With winter fast approaching, it’s officially time to bring out your cozy turtlenecks and sweaters!
And while you’re at it, why not make your home a little more organized?
As we move into November and December, things are only going to get busier. So there’s really no better time to tackle some fall organization projects, like cleaning out your garage and getting your home prepared for the holidays!
To help you get started, we’ve rounded up a list of 6 hacks to get your home organized this fall:
Fall Organization Hack #1: Swap Out Seasonal Clothing
First thing first, it’s time to tackle your clothing.
When sorting through your clothes, it’s a good idea to sort by season (summer outfits go in one pile, fall and winter outfits in a different pile) and separate any items that you no longer wear and want to donate.
This should help free-up space in your closets and drawers.
While we’ve focused on clothes so far, this same principle applies to all kinds of products – from gardening tools to barbeque supplies and more.
If you have the space for it, you can also move out-of-season items into storage. This will free up a lot of space in your main closest and help you feel more organized.
Lastly, when storing away out-of-season items, make sure to label the bins so that you know what to look for the following season! The last thing you want is to be packing for a beach vacation and have no idea where your bathing suits are.
Fall Organization Hack #2: Make a Home Inventory List
One of the best ways to feel more organized at home is by making an inventory of the items or personal belongings you have in your home, condo, or apartment, including where they’re located.
Having an up-to-date inventory can also be helpful in the event of an emergency, like a burglary or if your home is affected by water or fire damage, as it makes it easier to file a claim.
The best way to make the list is to go room-to-room and take stock of your belongings and any items of significance. You can be as descriptive as you like, but you should at least include a description of the item, appraisals or cost at the time of purchase, and date of purchase.
You may want to make a separate list of valuables and store that list somewhere safe – you wouldn’t want anyone getting their hands on that information!
Finally, you should also consider updating your home inventory each fall and advise your insurer of any major purchases.
Fall Organization Hack #3: Pack up the Patio
With summer patio season behind us, it’s the perfect time to pack up your patio furniture.
But before you put anything into storage, it’s a good idea to give it a good clean – patio furniture can get rusty and damaged if it isn’t stored properly.
You may also want to refer to a user manual or manufacturer notes for any care instructions that are specific to your furniture.
When storing your outdoor furniture, it’s important not to forget about the cushions and pillows!
While the fabric and material used in outdoor cushions and pillows are made to be unfazed by things like rain, they can develop mold if they’re stored in a wet or musty environment. So do your best to keep them as dry as possible!
Fall Organization Hack #4: Clean and Organize the Garage
Depending on the state of your garage, the thought of cleaning and organizing it might seem a little (okay, very) overwhelming. But it’s definitely worth it and will make spring cleaning much, much easier!
First thing first, take everything out of your garage and sort it into piles.
These piles can include sporting equipment, seasonal decorations, winter equipment, tools, summer toys, and patio furniture.
You can also make a pile of items you plan to throw out, sell, or donate.
Once everything is out of the garage and organized into their respective piles, it’s time to clean the walls and floor thoroughly. Give the floor a good sweep and hose it down.
Next, it’s time to move everything back into your garage – but this time, it’s also about organization! If you don’t have any shelves or containers, it’s a good idea to invest in some. Home Depot has an excellent selection of shelves and racks for bicycles, tools, and more.
It’s also smart to plan where you want to store certain groups of items before bringing the items back into the garage. For example, winter items should be stored closer to the entrance so you easily access them when you need to.
And don’t forget to clearly label your containers and group items accordingly.
Fall Organization Hack #5: Focus on Space-Saving Solutions
After you’ve cleared out your items from the previous season and brought out your colder weather clothing like coats, sweaters, scarves, and more, you might be running a little low on space.
That’s why it’s important to think about space-saving solutions such as adding hooks to walls for bulkier coats or containers under the bed for larger sweaters.
There are so many ways to be creative with the space you have! All you need to do is go through each room and make note of any spaces that are being underutilized.
This will help you get an understanding of what you have to work with.
If you’re stuck on where to shop for space-saving products, Home Depot or Lowes have everything from closet organizers to baskets and containers.
Fall Organization Hack #6: Get Ahead of the Holidays
One of the best ways to avoid stress over the holidays is by getting prepared beforehand.
Whether that means wrapping gifts ahead of time or organizing holiday decorations, getting a head start will allow you to enjoy the holidays rather than stressing over them.
And a good way to do this is by going through each room and organizing any overflow storage.
For example, if you store holiday decorations in the guest bedroom, it’s best to organize that now so that when your guests do arrive, all you have to worry about are things like putting out fresh linens.
If you have small kids, it’s also a great opportunity to sort through any old toys and donate anything they don’t use before bringing new ones into your home.
This can help clear up a lot of space and can also be a great way to teach your children the value of giving to others.
That’s a wrap!
Thanks so much for reading! We hope you learned a few tips on how to keep your home organized this fall and winter season.
