The days of crunchy leaves, hot apple cider and cozy knits seem far away, but before we know it, fall will be knocking at our doors. With back-to-school on the horizon and the promise of a new season fresh in the air, there’s no better time to overhaul your space. We asked the House & Home editors how they’re organizing for fall — from revamping linen closets to deep cleaning and creating hardworking hallways. Scroll down to get inspired! You’ll thank us later.
Rethink My Dining Room Set-Up
“Staying home this summer has meant that my partner and I have done a LOT of reading — and picked up a ton of great books from the Little Free Libraries in our area. Our built-in bookcases are now overflowing, and I’ve always wanted a clever banquette like this one in our dining room. This year, I’d love to finally get rid of our too-big dining table and replace it with a round Tulip Table, plus a book-filled banquette!” — Alice Lawlor, Editorial Director
Photographer: Virginia Macdonald
Source: House & Home September 2013
Designer: Sally Armstrong
Try Vertical Storage
“Cherry pegs line our entry, and I love how much stuff you can layer on them. Martha Stewart takes it to the next level with a bunch in the laundry room, which manage to make all those little cleaning tools look curatorial.” — Wendy Jacob, Features Editor
Photographer: Matthew Williams
Source: Excerpted from Martha Stewart’s Organizing: The Manual for Bringing Order to Your Life, Home & Routines © 2020 by Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. Reproduced by permission of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Revamp My Linen Closet
“Autumn is all about layering up – having your softest throws within reach, folding a wool blanket at the foot of the bed for chilly nights and adding an extra layer of pillows for those brisk Sunday mornings. So, the linen closet is at the top of my fall organizing list (and it’s a long list!). First step is to purge anything that’s past repair, like torn fitted sheets and threadbare pillowcases. I like to mix and match my sheets, so instead of piling sets together, I group them by type: fitted, flat and pillowcases. Duvet covers get their own pile. I like the idea of tying thicker blankets with ribbons so they stay neat and tidy over time, and lavender sachets keep everything fresh. Another plus: the scent of lavender is said to promote a better sleep, something we all need. Trays or wire baskets that can be easily carried are ideal for corralling extra laundry and cleaning items — like many of you, I have far more bottles of hand wash and detergent in reserve than ever before. Clean and cozy is the goal, and it should only take me an hour or so!” — Kimberley Brown , Style Director
Photographer: Angus Fergusson
Source: House & Home April 2012
Designer: Produced by Morgan Michener
Refresh My Home Office
“My office is on the third floor of my house, and it gets so hot in the summer. I’m looking forward to getting back up there during the cooler fall months when I’m working from home. I saw some great storage at Indigo recently, which I’ll definitely be buying!” — Stacy Begg, Senior Interiors Editor
Photographer: Janis Nicolay
Source: House & Home June 2019
Designer: Francesca Albertazzi, Rudy Winston Design
Display My Favorite Blankets
“Raise your hand if you’re guilty of piling nubbly blankets — sometimes with graphic prints — into baskets. While I love storing my stockpile of cozy textures this way, I’m feeling inspired to show them off this fall casually draped on a ladder like in this gallery-like cottage in Georgian Bay.” — Harleen Sidhu, Assistant Editor
Photographer: Ashley Capp
Source: House & Home July 2014
Create A Hardworking Entryway
“I’m hoping to clean up my front hall this year. My first step will be to put some coat hooks up so jackets and sweaters don’t pile onto the bannister (and inevitably end up being knocked onto the floor). Our hallway is quite narrow so having some custom storage made — like this floating credenza — would be a dream.” — Kai Ethier, Senior Market Editor
Photographer: Alex Lukey
Source: House & Home February 2016
Designer: Mazen El-Abdallah, Mazen Studio
Overhaul My Closet
“One of my favorite things to do when a new season arrives is try on everything in my closet, refold and rehang the items that still spark joy and donate the pieces that either don’t fit or aren’t my style anymore. With quarantine, more clothes than normal don’t fit me — and that’s totally okay! It’s an excuse to go shopping for chic fall staples that are my new size.” — Victoria Christie, Digital Editor
Photographer: Michael Graydon
Source: House & Home February 2015
Designer: Carlo & Laura Colacci
Add Pretty Things To My Vanity/Desk
“My makeup vanity doubles as a desk, so I always have a vintage- and elegant-looking workspace. To add a pretty pop of color, I like to put a vase of fresh flowers on the side and a stack of eye-catching notebooks.” — Jacklyn Gilmor, Digital Coordinator, Maison & Demeure
Photographer: Alex Lukey
Source: House & Home September 2016
Designer: Sabrina Albanese
Deep Clean My Apartment
“I think it’s important to not only purge in the spring, but bi-yearly, so something I’ve done since the beginning of time is a full apartment clean-out to refresh for the new season. For larger homes, this might need to be tackled in sections, of course!” — Jenna Wilhelmsen, Contributor
Photographer: Phil Crozier
Source: House & Home April 2019
Designer: Stephanie Brown
Corral Everyday Items
“I’m all about landing spots. I want a tray or a bowl where random things tend to collect in each key area of the house, kitchen counter, entryway and nightstand. Everything should have a home, but inevitably there will be random things that don’t make it back to their designated spot right away. This way, they have a place to ‘hang out’ (looking neat and tidy) until I can get to the contents and put them back where they are meant to live.” — Jennifer Koper, Senior Editor
Photographer: André Rider
Source: House & Home June 2016
Designer: Richard Ouellette & Maxime Desbiens, Les Ensembliers