Tips for Budget Fall Decor, Wardrobe, Food & Scents

I am working on my fall wardrobe right now. I like to go through the bins that I store up at the top of my closet from last year's fall and winter wardrobe. I decide what I want to keep, what still looks good on me, and what I need to part with.

Then I go shopping. I create a budget for how much I want to spend on my wardrobe for this season. I pick up those key pieces that I'm looking for in my fall wardrobe.

I am still looking for some key pieces. I have some colors in mind that I want to wear for the fall season. I really want to find a hunter-green top, and I haven't found that yet. I would also like to have another pair of jeans. I am wearing the only pair of jeans that I have right now because I didn't wear jeans at all this summer.

I am also looking for a new pair of tennis shoes, not really athletic tennis shoes, but I would like to own a pair of black leather tennis shoes. This wardrobe concept is something that every member of my family participates in.

We really enjoy the process of eliminating the clothing that we are not currently wearing, focusing only on what is in season, and really loving that wardrobe.

2. Fall scents

Another key thing that I focus on in transitioning into fall is scents. When we transition into a new season and we go to the store, often we will find new candle scents or hand soaps or lotions.

These can get pricey without us even noticing it because we just throw one into the shopping cart. We're so inspired when we're at the store and we're smelling these scents. They're making us so long for the season, and we have no clue how much we're spending.

When we purchase those items, often we don't even use them all up before the next scent comes out. Right now we’re seeing scents with cinnamon, pumpkin, and apple. But in a few short weeks, we are going to start seeing the peppermint and the pine and those Christmassy scents. I never use up my fall scents when I want winter scents.

Instead of buying seasonally scented items, I like to use essential oils. I have a wide range of oils. I have cinnamon and I have peppermint and I have all kinds of scents for all the seasons.

I like to add those scents to various things like our hand soap, or when I'm washing dishes, I might add a few drops to my sink. I also will diffuse oils in the house. I just love using essential oils instead of purchasing scented cleaning products at the store. Then when the next season comes, I'm not overwhelmed by one particular scent.

I also like to use apple cores and the peels of my kids' oranges to make a beautiful little saucepan of fall scents in the house. Just take a pot of water, add your apple cores, a cinnamon stick, your orange peels, and it will make a beautiful aroma in the home that will remind you of fall.

3. Fall recipes

The last thing that I love to do to prepare for fall is to start menu planning my fall favorite recipes. Fall is a wonderful time of year to create inexpensive, delicious recipes.

Right now we are going to see squash all over the grocery stores and it is cheap. Delicata squash is my favorite. Zucchini is still inexpensive and a wonderful squash to use to make stuffed zucchini boats.

There are all kinds of different recipes using pumpkin, fresh pumpkin, not just canned. I like to focus on that along with pears, pomegranates, and apples. Start thinking about these flavors and how you can create inexpensive dishes for your family.

Soup is a great, inexpensive fall food. We love soup. Just last night I made a delicious corn and kale soup. It is a freezer-friendly soup that I love. And what makes it freezer-friendly is that there are no potatoes. Potatoes and rice do not freeze well.

When I think of fall, I think of baked goods, and warm, hearty dishes. Shepherd's pie is easy to make and easy to clean up. There are a lot of really easy one-pot-type meal ideas.

4. Fall decor

The last tip and this is a bonus tip that I wanted to give you, is about decor. I don't typically decorate for Halloween, but I did purchase some items last year that I love. They are a great addition to our decorations. But I limit our decorations.

I only decorate the fireplace. I just keep it simple. I only allow myself to buy one or two new items per year. I don't want to get caught up in the expense of buying lots of new decorations every year. Just put up what you love.

Budget fall decor, food, and wardrobe

The one thing that I always keep in mind is a cluttered home creates mental chaos, but a clutter-free home creates mental peace. Keeping a home clutter-free really will help keep the peace in your home. I hope this inspires you to transition into fall on a budget.