THE FIVE THINGS YOU NEED TO DO TO GET YOUR HOME READY FOR FALL

Updated September 2026

Fall has always been one of our favorite times of year. We get excited for the cooler weather, fall festivals and cozying up on the couch for Sunday football (or naps if you’re me). By the end of August, I’m always ready for that first hint of fall. After months of heat and humidity, there’s nothing better than those first cooler mornings and evenings. It gives you a little taste of the season ahead.

Around this time of year, I also start thinking about the house and what I want to get done before we’re spending more of our time indoors. That usually means a few things. A good cleaning, bringing back some of the cozy layers we put away for summer and tackling a few things before the holidays sneak up on us. These are the five things I do every year to get our home ready for fall.

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. Thank you for being here and supporting my small business!

1. Fall cleaning

First on my list is always a good fall cleaning. I think we hear a lot about spring cleaning, but I like to do the same thing again in the fall. After a summer of being in and out of the house, it feels good to give everything a good cleaning before we start spending more time indoors.

While the weather is still nice enough to open the windows, I like to give the house a good deep clean in the fall and let some fresh air in. I try to wipe down the baseboards, walls and windows and clean up all the dirt and pollen that’s been tracked in during the summer. It feels good to get the house all nice and clean before we close up the windows and start spending more time inside.

2. Prepare the guest bedroom

I also like to use this time to start getting our guest bedroom ready. My mom lives out of state, and so does my sister and her family. When they come to visit they try to stay with us. Fall gives me a little time to get the room in order before the holidays and everything starts getting busy.

I like to wash all of the bedding and make sure we have extra blankets on hand. I’ll also take a look around the room to see if there’s anything that needs to be updated or finished. Doing it now gives me plenty of time to make any changes without trying to get everything done right before someone comes to stay.

Our guest bedroom has actually been getting quite a bit of attention lately. I’ve been slowly making changes to the room. Thinking through everything from the bedding and pillows to wallpaper and a new rug. It’s still a work in progress, but I’m hoping to have a few more of those details figured out this fall.

3. Cozy up Your home

We keep a few throw blankets out year-round. But once the cooler weather starts to settle in, I bring out all the cozy layers. I’ll add our down duvets back onto the beds. I’ll also bring out some of the heavier throws that we don’t really use during the summer.

For me, making the house feel cozy for fall is really about adding back some of the layers that I tend to lighten up during the summer. Along with the extra blankets, I start bringing in warmer colors. More texture and pattern and using lamps more as the days start getting shorter.

Scent is another big part of making our home feel cozy this time of year. I start reaching for candles with warmer scents like apple, vanilla, fireside and eventually Fraser Fir. There’s just something about lighting a candle in the evening that makes the house feel a little cozier. Especially once it starts getting dark earlier.

4. swap out the decor

When September rolls around, I usually start making a few changes around the house. I like to bring in more of the colors and textures I’m drawn to in the fall. While I don’t completely redecorate for the season, I do like to swap out a few things and add some fall touches throughout the house.

I also like to use the change of season as an excuse to freshen things up around the house. I’ll restyle the bookcases, and put away a few things that feel more like summer. I’ll bring in pieces that feel a little more like fall. It’s also a good excuse to pick up a couple of new throw pillows or a cozy throw or two. Little touches to make the house feel a little different for the season.

5. Get a head start on holiday baking

I love to bake, and getting a head start on holiday baking is something I learned from my mother-in-law. She’s an amazing baker. She taught me that one of the easiest ways to make the holidays less hectic is to start baking early and freeze things as you go.

I usually start by making a list of the cookies and other things I want to bake that year and then work my way through it a little at a time. Starting early gives me plenty of time to try a new recipe or two and slowly stock the freezer without feeling like I have to do everything at once.

By the time the holidays roll around, I usually have a few different kinds of cookies and baked goods tucked away in the freezer. It makes things so much easier when we have people over or need something to take to a last-minute get-together.

If you’re looking for a few recipes to add to your list, my mother-in-laws soft sugar cookies are always a favorite. Or you can check out the Christmas cookies I’ve made over the years for a few more ideas.

Getting our home ready for fall doesn’t mean changing everything or doing it all at once. For me, it’s really just about getting the house cleaned up. Bringing back some of the cozy things we’ve missed over the summer and getting ahead before the busier months begin.

Do you have certain things you do every year to get your home ready for fall? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!