Ready or Not, It’s Time For The Fall Decor

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Although it may not feel like it, fall is here. The leaves are starting to change. Pumpkin spice latte is everywhere. If you’re in denial that it’s sweata’ weatha’ because it’s still warm out, I get it. Just like adapting your wardrobe, it’s not easy to transition your home decor to the season. The good news? It can be fun. And you can do it gradually, mum by mum. There’s no need to break the bank when it comes to decorating. As a mom of two and one away in college, let’s just say I’ve been there, done that. I have gathered some tips and tricks through the years that I want to share with you here. I hope some of these will help you embrace the change of season and add some fall decor to your home:

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1. Look outside for inspiration. The moment the leaves start to fall in your yard, collect vibrant ones and place them in a large bowl. I tend to favor metallic bowls but wooden or ceramic ones are nice too.

2. Branch out. If you have a tall vase, place a selection of branches inside, creating a tall rustic bouquet like the ones you might see at a furniture design store.

3. Pumpkins, please? If you’re up to spending a little to make a full fall statement, buy a decorative pumpkin. And I’m not talking about orange ones. Think ceramic, glass, metal or fabric ones that look expensive but cost as low as $14.99 at Home Goods. My aunt gave me this pretty blue and white ceramic one a couple years ago and I love it.

4. Put it in a basket. After going apple picking with your kids (or taking a trip to the grocery store) drop a collection of apples in a wicker or wire basket. Have fun with it. Remember, they don’t have to be the same color. Decorating for fall isn’t about making everything perfect. It’s about celebrating the change of season in your own way.

5. Pine cones. Go back outside and collect pine cones. Spray paint them white, silver or gold. Or buy some at Michael’s. Place them in a cute bowl or vase- rustic or fancy, depending on the look you’re going for!

6. New or used. Take a trip to Home Goods or TJ Maxx and you can find a variety of fall decor pieces that are adorable. You might find something unique at estate sales and antique stores. I found two small clear glass vases for $1 at a yard sale recently and plan to put burgundy votive candles inside surrounded by glass marbles, giving just a hint of the season.

8. Simplify. Remember that not everything has to be tacky, Halloween themed, orange or black. Whites, creams, and browns are fun too. Find things that whisper fall rather than shout. Sometimes keeping things simple leaves a stronger impression. And you may be more likely to keep the piece for years to come.

9. Outdoor décor. Don’t forget to decorate the outside of your home too. Mums, cornstalks, and pumpkins oh my. We always decorate our yard with mums and pumpkins from local farms. We have an assortment of scary and silly Halloween items that we have found at CVS and Target over the past 15 years. We don’t put all of them out, but we try to make our yard inviting and fun for trick or treaters.

10. Crazy for cranberries. Why not make a clear glass vase less plain by filling it half way with cranberries? Place a candle in the middle and you have an instant fall centerpiece.

11. Lighten up. Keep a scented glass candle with a fall scent on your counter to help make your kitchen smell like the season. Pumpkin spice is always nice.

12. Soften it up. Add soft textures to a country table. I love soft pumpkins. My cousin bought a cream cloth pumpkin years ago and it looks adorable as a fall cottage-style accent piece.

13. Little details. Last but not least, please keep in mind it’s all in the details. Adding something as simple as candle holders on a shelf or a pumpkin shaped liquid soap dispenser by the kitchen sink makes everything feel more like fall. I found one at TJ Maxx for $6.99 and it can help put a smile on everyone’s face.

What’s your favorite fall decor piece?

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Jackie Hennessey
Jackie Hennessey is a Rhode Island mom who honestly gets what other mothers go through. Having worked full-time, part-time, and been a stay-at-home mom too, she sees motherhood from a variety of angles. And thankfully, with a sense of humor. Jackie blogs about her take on motherhood and mid-life at ventingsessions.com and writes about it in her award-winning gift book, How to Spread Sanity on a Cracker. Jackie is a native Texan with some roots and relatives in Rhode Island. (She's a NASA kid and her Houston accent usually comes out when she's blasting Willie Nelson in the car.) She has more than two decades of experience in public relations and journalism and holds a BA in journalism from Texas A&M University, where she received the “Best Aggie-Life writer” award. (She still has the tacky maroon plaque in her home office to prove it.) Jackie was a cast member of the 2013 and 2017 Listen to Your Mother Shows, where she formed lasting bonds with the incredible women she shared the stage with in honor of Mother’s Day. Her writing has been featured in The Barrington Times, the book Mommy Diarist and blogs like Scary Mommy and BluntMoms. She has donated her PR expertise to many local non-profits from Arts Alive to Dress for Success since launching her professional pr consultancy in 2006. When she’s not writing, consulting, volunteering, ubering her kids around, vacuuming up dog hair or folding laundry while binge-watching Netflix, she likes to vent with dear friends over cheese dip. Jackie is married to her high school sweetheart and they live in Barrington, Rhode Island with their two teens and three fluffy and friendly Golden Retrievers.

2 COMMENTS

  1. Love the tips, Jackie! I’ve even used dried day-lily stalks (some have pods on top) and spray-painted them copper to add height and metallic interest to a basket of pine cones. Add a fall ribbon and it will take you through Thanksgiving, change the ribbon and you have a basket that can go through the Christmas holidays.

  2. Awesome tips Jackie! I’ve always loved bringing the outdoors inside! I usually walk around the woods clipping assorted “weeds” and greens for dried arrangements! Filled our window boxes with them this year along with some mums. Should take us right up to Thanksgiving weekend! I’m going to try the cranberries in my fave vase this weekend..love that idea!

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