You’ll want to scroll to the end of this post to laugh at Jack with me, so don’t miss it. But first, let’s talk about an affordable way to update your home for fall. My usual seasonal decorating has always leaned toward non-specific pieces and rearranging what I already own until the rooms feel cozier.
It’s fun to shop this time of year and bring home cozy fall items, pumpkins and gourds. I was out shopping this week and finally found a green garden stool at HomeGoods that I’d been hunting for since we moved in—major win. When I reached the aisle with the ceramic pumpkin pieces, I admired them briefly and then asked myself if I wanted another box of seasonal things to store in a few weeks.
I decided no. I passed on the ceramic pumpkins and instead brought home the garden stool and a plaid blanket. A sturdy green garden stool can stay out year-round and a blanket is easy to fold away while still useful through spring. Large faux pumpkins, however, demand storage by November, so they weren’t worth it for me.
I might pick up a few real pumpkins later, but for now I’m using velvet pumpkins on the mantel. I’ve had those for years and they store easily in a basket or cabinet until next season.
Even if you don’t want to shop at all, you can refresh a room affordably by rearranging furniture and accessories you already own. Moving a chair, switching a lamp, or pulling a rug into a new position can change the whole mood of a space without spending anything.
Last week I started shifting things from room to room and rearranging pieces inside rooms. It was stormy—rain, thunder and lightning—which put me in a cozy, fall mood and gave me the push to make the house feel more snug.
I’m not finished yet and haven’t settled on final decor, so the room may look different by next week. Part of the fun is tweaking, living with the changes for a while, and seeing how each arrangement feels. Sometimes I revert, sometimes I try something new. The photo above shows a corner I’m still working on.
Puttering around the house like that truly brings me joy. I enjoy shopping for new pieces, but there’s something especially satisfying about moving furniture around, trying a chair in a new spot, or making an underused corner cozier with what you already have.
You know what else brings me life? This dog—Jack! I moved the ottoman by the fireplace while rearranging and Jack keeps hauling himself onto it to lounge. It’s so funny I might have to move the ottoman again so he can face the room, but for now I’m enjoying his antics.
It might drive others in the house crazy that I keep rearranging, but it’s my thing. My teenage furniture mover heads off to college in a week, which will probably slow down our rearranging sessions (tears), so I’m keeping him busy helping while I can.
Have you rearranged anything in your house to make it cozier for fall?
If you don’t already have pieces you love or aren’t ready to rearrange, don’t worry. In this series we’ll also cover ways to collect and add cozy items you’ll enjoy.
My Home Decor Sources
My Window Shades and Sources (+ Discount Code)
Don’t forget to check out the Decorating Blogger Q&A Tour and $500 Wayfair Giveaway for the release of my new book But Where Do I Put the Couch?
BLOG TOUR LIST (get another entry in the giveaway at each blog!):
The Inspired Room
Reluctant Entertainer
Stone Gable
Rooms for Rent
French Country Cottage
Dreaming of Homemaking
My 100 Year Old Home
Thistlewood Farms (September 20)
Catch up on this year’s Fall Nesting series HERE!
More Fall Inspiration:
14 Simple Fall Decorating Ideas
3 Cozy Fall Activities for the Homebody
Make Your Bedroom a Cozy Retreat