It’s nearing the end of September so I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Falloween! This word, which can be found in the Urban Dictionary, is the combination of autumn and Halloween decorations. I’m all in! Whether it’s celebrating spring, summer, winter, or fall, I love seasonal decor. I find joy in flipping my desk calendar to the next month and thinking about my next decorating schedule. I embrace my oddity for decorating early, and always pack up my seasonals right after the calendar tells me it’s over.  I’ve never decorated my home according to the weather. Living in Ohio can mean hot days until Halloween or snow on Easter so I don’t follow Mother Nature’s intentions.

I do have a decorating confession to make. I have been ready for autumn since mid-August. This year with spending lots of time at home, my heart was ready for an early change, along with some apple cider, and a comfort food meal. My thought process of why I am one of those early-bird decorators is because of time and money.

–It takes time to shop for new decor, unpack boxes from previous years, organize, clean your space, then place your items where they look best. For those of you who have multiple Christmas trees, (I only have one!) I’m sure it takes hours to make everything look perfect. The effort we put into decorating our homes to make it special for our families, literally, takes lots of time. I truly enjoy my decor pieces while anticipating the season or holiday to arrive.

–Shopping for anything in your home, of course, costs money and seasonal decor can be pricey. To get the most out of my dollar, I like to enjoy my new treasures, and those packed away, early in the season. It makes sense to me when you purchase a new item to display it right away. The season is too short to put it in a closet for a few days then haul it back out.  It’s also a good idea to take advantage of those “after holiday” sales. I always appreciate it when I find a little surprise tucked away when I dig into my decor boxes that next season!

Of course, it’s completely up to you when you start decorating for a particular season. Christmas in October? 4th of July in May? Sure, why not! Whatever pieces and mood make you happy and comfortable while we stick close to home is what you should strive for. So grab a cozy pumpkin spice latte or maybe an iced cold, tangy lemonade, turn on the Hallmark Channel for a good Christmas movie, and enjoy the rest of what 2020 has to offer! Happy Falloween decorating, friends!