Easy Ways to Cozy Up Your Home For Fall

Colder temps mean more clothes — more clothes mean loads of clutter. And I'm kind of anti-clutter. So I've found making our entryway really work for us helps my mental state. We use the L.L.Bean totes for hats, boots, mittens — really anything that we might need to grab at the last minute. When everything has its place, things just seem to work better. And since our entry is on the small side, we need to get creative.

OK, this might be my favorite thing about this time of year — the food. Recipes that seem to warm you from the toes up paired with a good red wine is the key to a successful night in my book. I also like to warm up my table right along with the menu — this table runner is actually a scarf from Target and the wooden chargers might be the easiest DIY ever. It all just adds interesting moments that will hopefully make your guests want to linger a tad bit longer.

I have this thing for candles. As in, I might be a candle hoarder. But above all the scents, I do believe the Autumn variety always seems to cue the nostalgia. Diptyque never fails to produce the prettiest fragrances, but I love Figuier for Fall. It’s clean and cozy, without being overpowering.

Color is easily one of my favorite things about Autumn. So why not bring all that pretty inside. Leaves, acorns, pine cones, pumpkins — there are limitless choices right outside your front door (or at your local farmers market), and they all kind of live in the same color family, making your job pretty darn easy.

Throw pillows and blankets might be my biggest weakness. And this time of year, it's hard for me to not want to buy ALL of the throws. Because is there anything better than cozying up on the couch with an amazing blanket (and a week's worth of shows on your DVR) on a chilly night? Just add a fireplace (and a glass of wine), and I do believe I just described my perfect evening.

Even if you don't have a fireplace, wood immediately adds a warmth to a room. Stack it, sort it, use it as an end table — bringing wood inside instantly ups the cozy factor.

Stock your bar with Fall favorites. Switch over your light and crisp flavors for ones that will warm your soul. Ciders, red wine, and bourbon all scream season change to me. For extra brownie points, garnish with apple, cinnamon, nutmeg, or cloves.

With every season, I like to change the colors. By keeping the majority of my big furniture in the neutral family, I'm able to appease my love for change with each season. Bringing in warmer colors and fabrics (like velvet) is super easy when you just need to change a pillow or two.

You know that feeling where you feel like you could stay in your bed for the rest of the day because it feels like heaven? That should be the goal. But since we are all functioning folks, and getting out of bed is usually a must, I like to make sure that moment your feet hit the floor is equally lovely with a comfy rug. It’s amazing what stepping onto something super soft first thing in the morning will do for your mood.

What do you think? Did I miss anything? What are your favorite ways to warm up your home? To be honest, my absolute favorite way to cozy up for Fall looks exactly like the picture above. What's yours?

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