Welcome to autumn! 5 tips on how to get your house ready

The days get shorter, leaves begin to turn yellow, rain is more frequent , the weather become colder and daylight hours wane… autumn is just around the corner, and as each day passes, your house starts to become more and more of a cosy refuge, where you can feel at ease in your own home.

How to prepare your home for autumn

That’s why it’s good to take time to prepare your home so you can enjoy the long autumn days, in comfort and warmth. Here are some tips on how to best enjoy and get ready for this change in season.

1. A change of wardrobe and bedclothes

The first piece of advice we can give you is to change your wardrobe. Shorts and light blouses are no longer in season, so take time to put away what you’re not going to wear and pull out coats and sweaters. Remember to choose what you really need and, if necessary, get rid of what you know you’ll never wear again or what no longer fits. Take the opportunity to dust down your wardrobe and your clothes! This may also be the right time to take those garments that you know will keep you warm during the winter to the dry cleaners or give them a good wash. While you’re at it, pull out those blankets, bedspreads and duvets that were stuffed into a dark corner for the summer. They will be your close friends in autumn!

2. Garden and terrace

Unfortunately, the season of long days spent outdoors is over. Rain and bad weather no longer allow us this luxury, and not just this! They also risk ruining gazebos, awnings and umbrellas that were so useful to us under the sun. Give a good wash to the things most affected by the summer heat and keep everything safe for next summer. If you can, wash your outdoor furniture too and give it another lick of protective paint or water and fabric softener (grandma’s tip!). It will create a coating to protect the most delicate materials.

3. Cushions, sofa covers and curtains

To make your home more welcoming in the autumn, the ideal thing is to change the fabrics of curtains, pillows and sofa covers. Neutral colours combined with warmer ones such as brown, ochre, burgundy or even green will undoubtedly be an excellent choice. Don’t forget yellow, red and of course classic orange to welcome in autumn! Go for fabrics which are soft and pleasant to the touch, if possible natural fibers, which are much healthier and more environmentally friendly than synthetic materials. Heavy curtains with intense colours will also have the dual function of maintaining warmth and making the home more welcoming. Being able to sink your feet into a soft rug is another one of autumn’s many pleasures you should not miss!

4. Preparing for the cold

You can also take advantage of the change of season to clean the radiators and arrange a boiler inspection, so that everything is ready and in working order for when you need to turn on the heating. Be careful, however, because dust on the radiator can reduce the performance of the central heating system by as much as 30%. These hidden residues can also cause allergy attacks. Clean the stove well too and, if you have one, it’s time to give the fireplace a thorough going over as well. There’s nothing like the warmth of a fire when it’s raining and windy outside.

5. Choosing the right fragrance

The air outside is cooler and we can no longer let the colours and smells of summer freely in through the window. To counteract the smell of a stuffy room, the aroma of candles or a homemade essence works wonders. We like spices and citrus fruits, so for a do-it-yourself air freshener, to give a totally natural fragrance to your house, we recommend creating jars with water, lemon, cinnamon, rosemary or thyme (vanilla if you like sweeter scents) that have been left to infuse in boiling water for 10 minutes. If you love candles, it’s time to stock up! Some of the aromas to look for may be cardamom, amber, musk, mandarin, and sandalwood. Their comforting and warm scent will keep you company in the new cold season.