Simplifying Your Heart and Home for Fall

As the leaves begin to change colors and the air begins to get crisp and cool (for us in the south it means we are finally out of daily heat advisories!) our lives can also get very busy. From football games, to dance lessons, 4-H classes or Co-ops life can feel like we are constantly running from one thing to another. After we come home, we see it cluttered and dirty and after a full day, it can be hard to want to clean it! Reflecting on the busyness of my all time favorite season caused me to stop and make for myself goals for the fall that I want to share with you, today.

Saying 'No' 

Just like a cluttered home can cause anxiety and stress, so can a cluttered week. All of the extra curricular things can be fun, but it can also cause stress on not just you, but the children you are doing the activities for. Late dinners, late nights, lack of sleep, and if you are a homeschool mom, another symptom can be less being done with school. 

Decide for yourself how much you actually want to do, and how often you think is okay for you to be doing activities. For me, I am trying to schedule only 1-2 things per week, and as early in the day as possible (I know for non-homeschool moms that's a bit impossible). This way, I'm simply not as tired at the end of the day, and it allows more time for school, outdoors, and family time (and maybe a few things on that fall bucket list I pinned on Pinterest!).

 

My simplified approach to a fall home

I've discovered that while I love the ideas of a minimalistic home, I also love the cozy feel of home decorations. I love color as well as neutral tones, so instead of sticking to the idea of a minimalist home having to be all white with bare shelves and surfaces, I chose things that I enjoy seeing, and perhaps have dual purpose. 

To keep my fall decor simple this year, I only have 2 normal sized boxes (not large totes-I think I could still have room in a large tote for things-perhaps I'll get a tote this year) of fall decor. Last year I discovered some of my decor got ruined, and I decided not to replace it and work with what I had, until I saw a sale, or saw something that really brought joy or helped my space in my house. 

My goals this year were instead of filling the shelf with fall decor, adding a couple of things to each space and letting the one or two items speak for themselves. I found that my home looks cozy and fall like enough, without the over abundance of what I normally would do. Also- less dusting! It's one of the things I will be talking about this month. The biggest reason for simplifying my home, really, is to cut back on the amount of time it takes to clean my home. With two little ones, piano lessons that occur at my home daily, and homeschooling, it is nice  for it to only take a few minutes for each room  to be tidied. 

If you are wondering what this looks like in a practical sense, follow me on Instagram. All this next week I'll be simplifying places in my home as I get ready for the fall season, and in my next post I'll be posting my fall decor and an inexpensive DIY fall wreath idea! Stay tuned! I'll be labeling these posts 'fall 2019' so you can make sure you don't miss a post!