Part Six: Making Your Maine Home Autumn Cozy
Late Summer Home Project Series: How to Maintain a Beautiful, Safe and Cozy Home
This is the last of our Six Part Series, Best Late Summer Home Projects.
As summer winds down in Maine, if you take a few hours a week to perform these projects now, you can have the benefit of warm weather - and be finished before the madness of life after labor day fully sets in.
When selling a home or prior to home inspections, we advise clients to do many of the projects we will suggest in this series- but when done regularly they can save you thousands of dollars, an untold amount of stress down the road, and a better life in your home each day.
Part Six: Making your Maine Home Autumn Cozy:
Autumn is the perfect time for nesting - getting your day to day life more joyful as the temperatures change.
Cozy Bedding: One great way to transition your life for Autumn is to pull out, make or buy some autumn bedding. Cuddledown is a great Maine company with amazing sheets, pillows and goose down comforters. Shop their sales through the year (they have outdoor sales that are fabulous bargains) or purchase their newest bedding lines. Clean and refresh your pillows and find some new autumn pillowcases and shams. Your mornings will thank you.
Master level: Turn the mattress when you put on the new bedding.
Cozy Living Room & Kitchen: New pillows for the couch, chairs, benches or reading nooks can make your spaces happier for autumn and for cozy afternoons with tea. Spruce up the kitchen with some fresh towels (or unpaper towels for a more environmental approach). Find a great small retailer on Etsy and help a small business.
Master level: Get new reusable bags for shopping.
Curtains: Clean or replace curtains for autumn - consider adding insulating curtains if you purchase new ones.
Cozy Couch & Chairs: Pull out the throw blankets or throw rugs for nestling in on the couch or chair for a good movie. If you need new ones, Brahms Mount, online or in Freeport, has gorgeous warm blankets for Fall.
Candles: Nothing says autumn like a beautiful scented candle (pumpkin spice not required). Village Candle (now part of the Stonewall Kitchen line) has wonderful autumn choices, or just light some non-scented candles if you aren’t in favor of scents. If it is warm enough, bring them out to the deck for late summer dinner or conversation. East End Wax Company, a small Maine candle maker, is also on Etsy. Can we be so bold as to suggest a Maine Made Balsam Candle?
Table: Along with candles, it’s time to pull out the Autumn table runners & napkins - and maybe find some gourds at the local farmer’s market to dress up the table. Visit Lupine Cottage in Belfast or other local artisan businesses (or fall art shows!) to support Maine artisans with your fall decor purchases.
Flowers: Floral arrangements in autumn colors, grasses, or wreathes all bring autumn to life in your home. Visit your local florist or garden center, like Wildflower in Freeport and support them in decorating your home - they have beautiful flowers but they also will have decor that you can use year after year.
Bake: Autumn is the season for baking. Bake an apple pie with fresh picked apples from a local orchard, or bake cookies. Perhaps just heat up some local cider, like that from Rocky Ridge Orchard in Bowdoin with a cinnamon stick.
Craft, Sew or Paint: When was the last time you made art for art’s sake? Join a jewelry making class, learn to knit, sew or wander a local art store like Artist and Craftsman Supply in Portland and let your inspiration take you. Many people begin a new life’s passion just by picking it up. Or if you have always wanted to play an instrument or other creative pursuit - pursue it. Autumn is the time to open up to possibilities.
Paint a Room: Painting a room (or maybe just an accent wall) is easier than you think. You can knock it out in a day or a weekend if you plan ahead. Visit the local hardware store or paint store. It will make being inside that much more inviting every day.
Bonus: Sweater Weather: Bring out your winter sweaters or other winter gear (hats, gloves, coats, boots) and donate those you don’t want - they will be well used by those who need them - and you can make another local family’s cold season a little easier. If you are school shopping, buy some extra winter socks for kids and adults or school supplies and donate them as well - they are an item of great need but not often donated. Get the kids in on this every year as school begins and they get new gear.