10 ways to start fall organizing in your home

The weather is starting to change and it’s time to get into fall organizing. We probably have a few more weeks of nice weather, but it’s good to think about what you are going to do as the temperatures begin to dip.

Putting away the summer supplies and clothes and getting ready for cooler weather is a big chore. Here are some ideas to help with the changeover.

Outdoor furniture and gear

Consider covering or moving outdoor furniture into the shed or garage. If you have family visiting and you are socially distancing, you will need that furniture outside for a bit longer. The lawn mower and bikes will move out of the way in the shed and the snow shovels and rakes will come to the front.

Entryway closet

Start making room for winter coats, boots and other cold weather attire if you move clothing into a storage closet or crawl space. If you don’t move clothing, you can simply rotate the things you use in the summer to the back of the closet (rain gear and baseball hats) and bring the things you will soon be needing (knit caps, gloves, scarves) to the forefront.

Winter gear

Try on snow boots, heavy coats and other cold weather gear to make sure they are in good condition, still fit and are wearable. Do this before you start moving clothing.

Car organizing

Clean the junk out of your car. Make sure you have a cold weather kit that includes a small first aid kit, a couple bottles of water, a blanket, jumper cables and other supplies in case of a break down. Find your window scraper because frost will be here soon.

Closet autumn organizing

Take a look at your summer clothing. Were there things you never wore all summer? Yes, it was not the usual summer this year, but going through clothes and purging things you didn’t wear is still valid.

With every season there is a clothing rotation that goes along with it. Just as with the entryway closet, either you move clothing to another location by season or reorganize the closet to suit the time of year. Move the long sleeved clothes front and center. Put the summer clothes off to the sides for fall organizing.

School

School started a while back, but making sure your kids (or you if you are taking classes) have a good space for homework. This can be difficult if you have a small home. Taking online classes can be challenging for kids and adults. Having a good spot for your computer and school supplies is critical to a good school experience.If you are not going to school, but have a lot of free time because of the pandemic, there are a lot of classes available online. Coursera (if you audit the class there is no fee) has credit and non-credit classes in a variety of topics. Or find classes through universities, senior centers and through various organizations that are starting all of the time.

Calendar for fall organizing

Put everything on one calendar. Whether you use a physical calendar or a digital one, having all of your appointments in one place will eliminate the possibility of double booking yourself.

Saving time by grouping tasks

Try to do multiple chores in one trip. Go to the grocery store, pick up a prescription and go to the bank in one outing. Keep a mask in the car and one in your purse or briefcase to make sure you won’t be turned away from anywhere.

Speaking of masks

Now that we need to wear masks wherever we go, it’s good to keep masks in a basket by the door so you don’t forget one when you leave the house. If they are disposable, they need to be tossed after a couple uses. If they are washable, they should be cleaned regularly for maximum protection.

Seems too early, but…

The holiday season will be here quickly. It might not look like the holidays of the past, but you will still need to do shopping. Consider shopping online this year for your safety. But please remember to shop INSIDE your homes for forgotten gifts that were purchased in previous years that could be given this season.

In conclusion, take some time to start fall organizing. You don’t have to do everything in one day, but try to do some organizing weekly, if not daily.

Need help with your organizing? Contact me and I can help with virtual or in-person organizing.