Fall is always an exciting time filled with trips to apple orchards, afternoons spent at pumpkin patches, Friendsgiving dinners, and… decluttering! And I don’t just mean putting your surfboards in storage and finally ridding all kitchen countertops of scattered mail — I mean giving your home and lifestyle a whole fall refresh! Decluttering both your living space and life could be key for ensuring you have the best autumn yet.
In my experience as the Professional Organizer and Brand Ambassador of Modular Closets (DIY customizable closet units that organize any space in your home), I have discovered a number of helpful decluttering tips. Here are 8 of these tried-and-true strategies I wanted to share:
- Organize a grab-and-go station for autumn essentials.
Isn’t it the worst when you are trying to leave for an outing and can’t find your keys, cellphone, or other essentials? Don’t let missing items put a damper on your fall festivities! Organize a bin by the front door or in the garage that contains autumn essentials like beanies, gloves, scarves, windbreakers, chapstick, and hand creams for your purse (the chillier weather can really dry out your skin!) so you are always ready for any fun fall plans. Whether you are planning to spend an afternoon apple picking or you want to wander through gorgeous fall foliage, you will be prepared for any outing.
- Write down 5 things you want to do this autumn.
From camping excursions to costume parties and fall food festivals, it seems like once autumn hits there is almost TOO much you want to do. So declutter your plans by organizing a fall bucket list! By taking pen to paper and consciously thinking of what you want to experience this season, you will truly be able to make your autumn dreams a reality. Then, once you write down the top 5 must-do’s, schedule each of them into your calendar. This will ensure you accomplish the bucket-list items and allow you to plan other activities around them.
- Declutter last fall’s essentials.
Garages and sheds tend to fill up with clutter from all the autumns beforehand. Spend a day decluttering broken Halloween decorations, chipped Thanksgiving dinnerware, broken baskets for apple picking, and costumes you no longer wear so that you will be able to replace ones that need to be replaced right away. Trust me, the last thing you would want is to start getting ready for a costume party and realize all of your costumes in storage are stained or have holes in them. By decluttering any items you no longer need, you make space for all your new autumn essentials which also frees energy for new memories.
4.) Deep clean the windows.
Do you love gazing out your windows at the changing leaves? Deep cleaning the windows needs to be a must on your autumn organizing to-do list, as it will help you enjoy the lovely fall days to the fullest! If your windows are covered in grime and streaks from the rainy spring and dry summer months, take an hour or two to spray all of them with a cleaning solution and wipe them until they sparkle! You will smile every time you look through them and notice how clear and clean they are.
5.) Write down your home organizing goals.
Although autumn is typically filled with fun get-togethers with friends and family, Oktoberfest festivities, and other events, the season is a great time to accomplish your home organizing goals. Have you been meaning to paint one or more of your rooms a new color? Do you really want to clean every single carpet and rug in your living space? Commit to one home organizing project you have wanted to do this year, and allow yourself the fall to accomplish it. I highly recommend scheduling the project into your calendar so that there are plans set in stone to get it done!
6.) Organize a travel station in your car.
Autumn is filled with family gatherings, adventure, tips to pumpkin patches, and travel, so it is paramount to have your car organized. First, do a deep clean. Yes, that means vacuuming under the seats and picking up all the stale Cheerios all over the floor. Once the car is deep cleaned, organize an autumn station that you keep in the trunk. Some ideas of things to include are hats, scarves, wipes to clean hands after apple picking, and extra sweaters. Preparation is key!
7.) Organize your fall clothes.
Out with summer and in with fall! Spend an afternoon decluttering any autumn clothes that you no longer love wearing or that don’t fit, and organize your closet so all your fall clothes are front and center. Hang up your favorite sweaters, put your glove and beanie sets together, clean and fold all of your pants and leggings, and clean your boots so they are ready for all of the fall festivities!
8.) Organize your garden tools.
Autumn means beautiful falling leaves! If your garden tools have been buried in the garage or shed all year round, this is the time to declutter any rusty or broken rakes and possibly purchase a new one. The last thing you want is to get ready to clean up piles of leaves and realize the handle on your rake broke while in storage!
To Wrap It All Up
Now that fall is here, make it a priority to declutter both your living space and lifestyle so that the season is nothing short of marvelous. Several ways to do this include organizing a grab-and-go station for autumn essentials and writing a bucket list of 5 must-do fall plans. Also, declutter last season’s essentials, deep clean the windows, and organize a travel station in your car. These are just a few ways to help ensure you have the best autumn yet!
Christina Giaquinto is the Professional Organizer and Brand Ambassador of Modular Closets (DIY customizable closet units that organize any space in your home). Christina focuses on giving her clients the tools, methods, and techniques to transform their lives and homes through decluttering and organizing. She combines spiritual coaching and organizing to help her clients let go of things that do not spark joy and happiness. Her work has been featured on sites like Popsugar, Women’s Health, Reader’s Digest, Realtor.com, The Spruce and Yahoo. www.modularclosets.com and www.christinagiaquinto.com.
