How to Reset your Home for Fall
This fall, I’m ready for a Home Reset. Between the relaxed days of summer and the gathering of Autumn, I am craving a fresh start. Over time our homes quietly collect clutter and the mental and physical load we carry grows. Let’s reset your home for fall!
Fall tends to be the season between the summer days outdoors and all that the Christmas brings with it, making this season the chance to prepare.
For the Home Reset for fall, we focus more on less. Less clutter, less decor, less furniture, and less to manage. With the Holidays comes baking, events, presents, and decor! Clearing out the excess, making space, and creating room for those things will prepare your heart, mind, and home for the season to come.
Now, that may sound like alot, but I have a simple system to do this quickly and productively. Follow these steps and trust the process.
My Simple Fall Reset System
- Declutter
- Organize
- Clean
- Decorate
- Finish
It’s not about perfection or spending hours on every step; it’s about moving with intention, one room at a time, so our homes feel light, cozy, and ready to welcome the season ahead.
So if your home feels a little cluttered or you just want a fresh start before the holidays, join me. Let’s reset our homes together this fall—making them a place of calm now and wide open for all the love, memories, and celebrations still to come.
Step 1: Declutter
We start with decluttering and if you just wrapped up the 30 day declutter challenge, this should go fast! Regardless, decluttering needs your full attention and effort. Hands down the most life-changing step. I use my three bins and a box system—and it keeps the process simple and stress-free. Before I touch a single item, I set these up:
- Trash – for anything broken, worn out, or beyond repair.
- Donate – for items someone else can use and love.
- Rehome – for things that belong in another part of the house.
- Maybe Box – for the things you’re just not sure about yet.
The “maybe box” is a lifesaver. Tuck it in a closet for three to six months, and if you don’t miss the items, you’ll feel so much more confident letting them go after the holidays. This season, I encourage you to challenge yourself to live with less—even if it means just packing certain things away for now. You might be surprised at how freeing it feels.
Homework
Choose one cluttered area of your home and declutter. Group like items together and create new boundaries over what you keep and manage. You don’t need as much as you think. I find that choosing what I love and use the most first, can be helpful and create a positive experience around decluttering.
Step 2: Organize
Once the clutter is gone, it’s time to organize—but in the fall, this is light and simple. Organization is problem solving not buying containers to create a look or receieve a Pinterest award. The goal isn’t to create a perfectly organized home; it’s to clear space and prepare for the busier months ahead.
To organize, start by grouping like items together in the space you’re working on. For example, in a linen closet you might group towels, hand towels, toilet paper, and travel supplies.
Seeing everything together does two things: it shows you just how much you have (usually more than you think!) and it makes it easy to decide what should be most accessible.
Frequency of use is also important. Items you use every day deserve prime real estate, while seasonal or occasional items can go up high or tucked away.
Homework
Choose a problem area in your home and create a solution for it.
When it comes to bins and baskets, shop your house first. Use what you already have—it’s efficient, affordable, and often all you really need. If you do buy new, I always suggest cohesive baskets that can move from room to room.
Step 3: Clean
Do not overlook the power of a clean room! I know this doesn’t sound like fun, but the reward is worth it! This isn’t your everyday cleaning. Think of it as a seasonal refresh—the deeper, often-overlooked tasks that make a big impact. Expect to spend about an hour per room, and you’ll leave the space feeling accomplished and refreshed.
In this step will do things such as:
- cleaning furniture thoroughly
- vacuuming carefully (baseboards included)
- washing trash cans
- rotating a mattresses and dusting bed
Homework
Put on your “guest glasses.” Walk through your space as if you were a guest in your home or even preparing for a magazine shoot. What would stand out? What would feel out of place? Make a short list, set a timer, and knock it out.
Step 4: Decorate
Now comes the fun part—the reward after all your hard work! When I decorate for fall, I keep things simple because Christmas décor is right around the corner. A few pumpkins, fall leaves, or a cozy candle can bring in warmth without overwhelming the space.
I always begin with function. Does the furniture arrangement support the way you actually use the room? Can something be removed to create more space? Can you shop your house to refresh the space without spending anything?
Lighting is another powerful tool this season. Think about task lighting for reading, puzzle nights, or cozy conversations. Swap out what isn’t working and bring in what will make your evenings more enjoyable.
Homework
This season is about enjoying your home—not filling it with more stuff. Grab a cup of coffee and create a pin board for the room you working on. I label mine “Fall Home Reset” then post spaces and rooms that challenge me to be more minimal.
Step 5: Finish
You aren’t done, until you finish well. Take out the trash, drop off donations, rehome items, run arrands, and finish any small to-dos that came up along the way. Then, celebrate!
Homework
Light a candle, sip a warm pumpkin spice latte, or invite a friend over to enjoy your refreshed space. Grab your home notebook to jot down a few reflections about what you learned, what inspired you, and ideas you want to carry into future decorating projects.
You’ve completed the annual fall home reset.
By the time you’ve worked through these five steps, room by room, your home will feel lighter, calmer, and more intentional. And when the holiday season arrives, you’ll be ready—not just with a clean and organized home, but with a clear mind and heart prepared for the joy ahead.
I do this reset every fall, and it never fails to ground me in the season. It feels like a gift I give my future self—the one who will be making Christmas memories with family and friends in just a few short months.
A Cozy Fall Reset: Starting in the Living Room
So tell me—how do you reset for fall?
Until Next time,
