It’s almost the end of summer, and many families are preparing to send their kids back to school. That might mean homeschooling, a combination of school and home, or sending your children to college. In all cases, it’s a good time to organize your house.

I always get excited when I see the back-to-school supplies on the shelves. I love new pens, paper, markers, and organizing tools. Fall is my favorite season, and when a new line of clothes comes out, I want to update my sweaters, sweatshirts, and pants. It always gets me anxious to organize my home so there is a place for all of my new things.

And even though I don’t have any children to send to school anymore, this time of year always brings me back to when they were little. The feelings of excitement, a little fear, new opportunities, cooler weather, and a chance to refresh everything!

I’ll never forget the day we brought my oldest son to college. My younger son immediately cleaned out their shared room to make it his own the minute we got home. This time of year does that to us. It’s preparing for a new season with new expectations.

Let’s get started!

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12 Tips to Organize Your House for Fall

One

Buy a box or basket for your mail or papers. Put it near the door you use to enter your home. Be sure to review it at least once weekly, so you don’t miss any bills due or invitations to RSVP to! Throw away or recycle all of the junk. Try this one: Dahey Wood Mail Organizer.

Two

Create a reading nook or corner. Fall, to me, means curling up by the fire with a blanket and getting into a good book! Clean out a corner or closet and put a comfy chair or pillows in it. Don’t forget a lamp and a table or basket for your books.

Related Post: How to Create Your Own Sacred Space at Home

Three

Clean out your junk drawer. It’s amazing what accumulates in those. Throw away or recycle anything that you don’t need anymore. Create room for some of your new pens, paper, and other office supplies! Try these colorful drawer organizers.

Four

Clean out your pantry. Check all of the expiration dates. Create room for midafternoon snacks. Organize meal ingredients together so you know what you need on your grocery list.

Five

My favorite! The home office! Organize all of the papers accumulating on your desk, clean out the drawers, put your books away, find new containers for everything, and put away all your new supplies. You might even need to find some space for your children to do online schooling. I spend a lot of time in my home office, so I do a little organizing weekly to keep it up.

Six

Go through your toiletries and makeup. Throw out those items that have been there since last year. For a cheat sheet on expiration dates, read this article from Home Storage Solutions.

Seven

While in the bathroom, go through your linen closet and maybe refresh some towels and sheets.

Eight

Organize your refrigerator and freezer. I don’t know about you, but summer usually means grilling out or eating on the fly, so get your refrigerator ready for cooking to start up again! Try these Fridge Bins!

Nine

Put away all of the summer toys and outdoor furniture in the garage. Throw away or recycle those favorite chairs, pillows, air mattresses, umbrellas, balls, etc., that may have gotten worn out. Take note to replenish next spring.

Ten

Change out your rugs, pillows, curtains, throws, comforters, etc., to create a cozy fall feeling in your home. Put the summer décor in your newly cleaned-out linen closet.

Eleven

One of the rooms we organized during COVID-19 was our kitchen. We went through every drawer and cupboard. Because only two of us live here now, we certainly didn’t need as much as we had. We put what we didn’t need in bins for our children to go through. If they don’t want it, we will donate it. It’s so nice to open cupboards now with space.

Twelve

Put away summer clothes. Donate what you haven’t worn all summer or what doesn’t fit you anymore. If you are really ambitious, take everything out of your closet and dust and vacuum all the cobwebs in the corners. Add some fragrance.

What else can you do to organize your house this fall?

For some quick daily refresh ideas, try these tips.

• Open the windows and let the air circulate.
• Let the sunshine in.
• Add fragrance to your rooms.
• Make your bed.
• Tidy the counters.
• Pick up shoes and other clothing lying around every night.
• Clear the negative energy in your home. Read this post for ideas on how.
• Put an empty basket near the base of the steps for items you don’t want to bring up now.
• Keep a donation box in your closet.
• Wipe down the bathrooms and do a quick vacuum.

I have to stop now because I need to head to Target and check out the school supply section. The notebooks and pens are calling my name!

Happy organizing!