Fall is undoubtedly one of my favorite seasons. (Like there’s so many to pick from, right?) But it’s also an undoubtedly different time of year than the rest. Days are still warm enough to wear dresses (where I live), and mornings/nights are the definition of sweater weather. But there’s also some other things that come with fall that aren’t necessarily so fun. At least for me. There’s the annual ‘fall’ cleaning, which is exactly what it sounds like. All the joys of spring cleaning, but in the fall.
From going room to room and deciding what is still ‘useful’ at this time in our lives and what’s outdated to switching out clothes in the closet, and everything in between. Like I said, the things that aren’t necessarily that fun. Yes, it’s fun to have a revamped look in our house that’s more in style to how we live our lives currently. And yes, it’s fun to sport all my favorite cardigans that we haven’t been able to wear for 6 months. But there’s a process to get to the fun part.
Also, now’s that awkward time in fall where we’re automatically spending more time indoors thanks to less daylight. This means less time outdoors with all the beauty of nature and all the benefits it brings too. But, since mornings are cooler there’s no need to run the AC, right? Nope. Again, another awkward aspect of fall. But, just like a relationship, there is a way to make it past the awkward stage and into the delights of the season! Some ‘hacks’ if you will.
Hanger Hack
If you don’t have the ‘luxury’ or ‘necessity’ of switching out clothes twice a year, right on. No really, right on! And really, the term luxury or necessity depends on the person’s opinion that’s reading this. It’s honestly a hassle going through clothes not once, but twice a year and deciding what to donate, aka say goodbye to. But this fall is different! In a lot of ways really. Firstly, I’m a completely different size than I’ve been since I was probably a child. The benefits of eating better and exercising, am I right?
So, a lot of the clothes I’ve kept since high school 10+ years ago (no, really) don’t fit me anymore. I’ve had to slowly work on replacing items of clothing with ones that fit me better throughout the year. This means that a lot of my old clothes can go, right? Wrong. I’m so attached to ‘sentimental’ things that I have a hard time letting go. So what am I doing about it? This year when I put all my fall clothes in my closet, I also tied a piece of twine around each hanger. Yes, including the ones that were already hanging.
After I’ve worn something and go to hang it back up, I’ll make sure there’s no twine on the hanger. When all is said and done in the spring, I’ll see just how many clothes I actually love and wear all the time. Why? So when I go to switch out my clothes again, I can see what I really do and don’t wear. This will make it easier to get rid of the things I don’t need. (Hopefully.) Obviously, I’ll give myself some slack for some ‘special’ items that I really can’t part ways with, but this is to also help me be more realistic and save myself time and hardship in the long run.
Air Hack
Another not so necessarily fun part about fall is how much time is spent indoors compared to summer. And like I said, nature is beautiful, yes, but it’s also full of benefits like a boost in energy, better vision, an increase in vitamin D, more oxygen, you name it! Check out Harvard’s article here for an in-depth look. And when we’re indoors, it’s a lot harder to get those things. Sure, there are things you can do to improve your energy and mood. There are supplements you can take to improve your vision and vitamin D intake. But how do we get access to more oxygen?
Well, one of my favorite ways is to have some happy little indoor plants. No, I’m no ‘plant mom’, or anything close to it. In fact, I have a way easier time keeping plants alive outdoors. But I digress. Plants are the number one way to not only provide more oxygen, but filter the air that’s already in your home. And my favorite kind of plants are the ones that pretty much no one can kill. I’m not real good with species and names, but here is a guide from Better Homes & Gardens full of plants for any type of person!
My favorite plant to keep in our home is air plants! And they’re not called that because they provide air, but because they grow on air. But they also provide air by filtering like I talked about earlier too! They’re some of the easiest plants ever to take care of, and because they don’t require soil, they can be placed (or hung) almost anywhere in the house! I love making macramé pieces to hang them in or you can buy glass terrariums or even attach them to other plants! Just soak the roots in water about once a week, let drip dry, and put back in place – easy as that!
Temperature Hack
This one could also be called a money-saving hack, but it does have to do with temperature. As I mentioned, mornings and nights are cooler which requires less use of our home cooling system which requires less power and energy. However, during the days I’m still having to use our AC during the hottest part of the day. I know our power bill will start going down now that it’s fall, but I’m hoping to save the most money we can. And there is something that can be done!
The first thing is to keep the blinds/curtains closed during the day, or at least the hottest part of the day if you can. I’ve personally noticed a difference of about 3° when I keep our curtains closed vs. when I have even just a few in the house open. And I know 3° doesn’t sound like much of a difference, but during the days when I’m running the AC, those 3° could mean the difference of an hour of power use. And if you’re like me and automatically feel less motivated without open curtains and sunlight, I’ve got one piece of advice for you. Patterned curtains – That way you at least have something that you like looking at.
Another thing that helps keep temperature regulated in homes is insulation in the walls and windows. And obviously not everyone can afford to up and buy brand new insulation for their homes just to save some money. You can however open or even just crack your windows at night. Yes, the house might be a bit cool in the morning, but that coolness will last making it so the AC doesn’t need to be turned on as soon in the day. Last November our power bill was less than $100 and I’m hoping to get back to that by this November!
Easy Does It
If all this sounds like a little much to do at once, space it out! I did. You think I went through my closet, bought a bunch of house plants, and inventoried each window in the house in one day? Let alone one weekend? Even with a husband? Yeah right! I had too many clothes to fit in my closet when I decided to try my hanger idea. Not because I was dying to, but out of necessity.
I’d been collecting house plants for a little under a year to have my collection of 4, but the idea sprang up one day and now I’ll keep adding to it as time goes by. And I just noticed within the past week that I could use the thermostat less which inspired me to take it even further. There’s no reason to get it all done in as little time as possible. And there’s no need to do it at all for some. These things have just helped me hack my own life, so I thought I’d give it a share.
If you’re looking for simple ways anyone can improve their life any time of year, check out ETM’s blog here. As always, thank you so very much for being a part of ETM’s community of Mommas! I encourage you to join discussions, interact with Mommas alike, and be unapologetically yourself! Until next time, I hope I’m able to help make your life as simple as could be. (:
With all my love, Brandolyn – Earth To Momma
