Fall is right around the corner. How are we feeling? Is this even a question anymore? Are people even still asking how we are feeling? 2020 will, without a doubt, be one of the craziest years to ever go down in our history books. Sometimes I feel so numb to everything. I feel like I am in this new rut and not always sure how to get out of it. Usually, I am moping around the house waiting for some inspiration to hit me over the head so I can feel like I have found my place again.
I want to share with you some ways that I refresh my space to ultimately refresh my mind and to cheer myself up (don’t worry we are working on a budget here too.)
Freshen up your space.
I find that adding some fun and small fall décor pieces in my house give me this really warm, cozy feeling which is a safe and comforting emotion for me. I love the Target Dollar Spot this time of year! Let’s be honest, I love looking through Pinterest and dreaming about all those cute decorations and I give myself a very tight budget of around $25 to refresh a space with fall décor. The first thing I always do is pull out any old decorations.
I usually add just a little bit to this pile each year. Then, try to think about the colors you want to use this year (orange, yellow, red, white and/or copper). From there, I try to take the pieces I already have and add them to our house. Then I start to think about what I am missing and what I feel like I would like to shop for to fill the space.
Target Spot for the win.
This year I grabbed 2 $5 items out of the Spot and a $1 pumpkin to add some fall effects to my kitchen. I found this really cute plain cutting board which I actually plan on using to serve food on and to decorate with (score!). Mixing textures with color is a great way to make pieces more interesting. I had a couple of soft velvet flowers from a different part of the house, so I added them to a pretty water dispenser that I am using as a vase. To give the vase more height I added a kitchen towel to the inside of the vase and added the flowers in. This also makes it more stable, but you would never even know it’s there. I also added a cute little $1 pumpkin to this area to bring some of the colors from the vase and cutting board together to add a little bit of the fall flare.
Can you smell it?
I always switch out my scents this time of year. Bringing in spicy and sweet scents is an easy way to make your home seem like it’s fall even if the weather is still blazing hot. It gives me all the feels, makes me feel so cozy and excited to stay home even though I have been home 5…wait…6, no 7 months now. This is the quickest way to change the mood in your space.
Bringing in scents of cinnamon, clove, orange, apple, pumpkin and sweet notes really embrace the fall feelings. Whether it’s a candle or a diffuser, try picking a scent that you enjoy just for this time of year. Saving special scents for this time of year really helps to brighten my mood and gives me something to look forward to. I also like to decorate this space too. I added a simple fall leaf vase from IKEA and some greenery around the base of the candle to add some more texture.
Mix up your fall morning drink.
Changing up your morning drink in the fall can be inspiring. This doesn’t mean that you have to take an extra 10 minutes making yourself something in the morning. My latest go-to obsession is a variation of chai tea latte.
I start by taking about 6oz of chai tea and heating it in the microwave for about a minute to a minute and a half. Go ahead and get another mug and add the same amount of milk to it. I like to add some spices to the milk to really amp up the flavor of the tea. Lately, I have been adding cinnamon, nutmeg and clove in there. Microwave this for the same amount of time also. Then, I take my hand frothier (you can get these for about $10) and froth the milk and spices. I will delicately add this to the chai tea until there is a nice amount of foam on top and the tea turns to a creamier color. If you really want to go the extra mile, top it off with some whipped cream and a cinnamon stick for an aesthetically pleasing drink that not only tastes good but will give you that caffeine kick in the morning.
Let’s make a fall treat.
Fresh homemade applesauce is a complete game-changer in the fall. Have you ever tried making it? It’s so simple and pretty much full proof! I wanted to share my recipe with you. I love warm, fresh applesauce in the morning. It’s filling and when it gets colder here in Colorado it’s the perfect thing to hit the spot.
Homemade Honey Crisp Applesauce
Ingredients:
– 4 Honeycrisp Apples (peeled chopped into uniform pieces – I do mine into 1×1 inch cubes)
– ½ tablespoon light brown sugar
– ½ teaspoon cinnamon
– dash of nutmeg
– squeeze of fresh lemon juice (if you want a little bit of tangyness)
Directions:
- Place peeled and chopped apple slices into a pan. Add about 1-2 inches of water to the pan.
- Cover apples with sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice.
- Bring to a low boil.
- Reduce heat and cover the apples with a lid.
- Reduce heat to low.
- Keep adding water if it all evaporates within the first 20 minutes or so.
- Once apples are soft (check with a fork) about 25-30 minutes. Use a potato masher to mash the apples into a soft sauce. I like leaving small chunks to add a nice texture. If you want it really smooth you can add it to a blender and blend on low for silky smooth apple sauce.
- Enjoy warm!
I hope you have enjoyed my tricks and tips to creating a warm and cozy fall home. Don’t be afraid to change up your routine, your space and ultimately your mindset. You might be surprised what can happen when you do! For more posts please follow us on our Instagram @TheWeSpot.
