Fall is in the air, and it is the perfect time to get organized. This week I’m sharing four videos to help you tackle projects that are perfect for the fall:
- Switching out seasonal supplies
- Planning your calendar
- Organizing the attic
- Organizing the garage
I hope you enjoy these. As always, feel free to contact me if you have any questions!
There is no time like the fall to get things in order so that you can enjoy the year ahead. What would you like to get organized this fall?
What great tips and I have to start switching the clothes around here for us. Not just ready yet as it is going to be in the 80s still this week. But soon, I know it will come quickly enough. So, thanks for sharing, Seana 🥰
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Let’s hang onto those 80s as long as we can, right?
Calendars and fall! That is a joy to me as I add all the activities. It is how I set my intentions for the fall with the specific activities I am involved in, such as a fundraiser for children’s cancer research. Only in the fall are we preparing for the event. I hope everyone has these types of opportunities in their calendars.
I find that putting items into my calendar has the same impact… it is mindful and intentional, and it gives me a chance to think through what I want to accomplish over the next three months. I really enjoy the process!
Oh, this is fun! I didn’t even know we had an attic but we do have sort of a crawlspace place. It’s not safe to hang out in, sadly. We have two garages now – the old one which is used for storage and the new one actually used for cars. Both need help! And of course, swapping out the seasonal stuff and getting holiday stuff on deck.
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Wow, a garage that will actually hold cars – that is awesome! Won’t that be terrific when the snow comes? I’m so happy for you all in your renovated home. Smart to think about the holidays now – they will be upon us in a blink!
Truly solid advice, Seana.
I really like the way you separated these videos and made them short and sweet – each one with actionable advice. Well done!
Thanks, Diane. I’m trying to make them shorter these days. That seems to be the trend. I have so much more to say, but I’m always here if people have questions!
Great videos, Seana! The fall is my favorite time to organize the home. After back to school, many stores place organizing products on deep discounts, and that is when I scoop them up.
This year, since both the kids are back at school, we have the garage back! Yay. So, we are finding things that need new homes to make even more room in the garage. There are still a few things left. Not everything has to be in the garage. Many things can easily be stored on the wall of a shed as well. We were able to reorganize the shed to include these items instead of storing them in the garage.
So nice to clear up space in the garage. We have a shed behind our garage and have found that by installing shelves in that location, it remove a lot of the burden from the garage, making it easier to pull our cars in and out.
You are so fun! I love watching you…Seana, anchor woman to organizing. 👏
I followed many of your suggestions on fall calendars when my kids were small. I also shared with clients along the way. I called it the “family calendar.”
If you sit down for a block of time and fill in all the activities (color coding is great, 1 color for each person in the family), it saves so much time during the school year. Then all you have to do is add or delete as necessary.
Changing over clothes and supplies were easy during this transition. The garage was another story. I think because it was massive, filthy, lugging big boxes, and rearranging to make room for the cars. I would always bring in helpers because it was some thing I would dread doing.
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Bringing in helpers for the garage is so smart. It can be a very physical job, so extra muscle is always appreciated AND makes it go faster!
Great job on the fall organizing video series, Seana! Just listening to how you describe things is inspiring. All of your suggestions relate to one big theme, which is prepared for the new season. That’s one of the things I love so much about living in the northeast. The seasonal changes give us that automatic cue to shift, rethink, reorganize, and release. When you shared your tips for the attic, I loved the two phrases, “quick hits” and “viewing friendly.” Implementing those strategies can take make an unpleasant task flow more easily. And especially with the “quick hits,” that can help prime the letting go muscles.
I love the seasonal changes in the northeast as well. The changing angle of the sun gets me in the mood for the next season all year long! I think of decluttering like peeling an onion. Begin with what “flakes off” easily, and when you build your confidence, you can always take another pass. Of course, this works best when you have time on your side!
I love the family calendar! Having one place that everyone can check is so useful, and keeps family members informed about what’s going on in each others’ lives. It marries organization and family closeness in a great way.
My girls learned to “check the black book” before asking me. When they come home to visit, they still know to check my book if they want to know what’s going on:)
Stellar advice, Seana! As an apartment-dweller, that’s not much in my life that changes for the seasons. I have one closet and one set of drawers for all my clothes and no outdoor/garden area; plus, I live in the South, so there’s not an appreciable difference in my life except for jacket vs. non-jacket weather. But the calendar? Oh, my, that’s a big one. People figure that the calendar set-up from January should still be fine, but Fall is like a whole new world! (I love how you refer to the itty-bitties!) And a refreshed attic and basement, pre-holidays and pre-winter will make life easier for everyone. I especially like the idea of pulling one box at a time out of the attic rather than standing hunched over all day or risking banging your head!
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My apartment-dwelling daughter “stores” blankets between her mattress and boxspring in the summer. I think this is so smart because it takes up pretty much zero space. Come the cooler months and you just slip the blankets out and plop them up on top!
These are all excellent, but my personal favorite is the calendaring video. My daughter has a chalkboard calendar on her kitchen wall. Every month she erases it and starts anew. She writes in important events and draws little pictures to symbolize what’s happening. For instance, for dance class she draws a little stick figure balerina in various ballet poses. My five-year-old granddaughter is all about knowing what’s on the calendar. She knows what day it is and how many days until something she is looking forward to will occur, and she loves telling whoever will listen about what’s coming up. It’s fun to see her growing concept of time and it helps my daughter because she doesn’t have to constantly answer questions. It’s empowering for everyone.
What a gift of time management your daughter is giving your granddaughter! I can just picture the little ballerinas on the calendar. I do think children feel empowered when they can see what is coming instead of having to be constantly surprised. I know, as an adult, that being able to mentally prepare helps me be a better participant!
I love all the videos. Great advice on organizing projects for the fall. One I’d also add (that’s not really organizing but…) that is fall-related is to work in your yard. I like to clean up all the flower pots and other yard stuff and tuck it away for the winter. I like the way my patio looks with the outdoor furniture and planters on it, but also like the change that I see when I put everything away and have an empty patio.
We do the same up here. We have an outdoor screened-in porch. When the weather cools, it all gets put away or covered. It is a little sad, but I am so happy to have it tidy and covered during the winter months.
Solid advice, Seana! The calendar one especially reminded me of those days when everyone was going every which way and keeping track of it would have been impossible without a written record we could all could refer to.
It was also a useful way of seeing as a family, if we were overdoing our commitments. Were we trying to do too much? Seeing all those colors jostling for space on a big family calendar can let you take a step back and see whether you’re all running around more than you’d like to be. For visual learners, this can be a great wake up call to slow down and simplify.
That’s so true, Lucy. Nothing like looking at a calendar packed with colors (and overlapping colors too) to make you realize it might be time to rethink a few commitments!
I particularly like the suggestions for cleaning out the garage. Now is a perfect time since it is so hot in the summer and too cold in the winter. It certainly gives one a great sense of accomplishment to clean out a garage and have room for the cars.
Now is the moment, right Dianne? Before the snow and the ice begin.
Nice ideas here. And it’s a great time of year to get these done, now that the days will be getting shorter and we’ll be spending more time indoors once again.
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Fall is just a great time to focus on organizing. It sets your program year off on the right foot!