While this list does not reveal anything that is particularly scary per se, oftentimes readying our homes for a new season can feel like anything but fun. Once you get past the feeling of being put to work, you will begin to sense the truth: The best way to make your home work for you is to roll up your sleeves and put in a little sweat equity.
Be brave and keep reading to learn how to get it done!
It's true. Autumnal bliss can look a bit different for each of us. However, changes in the season and the gradual crispness to the air generally calls everyone to do the same: rest, recover and prepare for the big chill of winter. While summer boasts the best time for nearly everything–including home renovation and travel–fall is best utilized preparing.
Here are a few easy tips to get your house on track for a more relaxing holiday season.
Do this, NOT that.
Somehow you survived the big blitz of Labor Day sales. . . And while it is largely considered the last holiday of the summer season, Labor Day weekend is also infamous for some of the best sales of the year in nearly every sector, including big ticket items like appliances, furniture, tech gear and even cars. So if you managed to escape the wildly entertaining commercials and emptied your promotion box unscathed, my first tip may not be so shocking: Buy less and purge more.
One reason so many of us never succeed at tidying is because we have too much stuff."-Marie Kond0
Unless you've been living under a rock, you are probably familiar with the magical world of decluttering by Mari Kondo. Willingly going through your home's myriad of things to determine what can packaged away for good is the first step to sparking the "joy" that comes with a well-organized home. While the KonMarie method boasts a specific order to the items that are inspected for joy utility, you should understand that function really drives the bus. Think less of trends and more of the item's recent use when figuring out what to discard, gift or sell. That said, not every worn-out decor item deserves to be discarded. Refresh big box decor with a touch of paint in a more appealing color. If it still looks great but is not your style, consider selling on resale sites or locally through Facebook Marketplace.
#2: This changes everything
As the dog days of summer come to a swift end, you find your days getting shorter even as they are potentially packed with more. Back-to-school and after school activities like sports, and club meetings, as well as end-of-the year career goals means we potentially work longer days. If you actually spent the summer doing renovations, painting rooms and updating decor, the new light that washes your interior as the sunlight fades and days shorten may have you questioning palette choices. All is not lost! You just need to find the light–literally.
Now is the time to add nuance to your home decor by way of layered task lighting. If the budget allows, revisit a space with additional lighting added to the design. In this primary bath, we added a chandelier over the soaker tub for a more intimate experience, as well as an additional light in the linen closet to make those darker fall mornings easier to navigate. Adding a table lamp to a buffet or a plug-in sconce to a gallery way is the easiest way to add lighting without the additional cost of adding an electrician.
Find a few Haus Guerin favorites here
#3: Finish Strong
Now that you've wiped the slate clean and brightened your workspace, it's time to bring it all together and really nail your fall season with cozy decor that appeals to all the senses. Yes-you read that correctly, all. Fall is really the time of the year that bold, out-of-the box decor shines. Forage for natural elements like large branches for vases. Think texturally for gathered looks with natural patina or inject some patina but shuffling older items front and center in more unique displays. I like to turn old silver champagne buckets into flower pots. The best takeaway for fall decor is that it really does not require any additional spending. My favorite tip for fall shopping is this: Shop your home (and the Goodwill boxes still lingering in your garage) for fresh takes on styling your home.
If you're still struggling with ways to make your house truly shine for the holidays, don't be afraid to ask for help. Contact us today for a list of our services geared towards your current home needs.