Here are 11 things you should do at the beginning of fall to do a seasonal reset and get into the cozy spirit of autumn.
The start of fall is genuinely the beginning of a special time.
It’s that in-between season where life slows down in the most beautiful ways.
The mornings are quiet, the sunsets are softer to look at, and you have the need to surround yourself with cozy things.
You want to make the most of those first few weeks of fall before life gets busy with the festivities, which is what this post will help you with.
Below, you’ll find 11 start-of-fall ideas that will help you start new traditions, refresh your routine, and ease into the fall season gently (with no stress whatsoever).
You can also treat this post as your fall reset guide (even if you’re stumbling upon this post late into the season).
It will help you step out of your summer mode, prep for the new season, and get happy about all the change swirling in the air around you.
So, if you’re ready to fully welcome the coziest season of the year, here are 11 simple things to do at the start of fall that will help you feel the season from day one.
11 Things To Do At The Start of Autumn
1. Make a fall-themed tray
One of my favorite fall traditions is adding a few cozy touches around the house the moment fall begins.
It’s a good way to embrace the spirit of fall in practice.
Now, you have the rest of the season to do all the big fall decor, but for the first month, you can just prepare a fall tray for your coffee table or nightstand table.
You can decorate it with a candle, one or two fake pumpkins, and a couple of leaves from your neighbourhood.
It’s easy to put together and also super fun.
Looking at it will make you want to slow down and stay in touch with the season’s coziness.
2. Create a short and sweet fall bucket list
Every year, you might tell yourself you’re going to do all the cozy fall things. But then November comes, and you realize you didn’t do much at all.
If you relate, then make a fall bucket list early in the season.
It doesn’t need to be stuffed full of ideas. Just add ten or so autumn activities that you’d love to try this season.
It can be things like:
- Visit a pumpkin patch
- Bake something from scratch
- Watch Gilmore Girls
- Take long walks
- Read more books
- Have a picnic with your best friend
- Drink apple cider
Having a list gives you something fun to look forward to, and it stops the season from flying by without you noticing.
Some of my favorite memories have happened simply because I wrote them down and actually made time for them later. It’s a beloved tradition for me for pretty much every season.
3. Spend a morning like a cozy main character
Wake up a little earlier than usual and embrace your main character energy.
Open your windows, put on a cozy outfit, and make yourself a cup of coffee, chai, or hot chocolate.
You can also play soft jazz, instrumental music, or your favorite autumn playlist while going about your morning routine.
I’d also suggest doing some cozy rituals that you usually wouldn’t do in the morning.
You can read a chapter of a novel, write in your journal, and sit outside with your drink.
Not every magical moment has to happen on vacation. Sometimes it’s just you, your favorite mug, and a chilly morning.
And that’s more than enough to make you feel like you are living in a cozy movie.
4. Bring the season home with cozy fall scents
Scent is such a feel-good way to make yourself and your space feel like a particular season.
Buy yourself a nice fall-themed perfume that you can wear all season (doesn’t have to be expensive at all; I don’t shop luxury scents either).
You can pick something with warm vanilla, sandalwood, amber, cinnamon, or soft spices.
Pick up a fall-scented candle to light in the evenings. And tuck a few scented sachets into your wardrobe or dresser drawers.
You can also make your own potpourri with dried orange slices, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, and pinecones.
Not only does it smell incredible, but it also makes your home warm and inviting before you’ve even put up any fall decorations.
These scents will become a part of your everyday routine and put you in a good mood.
Every time you light your candle while reading, spritz your perfume, or open your wardrobe, you’ll feel like you’re being hugged by fall.
5. Clean up your wardrobe before sweater season begins
I am all for having small decluttering sessions that don’t drain me, but the start of fall kind of demands a thorough wardrobe reset.
Before you start reaching for chunky sweaters and cozy jackets, spend an afternoon going through everything in your closet.
Put away your summer clothes, donate the pieces you didn’t wear this year, and make room for the outfits you’re truly excited to wear over the next few months.
I always find that getting dressed becomes so much easier when my closet isn’t overflowing with things I never reach for.
This is also a great time to rediscover those forgotten fall favorites hiding in the back of your wardrobe.
You know—the cardigan you loved last year, your favorite pair of boots, or that scarf that somehow disappeared all summer.
By the time you’re done, your closet will feel lighter, more organized, and ready for the coziest season of the year.
There are few things more satisfying than opening your wardrobe and seeing nothing but clothes that make you excited for fall.
6. Create a cozy afternoon at home
In summer, afternoons can be quite stale and lazy. But oh my, autumn afternoons are absolutely beautiful.
So, whenever you find yourself home for the day, keep your afternoon free and commit to making it cozy.
Put on your favorite oversized sweater, light a candle, and make yourself a comforting drink.
You can bake cookies, banana bread, or cinnamon muffins if you’re in the mood (which I always am during fall).
Read a few chapters of your current book, watch a comfort movie, or work on a crochet project.
You can also journal by the window for about half an hour while sipping your drink.
We spend so much of our lives believing we have to earn rest before we can enjoy it.
But fall reminds you that slowing down is productive too, and a cozy afternoon is a perfect way to embrace that reminder.
7. Write down everything you want to leave behind with summer
We spend so much time making goals for a new season that we sometimes forget to let go of the old one.
Use the start of fall as a chance to reflect on the summer and ask yourself one simple question: What am I not taking with me into this new season?
Maybe it’s constantly comparing yourself to people online, or staying up too late at night.
Maybe it’s overcommitting, negative self-talk, or the pressure to have everything figured out.
Whatever it is, grab your journal and write it all down on one page.
Then, on the next page, write what you’d like to replace those things with instead.
You might want more peace, confidence, slow mornings, more books, or quality time in nature.
Changing seasons remind us that it’s okay to change, too. So, let go of anything you don’t need, and let the crisp air of fall be your sign to start anew.
8. Go on a slow walk without a destination
When fall starts creeping, being outdoors becomes very enjoyable. The weather is just lovely, especially during the first few days of the season.
So, get out and have a cozy walk without any destination or step count in mind. Walk simply because the weather is beautiful.
Leave your headphones at home if you can.
Listen to the birds, notice the breeze, and look at how the sunlight starts changing this time of year.
Pay attention to the little things you normally walk right past. The little details are what make fall such a rich season.
By the time you get home, you’ll feel lighter than when you left, and as if your mind has been reset by nature itself.
9. Make your playlist for this autumn
Every year, I make a brand-new fall playlist instead of listening to the exact same one from the year before.
Some songs stay from the last season, but I always add plenty of songs that can become the soundtrack to the new season.
I listen to it while cleaning the house, driving, making dinner, working on my blog, going for walks, or watching the rain from my window.
Make your autumn playlist as soon as you can, and start listening to it right away.
It will help you romanticize fall and make the most routine tasks more interesting and magical.
10. Start your ‘fall reading season’
I don’t know what it is about fall, but books feel magical this time of the year.
Maybe it’s because you’re finally able to curl up under a blanket without immediately overheating, or maybe it’s because rainy afternoons make you wanna read ‘just one more chapter.’
Whatever the reason, the beginning of fall is the perfect excuse to kick off your own reading season.
Instead of waiting until you have the ‘perfect’ book, gather a small stack of books you’ve been wanting to read.
They can be novels, self-improvement books, memoirs, cookbooks, or beautiful coffee table books that inspire you.
Create a cozy reading ritual that you can follow every day.
Make yourself a warm drink, light a candle, grab the fluffiest blanket, and read for twenty or thirty minutes before bed (or whenever you have time, really).
It will feel less like another habit to check off and more like a reward at the end of the day.
By the time winter arrives, you’ll have made your way through several books without ever feeling like you forced yourself to read.
11. Choose one thing you want this fall to be remembered for
It’s tempting to want to do everything for a new season, but that can make your energy and focus very scattered.
Here’s a question that will help you be more centered:
When I look back on this fall, what do I want to remember?
Maybe you want this to be the season you become healthier or learn to crochet.
Maybe it’s the season you spend less time scrolling and more time living.
Maybe you want to make your home feel warmer, spend more weekends outdoors, get consistent with journaling, or just embrace slow living.
Just pick one meaningful intention and make it your theme for this fall. It’ll give you something gentle to come back to whenever life gets out of control.
If your theme is ‘slow living’, you’ll naturally make choices that support it.
If your theme is ‘creativity’, you’ll make more time for writing, painting, or trying new hobbies.
This simple idea will help you live the season on purpose instead of letting it just slip by.
Let’s Set The Tone for a Cozy and Happy Fall
The start of fall isn’t just the beginning of another season.
To me, it feels like permission to slow down after a busy summer, romanticize my days, and spend more time doing things for myself without feeling guilty at all.
I think that’s why so many people love fall.
This season has so much joy tucked away in little traditions, cozy routines, long walks, homemade soup, rainy afternoons, and evenings that end with a blanket and a good book.
So don’t wait until October to embrace the season. Start now!
Decorate your home a little, make your bucket list, take that first cozy walk, visit your favorite bookstore, and light the candle you’ve been saving.
I hope you have a beautiful beginning, plenty of cozy days, and a fall filled with sweet little moments you’ll remember for months.
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