It’s everyone’s FAVORITE time of year! Or so it seems. There is no other season with as much build up and hype surrounding it as Fall. Pumpkin Spice everything, leaves, pumpkins, and apples everywhere. But how can you bring the hype into your home in a healthy, handmade, and simple way? I’ve got four organic ways to make your home cozy for fall. Try them out and let me know, what’s your favorite?
It’s all about atmosphere.
My theory is not that everyone loves red and orange and yellow leaves a whole bunch (although I do think they’re beautiful!), but more that everyone instinctively loves that feeling of hunkering down. The getting ready for winter. The gathering of food, people, and all things warm and cozy in order to prepare for the long winter ahead. And even if you’re not in a cold climate, I feel like there’s still a part of us that loves that feeling no matter what.
I’m not a decorator – it takes way too much brain power and stress for me to think about decorations in general, so changing them every season is just not realistic for me. So in my house, I aim to create that atmosphere through smells, textures, and tastes.
Cozy Idea #1: Simmer pots
I’d never heard of simmer pots until a few months ago! But I love the idea. Instead of burning a candle (which although they smell good, the scents and chemicals they release when burnt can be irritating for some, and harmful even to people with asthma or other breathing problems), simmer pots create beautiful smells throughout your home using real, raw ingredients. You put the ingredients in a small to medium pot with some water, and bring it to a boil. Once you reach a boil, turn it down and let it simmer for as long as you want, replenishing the water from time to time.
Some ideas for Fall simmer pots are:
- Orange peels, cloves, cinnamon sticks
- Apple peels and cores, cinnamon sticks, maple syrup, cloves
- Cranberries, cinnamon sticks, sage leaves
- Beef or Chicken broth! This doubles as a great way to make your own broth, but the savory smells it sends throughout your house are heavenly.
2. Dried flowers
Fresh flowers are such a beautiful benefit to spring and summer. You can bring a little bit of the outdoors inside, and freshen up spaces in a flash. But when it comes to Fall, people forget that you can do the same! I love to use dried flowers (i.e the crazy crazy amount of Strawflowers I have in my backyard) to spruce up a space and make it feel a little more rustic and autumnal. Small bouquets, or even just a flower or two in a vase can add a beautiful touch with minimal effort.
3. Opening the windows
This one is the easiest thing you can do! Once that cool Fall air starts to blow in the breeze, open your windows and breathe it in! October especially has some of the most beautiful days with clear skies and brisk temps and I feel like the air just feels fresher than ever.
Opening your windows can clear out old smells and reinvigorate your living space with fresh air that smells like the changing leaves. It can also make bring in a cool breeze, which might make you want to brew a pot of tea or coffee and curl up with a blanket, a good book, and in my case, a ball of yarn 🙂 All in all, the brisk air blowing through your curtains is a healthy thing for you and your home, as well as a great way to bring the smells and sounds of fall inside.
4. Baking something
Duh! We all have some memory of a loved one baking something delicious during the Fall and Winter seasons. Whether it’s something as simple as chocolate chip cookies or more involved like pumpkin bread or homemade cinnamon rolls, the scents of freshly baked goodies are pretty much unbeatable. They’re sure to change the atmosphere of your home into a cozy retreat from the outside world, and will turn any frown upside down!
It’s Up to You Now! What first?
All four of these are easy ways to bring coziness and fall goodness into your home. So now the real question is, what are you gonna do first? I think I’ll open some windows and bake a yummy treat 🙂 We just harvested some big zucchinis, so zucchini bread is on the menu for this weekend 🙂
Share the love!
Whatever simmer pot you make, whatever flowers you dry, and whatever sweet treat you bake, take a picture and share it on Instagram and tag me @sweetgumspot! I can’t wait to see how you and your family celebrate fall!