Fall is coming, and as a transitional time from the hot, active, long, sunny, more frenetic summer days to the cold, slow, short, dim, calmer winter months, it is a season ripe for being honest with ourselves about ways of living that no longer serve us and inviting in new modes of being that better meet our needs. As a liminal, in-between space, autumn is a natural time to pause and prepare, to re-evaluate and transform–at its core, home organization’s reason for being. 

Here are some home organizing tips to help you harness fall’s gentle invitation to slow down, take stock, and replenish our reserves for the upcoming winter by making sure our homes are safe havens of mindfulness, sustainability, kindness, simplicity, and joy.

Invitation #1: Use this transitional time to subtract something from your consumption pattern that isn’t supporting a healthy, balanced, organized, sustainability-centered life. Maybe you’ve noticed your online shopping has amped up and you’re uncomfortable with the carbon footprint created by the shipping and packaging, not to mention the manufacturing of new goods (many of which are plastic, i.e., products of the petrochemical industry) in exploitative working conditions. Try an online shopping purchase pause for either a week, a month, or a season or even an all-out boycott of a major online retailer if you’ve noticed a contradiction between wanting to support humane employers, environmental sustainability, local craftspeople and stores, and community connection. Invite curiosity and compassion into this experience, and notice how living more aligned with the well-being of people and the planet feels in your heart, mind, and body.

Invitation #2: Add something positive into your purchasing habits, such as joining a local food cooperative or signing up for a farm CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share to support an organic, local, healthy food system and regenerative farming practices. Local food cooperatives often serve as pick-up sites for CSA shares. Pick up some vintage linen or cotton napkins and tea towels from an estate sale, garage sale, thrift store, or vintage shop and phase out those paper towels and paper napkins. Further cut down on packaging waste and single-use products, especially plastics, by shopping in the bulk aisle at your neighborhood food cooperative or grocery store. Glass canning jars with metal lids work well for this, and bulk bins often stock very high quality and affordable whole grains, legumes, nuts, seeds, herbs, teas, and more. 

Invitation #3:  As you go through your week, notice and write down any spaces (closets, drawers, pantries, kids’ rooms), categories (clothes, shoes, toiletries, food) and routines (making meals, getting ready for bedtime, mail sorting, tidying time) that feel especially challenging points in your daily life. Pick one item on your list to address and schedule a time to do the work. It’s common to underestimate how long home organizing projects take, so try to give yourself the gift of at least three hours to organize; if that isn’t possible in your schedule, start with the time you have, even if it’s just 15 minutes. Do your best to not get fixated on picking the “right” project; the point is simply to begin and make progress one step at a time. If it all feels difficult, remember to be kind to yourself and that awareness is a necessary first step when making positive changes in our homes and lives.

 Also remember that professional home organizing help is available, so please reach out if you’re feeling stuck in the process. As a Certified Home Organizer, I would be honored to work with you to get your projects done and help you create a practical, nourishing, tidy home. Wishing you health and happiness this autumn season!