There is something about September that still makes me feel like I have a fresh start.
It can still be 80 degrees outside, but the second September hits, I’m ready. I want the windows open, something cooking on the stove, a candle burning and absolutely no overhead lights after 5pm!
Coming home when it was already starting to get dark. Pulling out a sweatshirt for the first time. Halloween coming. Something good cooking in the kitchen. Spending more time at home.
So I started thinking about some of those things and how easy it would be to bring more of them back.
Here are 10 I’m starting with.
1. Bake a Pie
There is nothing better than having the windows open on a cool day with a pie in the oven and the whole house smelling like apples and cinnamon.
And it absolutely does not have to look perfect.
Classic Apple Pie
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 6–7 apples, peeled and thinly sliced
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Pinch of salt
- 2 tablespoons butter
For the crust:
- 2 refrigerated pie crusts or make your own if you’re feeling ambitious.
Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F.
Mix the apples with the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, vanilla and salt.
Place one pie crust into a 9-inch pie plate. Add the apple mixture and dot the top with the butter.
Lay the second crust over the top, trim and crimp the edges, and cut a few small slits in the center to let steam escape.
Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, then reduce the oven to 375°F and continue baking for about 40–45 minutes, until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbling.
Let it cool for at least an hour before slicing. Then enjoy!
I also found a really pretty pie plate on Amazon that I love and can use all fall and through the holidays.
[PIE PLATE] This is currently 50% off so don’t wait!
2. Put a Pot of Chili on the Stove
As soon as the weather cools down, I want a big pot of chili on the stove. It’s easy, everyone can help themselves, and it’s even better leftover the next day.
Mine has ground beef, kidney and pinto beans, tomatoes, onion and sauce. I like jalapeños too.
And if you don’t have a good big pot for chili, soups and Sunday sauce, I found one I really like.
[CHILI POT] I just looked and this one is now 47% off… I missed all these deals lol so hurry so you don’t!
3. Light the First Fall Candle
You know you’re ready for fall when you start wanting your house to smell like it.
I’m a little picky about fall candles because I don’t want anything ridiculously sweet or overpowering. I like something warm, maybe a little apple or cinnamon, but still something I’d actually want my whole house to smell like.
[FALL CANDLE PICK] A client of mine gifted me this set and I’d love each scent!
4. Turn Off the Overhead Lights
I’m serious about this one. 😂 If you know me, you know how I am about my lighting!
Once it starts getting dark earlier, turn off the overhead lights and turn on the lamps.
It makes the whole house feel so much cozier, especially in fall.
I’ve also been loving the little lamps people are putting on kitchen counters, shelves and other unexpected places lately. I found a cute one that would be perfect for fall but could stay out all year.
[ LAMP] I bought two of these and they’re such a great addition to my kitchen area.
5. Have an Actual Movie Night
Pick an old movie you’ve already watched a hundred times.
Make popcorn. Get a blanket. Put your phone somewhere else.
I remember when watching a movie at home actually felt like something you were doing that night. Now half the time we’re watching TV while simultaneously scrolling through our phones.
6. Take a Sunday Drive
One of my favorite things to do in the fall is just get in the car and go for a drive. No real plans, just coffee in the car, good music and seeing where we end up.
For me, that often means somehow ending up at the top of Mount Wachusett. The drive up there in the fall is beautiful, and it’s one of those simple things that I look forward to every year.
7. Make Sunday Dinner
I’m not talking about having people over or making anything fancy.
Just make a real Sunday dinner.
Put something in the oven or let sauce cook for a few hours. Set the table. Sit down and eat instead of everyone grabbing something whenever they’re hungry.
And make enough for leftovers because Monday-you will appreciate it.
8. Put a Game or Puzzle on the Table
Remember when people actually did this?
Cards, Yahtzee, Scrabble, a puzzle—whatever your family likes.
Leave it sitting out instead of putting it away in a closet where nobody is ever going to touch it.
And yes, phones are probably still going to be sitting next to us. I’m not pretending it’s 1994. 😂 But maybe we can look at them a little less.
[FAMILY GAME] This actually is really fun!
9. Decorate Without Turning It Into a Production
I love decorating for fall, but it doesn’t need to turn into an entire home makeover.
A few real pumpkins, mums, a lantern, maybe something old that you’ve been putting out every fall for years.
I actually think the houses that feel the best are the ones where everything doesn’t perfectly match.
10. Open the Windows
One of my favorite things is that first day when it’s finally cool enough to shut the AC off and open all the windows.
The house smells different, the air feels different, and it immediately puts me in the mood for fall.
Open the windows, clean the house, put some music on, light a candle and make something good for dinner.
Honestly, sometimes that’s all it takes to for a good fresh start.