Simple things you can do this fall so your home feels ready, welcoming, and festive when the holidays arrive.

There is something about fall that makes me want to nest.

The temperatures start dropping (well, unless you live in the South like me), football is on, candles smell like cinnamon, and the kitchen starts calling for soups and casseroles.

And suddenly I’m looking around my house thinking “Okay, I have approximately three months to get this place together.”

Because let’s be honest… December has a way of sneaking up on us.

One minute you’re digging out your sweaters and enjoying the first cool weekend of fall, and the next you’re realizing how much you have to do to prepare for the holidays.

You’re staring at a pile of Christmas decorations, a guest room that needs attention, a pantry that looks like a grocery store exploded, and a calendar that is filling up.

But here’s the good news… You don’t have to wait until December to get ready for the holidays.

In fact, doing a little preparation during the fall can make a HUGE difference. And I’m not talking about spending every weekend deep-cleaning your house.

I’m talking about tackling the little things now so that when the holidays arrive, your home feels cozy, organized and ready. And you actually have time to enjoy it. So grab your coffee, put on your favorite fall playlist, and let’s get your home holiday-ready.

This blog is all about your fall-to-holiday home checklist and what to do now.

YOUR FALL-TO-HOLIDAY HOME CHECKLIST

1. Start With a Fall Home Reset

Before you bring out the pumpkins, turkeys, Christmas trees and approximately 47 bins of holiday decorations, take a look at what you already have.

Fall is the perfect time to reset your home. Walk through each room and ask “Does this room still work for the way we live?”

You don’t need to redecorate your entire house. Just look for the obvious trouble spots, like these:

• kitchen counters
• entryway
• family room
• dining room
• guest room
• bathrooms

And here’s my favorite rule…

Don’t organize things you don’t actually need.

If you haven’t used it in years, don’t spend an afternoon creating a beautiful storage system for it. Let it go. Donate it. Toss it. Sell it. Give it to someone who will use it.

Your future December self will thank you.

2. Declutter Before the Holiday Stuff Arrives

Holiday decorating is a LOT more fun when you’re not trying to decorate around piles of stuff. So before you start pulling out fall or Christmas decorations, choose a few areas to declutter.

Try the “One Bag” Challenge.

Grab a large trash bag or donation box and fill it with things you no longer need. You might find clothes you never wear, books you’ve already read, kitchen gadgets you forgot you owned, and decorations you don’t love anymore.

You don’t have to declutter your entire house. One bag is enough. Do that once a week between now and Thanksgiving and you’ll be amazed at the difference.

3. Do the Deep Cleaning You Don’t Want to Do in December

There are certain household jobs that are MUCH easier to tackle before the holiday chaos begins, like washing windows, cleaning ceiling fans, cleaning out the fridge/pantry, and washing rugs.

You don’t have to do everything in one weekend. Pick one or two jobs each week, then you can forget about them.

Imagine getting to December and realizing “Oh! I already cleaned the oven.” That might be the closest thing to a Christmas miracle.

4. Get the Guest Room Ready Early

If you’re expecting overnight guests during the holidays, don’t wait until the day before they arrive to discover that the guest room has become the official storage area for everything you don’t know where else to put.

Ask yourself if you would be comfortable staying there. Check the sheets, pillows, blankets, towels, hangers, bedside lighting, curtains/blinds, closet space, and bathroom supplies.

Then add a few simple touches like bottles of water, a small basket of toiletries, a good book or magazine, and snacks.

You don’t need to create a five-star hotel. You just want your guests to feel thought of.

5. Make Your House Smell Amazing

This is one of the easiest ways to make your home feel instantly more inviting. Fall is the perfect time to decide what you want your home to smell like.

Maybe it’s cinnamon, apple, vanilla, fresh pine, or orange. You can use candles, diffusers, simmer pots or whatever works for you.

And don’t underestimate the power of simply opening the windows on a beautiful fall day and letting fresh air move through your house.

Your house doesn’t have to look perfect to feel wonderful.

6. Take Inventory of Your Entertaining Supplies

Before you discover on Thanksgiving morning that you have 11 dinner plates and 14 people coming over, take inventory.

Check your dinner plates, salad plates, serving platters, serving bowls, glasses, wine glasses, flatware, napkins, tablecloths, baking dishes, roasting pans, and cooking utensils.

And don’t forget the little things. Make sure you have enough ice, foil, plastic wrap, parchment paper, storage bags/containers, toothpicks, and trash bags.

Make a list now. That way you’re not making an emergency Target run at 9:47 a.m. on Thanksgiving morning.

7. Give Your Pantry and Freezer a Little Love

Holiday cooking becomes SO much easier when you know what you already have. Pull everything out of your pantry and check expiration dates.

Group similar items together, then take a look at your freezer. You may discover that you currently own enough frozen vegetables to survive a small natural disaster. We’ve all been there.

Make a simple list of what you have and what you need. And start stocking up on the basics you’ll use throughout the holiday season, like flour, sugar, broth, spices, baking supplies, nuts, coffee, and tea.

You don’t have to buy everything now. Just start thinking ahead.

8. Pull Out Your Holiday Decorations Before You Need Them

This one is BIG. Don’t wait until December 1st to open every single decoration bin. Pick a fall weekend and do a quick inventory.

Open those tubs, and see what you actually have. And ask yourself:

Do I still love this?

Because here’s something I’ve learned… You don’t have to decorate your house the exact same way every year.

Maybe you’ve accumulated decorations for 20 years, your kids have grown up, or your taste has changed. It’s okay. Keep the things that make you happy, and donate the things that don’t.

And if something is broken, missing pieces or has been sitting in a box untouched for ten years… You have permission to let it go.

9. Create a Holiday Decorating Plan

You don’t need a complicated decorating plan. Just decide “Where do I want the holiday magic to happen?”

Is it the front porch? Around the fireplace? Where will the Christmas tree be? How will I decorate the dining table? And the kitchen?

Choose a few focal points instead of feeling like every square inch needs to be decorated. And here’s a little BME philosophy…

Your house doesn’t have to look like Pinterest.

It needs to look like you. Is your holiday decorating style elegant? Traditional? Is it colorful?

Have you collected Christmas decor over decades? Is your style completely over-the-top or “I put up a tree and called it a day.”

All are valid.

10. Create Your “Company Is Coming” Checklist

This is one of those lists you’ll be VERY happy to have. Write down the things you typically do before people come over. For example…

The Night Before

☐ Clean bathrooms
☐ Empty dishwasher
☐ Take out trash
☐ Set the table
☐ Prep food
☐ Put drinks in the refrigerator
☐ Put out towels
☐ Tidy the entryway

The Day Of

☐ Quick vacuum
☐ Wipe kitchen counters
☐ Light candles
☐ Start music
☐ Put out appetizers
☐ Get yourself ready

The goal is to create a system so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel every time you host.

11. Create a “15-Minute Tidy” Routine

This may be one of the most valuable things on the entire list. Instead of waiting until your house is a disaster, set a timer for 15 minutes.

Pick one area. Put things away, clear surfaces, straighten pillows, fold blankets, load the dishwasher, put shoes away… done.

You don’t need a spotless house. You need a house that feels under control. And 15 minutes can do a LOT.

12. Start a Holiday Shopping List Now

You don’t have to buy everything in September. But you can start your list. Write down who you’re buying for, what they actually like, your budget, and what you can buy early.

This can prevent the dreaded December realization “I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO GET HIM.”

And if you find a great gift early… buy it. Future you will be thrilled.

13. Start Your Holiday Recipe Collection

If you have recipes your family loves, gather them now. Create a folder (digital or physical) for Thanksgiving recipes, Christmas recipes, appetizers, desserts, cocktails, side dishes, make-ahead meals, and family favorites.

And here’s a fun idea…

Create a “Best of the Best” holiday menu.

Instead of making 37 things because you always have, choose the foods that everyone actually loves.

You may discover that your family doesn’t care about the complicated recipe you’ve been making for 22 years.

They just want the potatoes… and the pie… and maybe the spinach artichoke casserole.

14. Make Your Home Cozy for Fall

Before you start thinking about Christmas, enjoy fall. Add a few cozy touches, like throw blankets, pillows, candles, flowers, pumpkins, warm lighting, and a fall wreath.

Put on a playlist, make a pot of soup, invite a friend over, and sit on the porch. Because here’s the whole point of this checklist…

Don’t spend all of fall preparing for Christmas.

Enjoy fall, too.

15. Decide What You DON’T Want to Do This Holiday Season

This may be the most important item on the list. Before your calendar starts filling up, decide “What am I not doing this year?”

Maybe you’re not hosting every single gathering, making 14 different desserts, running yourself ragged trying to make sure everything is perfect, and decorating every room.

You are allowed to simplify, say no, change traditions, and delegate.

And you’re absolutely allowed to enjoy the holidays without exhausting yourself trying to make them magical for everyone else.

YOUR FALL-TO-HOLIDAY GAME PLAN

You don’t need to accomplish this entire list tomorrow. Instead, think of it in stages.

SEPTEMBER: RESET

• Declutter
• Organize
• Take inventory
• Make your lists
• Get rid of things you don’t need

OCTOBER: PREP

• Deep clean
• Get the guest room ready
• Check entertaining supplies
• Organize decorations
• Start holiday shopping

NOVEMBER: FINALIZE

• Finish the big cleaning jobs
• Plan menus
• Prep your freezer
• Pull together your holiday decor
• Finalize your gift list

DECEMBER: ENJOY

• Decorate
• Cook
• Celebrate
• Host
• Laugh
• Eat the cookies
• Listen to the music
• Watch the movies
• Take the pictures
• Make the memories

And, for the love of all things festive… DON’T SPEND THE ENTIRE MONTH CLEANING.