Mosaic Oil Warmer, at Bath & Body Works

The stores are filling up right now with beautiful autumn decor. Oranges, browns, greens, purples, and dark reds adorn bedding, candles, table linens, kitchen towels, and dishes. Target, Craft Warehouse, Michael’s and Joanne’s crafts stores are particularly dangerous right now – yikes!

QUICK THINGS TO DO TODAY:

– Sanitize or clean pet water and food bowls, if needed. Refill with fresh food and water.

– Look over your budget for fall decorating (if any!)

– Have you read a newspaper, visited a major news website, or watched an evening hour-long newscast in the last week or two so you can stay informed about what’s going on? I am sick of all the health care political whining, but I can skip over annoying parts of the newscast and just focus on things that are going on in my area and in the world in general.

– Need to empty out your purse or wallet and tidy them?

Mexican Cocoa Fragrance Oil, at The Body Shop

TODAY’S PROJECT: Beginning Fall Decorating

I’m not quite ready to admit summer is over and haul out my three plastic storage bins of fall decor. I want to look everything over before I give myself permission to buy any more decorations or household items. I probably don’t need any more, to be honest. I should stay firm and not add to my household clutter.

So hopefully I will control myself, and I will buy is some candles (which get used up) and fresh squash/pumpkins to use for ornamentation. I bought the oil warmer pictured above earlier this week to replace a broken one. Now I can enjoy using some of my Body Shop home fragrance oils!

If you want to do some shopping for decor, look over your budget for fall decorating. How much money can you spend on new decor, if any? Can you buy a couple new fun, lovely items, without cutting into your holiday gift budget (not to mention rent, food, savings, and entertainment?)

Also, how is your STORAGE budget for fall decorating? Can you make your home cozy and homey for autumn without making it cluttered and overly kitschy? Where do you put and store your decorations once fall and the holidays are over?

You might already own everything you need. I have TWO autumn-themed wreaths I alternate on my front door (one for everyday, and one I use for the week before and after Halloween). I’ll never need to buy another fall front door wreath, as long as I take good care of the two I have. None of us probably *need* new decor, but it gives us a nice pick-me-up and can make us feel like our home is lovely and cozy.
I want, but don’t need, another fall-colored pillow, and luckily this year I haven’t seen any tempting ones in the stores. I’m wondering if store inventory in general is still down due to the recession.

Spend some time tonight decorating your house for autumn in a way that will please you and your family members. Enjoy the process – turn on fun music, burn fall-scented candles or spray pumpkin home fragrance spray, and pour yourself a glass of wine or a mug of hot tea. And whatever you do, don’t do any cleaning! This is a decorating day!

LOVELY BLOGS: The Enchanted Cottage

This is a truly lovely and inspiring blog. The author posts her “Gratitude List,” shares her journey along “The Artist’s Way,” and shares things from her daily life. You really get a sense of who she is and what she’s working towards. You can tell she puts a lot of thoughtful energy into her posts, and I almost feel bad reading them as a total stranger glimpsing into her private life. A very enriching blog to read through.

http://seasideenchantment.blogspot.com/

LOVELY LINKS FOR TODAY:

First Day of School Bento (Playing With My Food)

Home Style: Heat Up Your Hearth This Fall (Evansville Courier & Press)

How to Bag Your Kids at Lunchtime (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

Peanut Butter Krispy Treats (101 Cookbooks)

“Superior Wife Syndrome” Book Review (Today Show)

Travel Mishaps With Silver Linings (CNN)