make a home for what you do own.
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Pay attention to scent
One area that it’s easy to neglect is scent. We often think that a home is cozy based on how it looks or feels, with plush blankets and pillows, a soft rug, but we have senses beyond sight and touch. In college, I picked up a room spray for my apartment and it was lovely to have. I would usually spray it before bed and it would help me relax and rest in my home. I know that author Lore Wilbert loves the balsam fir scent and has a candle going at any given time. You may not have a singular scent you love, but it’s worth thinking about how your home smells, even if it’s the smell of cookies fresh from the oven once a week.
I am still curating my home. It often feels like a modpodge of my life from different seasons, but it does feel comfortable and I’m able to rest here. I hope your home feels cozy and peaceful, friends!
Signing off,
Gigi
