Fun things to do with your house in the fall!

After the less than stellar news of the September FOMC, I thought we’d go with something lighter this week.

With that in mind, here are some fun fall home activities!

1. Curl up with a blanket, a book, and a mug of tea. Or mulled cider, or regular cider for that matter. While it’s always time to curl up with a good book there’s something special about doing it in the fall either outside or with a window open to feel that almost too-cold air and then have a nice sip of cider.

2. Watch weather reports of people in colder climates getting snowed on already. If you do this one in the evening, then I heartily recommend spending some of the following morning thinking about how nice it is that you don’t have to shovel off your driveway, walkway, or car. (Sorry northern climate friends!)

3. Telling the kids that raking the leaves is a really fun game that they should all definitely play.

4. Jumping in the piles of leaves your kids made and making leaf angels because why should snow have all the fun?

5. Decorating for Halloween! Spooky decorations are fun decorations. With cobwebs, spiders, skeletons, zombies, and more, there’s a lot to choose from. Plus, you can go wild with animatronics, some lights, and even spooky noises!

6. Take a walk around the neighborhood to see other people’s Halloween decorations! I love a good autumn walk in the early evening when there’s still enough light to easily see by, but also enough darkness that those decorations really pop.

7. Making your entire house smell like pumpkin spice! From cookies to bread to coffee to candles, there are many ways to make your home smell like a surprisingly delicious latte. You can also take the direct approach of aggressively spraying Glade’s pumpkin in every room, but personally, I prefer a variety of pumpkin spice scents. Bonus points if you then refuse to acknowledge the smell. “Pumpkin spice? Me? No, I never touch the stuff.”

8. Preserve a few of the best leaves. This is an activity I did a couple of times as a kid and I think this year I will revive it as an adult. Step 1 – Find some colorful autumn leaves and some paraffin wax. Step 2 – Melt wax. Step 3 – Dip leaves in wax. Step 4- Let dry on wax paper. For more details, check out this Creative Homemaking article. https://creativehomemaking.com/holidays/thanksgiving/waxed-fall-leaves/

9. Tell yourself that this year, for real this time, you will find an exciting use for all that Turkey you made at Thanksgiving. Personally, I think more turkey appears around the bones after the big T-day meal, but that’s probably my imagination.

10. Have, or go to, a bonfire. Fall is probably the best time for this. The coolness in the air makes you appreciate the fire more, but you don’t have to huddle around it like you would in winter or flee from it as you do in the summer. It’s also a great reason to make s’mores and wear fun boots and flannel!