The Fun of Making Seasonal Swaps

It’s fall, y’all. Or at least football season. Here in the South, temps don’t really start to drop until October—and sometimes not even then. But I firmly believe that if we build it, it will come.

I’ve already moved into my Fall Playbook from the Lazy Genius. And I’m ready to start making more changes around my home to welcome in the season. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve appreciated the changing of the season more and more. I really enjoyed Myquillyn Smith’s Welcome Home: A Cozy Minimalist Guide to Decorating and Hosting All Year Round. She helped me learn how to make seasonal swaps in my home without relying on tchotchkes. So here are the swaps I’m hoping to make as we move into the season.

Meal Plan

I am ready for the pumpkin spice onslaught. And I’m ready to start adding more fall recipes to my rotation. My Skylight calendar has made this super easy. As I add recipes to my Skylight recipe box, I include an emoji that represents the season. This way, my seasonal recipes are grouped together and easy to spot.

My favorite resource for simple, nourishing, seasonal recipes is Jillian Margaret Wellness. I’ve had her Simple Seasons membership for over two years now. Each month, I get a PDF full of recipes, inspiration, and reading recommendations for the month ahead. There are always a few winners! I can’t recommend her work highly enough.

Here are a few other recipes that have made it into the fall rotation:

Overnight Cinnamon Apple Baked French Toast Casserole

Cider Pumpkin Waffles

Ale and Cheddar Soup

Brown Sugar Spiced Salmon

Baked Gnocchi with Sage and Cream Sauce

Baked Roast Beef and Brie Sliders with Caramelized Onions

Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Of course, in the fall, I’m pairing pretty much every meal with bread. I got on the sourdough bandwagon a few years ago, and Artisan Sourdough Made Simple is still my go-to resource. The focaccia recipe in this book couldn’t be easier and is fantastic paired with a cozy soup or Crockpot meal.

Wardrobe

Call me crazy, but I can’t wait to bring back my jeans. Like I said, we won’t really get cooler temperatures for a while (the high Saturday is 89). But the minute I see anything below 80, even if it’s just until 8 AM, I’m ready for jeans. The closet changes I make in September are minor, but I still enjoy making them. I bring back some button-downs and put away the tank tops. The Disney t-shirts are probably done for the season (sigh). But I can swap them for football shirts.

September is also a really good time to assess kids’ wardrobes. I have a little time to fill in gaps so we aren’t scrambling on the first cold day. I try to check shoe sizes and see if my older daughter has anything she needs to hand down to my younger daughter. I make sure we have enough socks after a summer full of sandals, pants are long enough, and coats still fit. Then I get to take advantage of everyone being back in school to go shopping!  

Bookshelf

I always enjoy swapping out our kids’ bookshelf with some seasonal reads. I’ll pull out the gorgeously illustrated The Lost Words. I’ll pair that with Finding Narnia: The Story of C.S. Lewis and His Brother and The Stories Behind the Stories to bring in some more fall colors and encourage our budding authors to cozy up and write something. I’ve also got some apple books on hand, like Ten Apples Up on Top and Apples, Apples, Apples, which will be fun for me little guy. And fall is a great time to pull out the coziest book of all: The Complete Brambly Hedge.

I’ll add a few new books too: Maybe The Colors of Fall to match the summer version I added this year. The Leaf Thief looks cute as well. I’ll also save room for The Humble Pie, releasing November 4. We loved these punny food books by Jory John, which start with The Bad Seed. (As an Enneagram One, I’m partial to The Good Egg, who struggles when peers don’t follow the rules.)

Whether you have avid or reluctant readers, swapping out the books that are available can encourage exploration and engagement. It’s been a fun way to welcome new seasons (and an excuse to buy new books)!

Home Accessories

A simple way I change things in my home for the changing seasons is to swap out some of our cloth napkins and our couch throw pillow covers. I have gotten hooked on the Petite Plume brand of cloth napkins. These, alas, are not going to save you money over using paper (unless they last a really long time). (Use this link if you want to save $20 stocking up though!) But they elevate the dining experience and (maybe?) encourage better table manners. I have a few floral patterns that I use in the spring and summer. I adore the plaids for winter. And I use stripes and gingham in the fall. (I’ve got my eye on this new camel gingham to add to the rotation.)

Swapping my couch pillows lets me add seasonality as well. Amazon offers endless color and pattern options in a variety of pillow cover sizes. Just keep track of what size your inserts are and switch out the covers—you don’t have to buy all new pillows every time. I like these for fall to replace these more exuberant ones I’ve had out for spring and summer.

Music

If you know that September days are the nicest days of the year, you might have been at UGA the same time I was. Athens-based band Modern Skirts formed part of the soundtrack of my college years, and “September Days” still features on my fall playlist. Yes, our music tastes are pretty stuck by the time we graduate college, so this playlist heavily features bands I loved when I was a teen and young adult, like Sixpence None the Richer, Over the Rhine, and Norah Jones. There’s nothing like feeling like you’re heading back to school to bring the fall vibes. Roll the windows down to catch the first hint of crispness, and blast whatever music makes you feel 16 again.

Little Golden Book

Another adorable addition to a fall bookshelf would be The Poky Little Puppy and the Pumpkin Patch. As I mentioned in my post about my Little Golden Book collection, the original Poky Little Puppy really makes no sense. But I’m hopeful that redemption for this series may come as the Poky Little Puppy frolics among the pumpkins and perhaps, finally, a plot.

Do you make any swaps to change out the seasons? Do you remember the Modern Skirts? Do you understand the plot of The Poky Little Puppy? Let me know in the comments—I love hearing from you!

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