10 Ways to prep for fall

Fall is my favorite season. I love the weather, the foliage, and I know that this is a very unpopular opinion, but I very much love when it gets dark early. This puts me in cozy mode and forces me to stay inside and read, cook, clean…all of the things.

Over the years I have had some very fun and productive fall seasons, and some not so much. What I have realized is that the secret to having a fun, elegant season is to prep for it in advance. This is so that everything runs smoothly and you don’t have to worry about getting everything done that is on your list.

While I am still currently soaking up the last UV rays of summer, I am definitely planning and prepping for fall.

Today, I am going to share all of the things that I’ve been doing to make sure that I have an amazing fall this year.

Doomscroll for ideas

I am the first person to tell you that doomscrolling is unproductive and you should find other things to do, however sometimes it can be extremely helpful. When I say I am doomscrolling, I mean I am going through all of my saves on Instagram, Tik Tok, and Pinterest to see what ideas I didn’t do last year. I also search for new things to do this year.

Put all of the things I want to do in one place. This can be hard if it is a mix of videos and posts, but I typically use my reminders app to make a giant checklist of things that I want to do. I then include links to the videos from tik tok and Instagram and then download photos from Pinterest, and/or save the pins to an album where I can easily find them later. If you are a very organized girlie, you can use notion for this.

To me, this looks like a list of recipes, dinner tablescapes, girls night ideas, arts and crafts, and fall activities that might be local to me (or worth a mini road trip).

Once I have this completed list, it gives me a very good place to start.

1.Schedule your entertainment

What movies are coming out this fall? Will they require a night out at the theatre or is this a stay at home and watch Netflix situation? Are there any books releasing in the fall that you want to read? What about TV shows? When do the release? What app will they be streaming on?

Are there any shows or concerts that you will be attending this fall? Make sure you have that listed as well!

2.Make a playlist

I try to have a playlist for each season. Sometimes I get very organized and create them in advance, and other times I naturally listen to the same few songs on repeat and create a playlist out of those. Think of songs that automatically make you think of fall, you can also get some inspiration from other playlists on Spotify.

Having a playlist will ensure that you have lovely music to listen to while you are living your best autumn life.

3.Gather your recipes and make a shopping list

There is nothing worse than finally getting started on a recipe, only to realize that you are missing one or more ingredients. This used to happen to me all the time until I created a system for trying out new seasonal recipes. After I pick my recipes online, I go through my kitchen and see what ingredients I already have, then I add the ingredients that I need to my grocery list. If you do this shopping at the beginning of the season (especially for your fall spices), cooking and baking will become much easier.

4.Plan your fall trip

If you are road tripping or going on a trip, now is the time to start finalizing your plans and packing list! Maybe double check your itinerary and make sure everything is open/available. Making sure you have your accommodations booked will help as well.

If you are planning on doing a trip with your friends (maybe a cabin in the woods), Now is the time to start getting that plan in motion, and even then, it might be too late for some air bnbs.

5.Start brainstorming your fall curriculum

Intelligence is a very important part of creating an elegant life. I would say that with the literacy crisis, it is more important now than ever to make sure that expanding your knowledge is a part of your routine this fall. You do not have to build a complex personal curriculum like some of these girls you see online, but maybe choosing one topic that you would like to explore would be nice?

6.Plan out your weekends

If you work full time and find yourself busy and tired all of the time, I suggest getting out a large calendar and planning out each weekend. Fill it with little activities that you want to do. Of course plans will change and weather might be an issue here and there, but at least you have a little plan for having a wonderful time this fall.

7.Choose your signature Autumn nail color

Unless you are the type of girl who likes to get something new every time, try choosing one or two signature fall nail colors to wear this season! This simplifies everything for you and eliminates decision fatigue.

8.Decide what you are NOT bringing into Fall

This might be the most important one. You don’t have to bring every habit, worry, relationship, expectation or version of yourself into the next season. Leave some things behind. This will make room for new energy

9.Create your Fall workout routine

I absolutely LOVE working out. But not in the summertime. As much as I want to say that I am consistent all year around, I simply am not. I am traveling to new places and trying a lot of food. And for whatever reason I just don’t go to the gym in the summer. This has been a constant in my life for years. I always take June, July, and August off.

This is probably because I am more active in the summer being outside all the time and swimming. If you are consistent with your workouts, good for you!

Now is the time to evaluate your workout routine and make changes if necessary. It will start getting dark earlier, will this make your more tired? Should you switch to morning workouts instead? Are you seeing progress with the workouts that you are doing?

If not, it’s definitely time to make some changes.

10.Make your fall bucket list

Now that you have done all of these things to prep for fall, you can organize everything in one place: The Bucket List. If you search fall bucket list online, you will get a very generic list of things to do. When you make your own, you can make it specific to your life and what you want to do this fall. So, fill the list with all of the events, recipes, girls nights, and of course the generic things to! Mix it up and make it personal to your lifestyle!

Print it out if you can and keep it somewhere that you can see it every day. I keep mine on my refrigerator.

Your fall reset starts now

You don’t need to wait for the first crisp morning or the official start of autumn to begin creating your dream fall.

Start with your closet. Clean your room. Buy the candle. Make the plans. Find the sweater. Text your friends. Pick up a new book. Make the vision board. The best part about a new season is that you get to decide what you want it to become. So make this fall beautiful, cozy, social, intentional and completely yours. 🍂🤎