9 Ways to Get Your Life Organized For Fall

It's Fall, it's back to school, it's back to reality in a lot of ways.

It's also starting to get colder (or it will soon) and it's a time where we shift into cozy mode, we tend to spend more time indoors, and it's a great time to reconsider habits, routines, and what goals you want to make for yourself through the end of the year.

In this episode, I want to talk about some ways we can all get a little more organized for Fall and prepare ourselves for Winter and everything that comes with it. I'll be sharing some things I'm doing, will be doing, stuff to consider, some of my favorite tools and strategies for organizing and decluttering my life, and giving YOU a little push to get started yourself.

Grab the Checklist that goes with this episode!

Welcome to Episode 37 of the Mindful Productivity Podcast! I’m Sarah Steckler, your host, and today we’re diving into everything cozy and productive about the fall season. If you’re anything like me, fall is the time when you feel most alive—cooler weather, pumpkin everything, cozy vibes, and the perfect opportunity to reset and reorganize your life.

As we transition into this season, we tend to spend more time indoors, and it’s the perfect moment to reconsider our routines, organize our spaces, and plan for the rest of the year. In today’s blog post, I’m sharing nine ways to get yourself organized this fall and embrace the cozy vibes while preparing for the months ahead.

1. Create a Cozy Space

A cozy space is a happy space. How your surroundings look and feel directly impact your mood. If your home or workspace isn’t sparking joy, it’s time to make a change.

Start by removing clutter and getting rid of anything that serves as an eyesore. Simple things like clearing away piles of unused items or putting away that stash of random boxes can make a world of difference. Consider investing in storage containers or just repurposing what you already have. Your home should feel like a sanctuary, and making small changes can create a cozy, inviting environment that lifts your spirits every time you walk through the door.

A fun way to refresh your space is to rotate decorative items. For example, switch up the candles or knick-knacks on your desk, or reorganize your living room decor based on the season. You don’t need to spend money to create a fresh vibe—just rotate what you already own.

2. Choose One System for Tracking Your Life

We all love our sticky notes, multiple journals, and productivity apps, but having everything scattered across different platforms can be overwhelming. This fall, get real with yourself and choose one system for managing your tasks, to-dos, and ideas.

Pick a planner, notebook, or app that you love and stick with it. For me, I like using one main journal for my big lists and Trello for my project management. You’ll find that having a single place to track everything helps simplify your life and reduce stress.

If you’re not sure where to start, check out Episode 23 of my podcast, where I break down how to use a journal to organize your life. You can also check out my Organizational Self-Care Journal Course, which provides templates and a system for keeping everything in one place.

3. Plan for Movement as the Weather Changes

As the weather cools down, it’s easy to skip workouts or cozy up inside instead of getting active. Make a plan now to keep moving, even if your usual routine changes.

Consider home workouts, or adjust the time of day you exercise. If you typically go for morning walks, it may be time to switch things up if it’s too dark outside. Flexibility is key. Embrace the changing seasons and find what works for you so you can stay active and feel your best.

4. Organize Your Finances

Fall is the perfect time to review your finances, especially with the holidays coming up. Get clear on your budget, set aside money for holiday spending, and start thinking about any financial goals you want to achieve before the end of the year.

I have a free financial self-care printable on my website to help you map out your budget. There’s also a Financial Self-Care Framework Masterclass that walks you through the process of organizing your finances. Now’s the time to get everything in order so you can enter the holiday season stress-free.

5. Make a Fall TV and Movie List

Yes, TV can be part of a cozy, balanced life! Fall is the perfect season to embrace your favorite shows and movies. Make a list of what you want to watch, whether it’s spooky Halloween favorites or comforting autumn classics.

Create a fun fall TV and movie bucket list in your bullet journal or on a note in your phone, and start crossing them off when you have time. This is a fun way to stay organized and enjoy the little things that bring you joy this season.

6. Create a Fall Bucket List

A seasonal bucket list is a great way to savor the unique activities and experiences that fall brings. Whether it’s visiting a pumpkin patch, drinking apple cider, or cozying up with a blanket and a book, write down the things that make fall special for you.

Even if you don’t get around to everything on your list, creating a fall bucket list helps you prioritize joy and make time for what matters most during this cozy season.

7. Set Goals for the Last 90 Days of the Year

Don’t wait until January to set new goals! Fall is the perfect time to map out what you want to achieve in the last 90 days of the year. By starting now, you’ll build momentum and create a strong foundation before the new year even begins.

Choose one key goal to focus on for the rest of the year. Whether it’s working out consistently, journaling daily, or cooking more meals at home, keeping it simple will increase your chances of success.

8. Prioritize Important People in Your Life

With busy schedules and holidays around the corner, it’s easy to lose touch with the people who matter most. Take some time to plan at least one special activity with friends, family, or your partner before the end of the year.

Whether it’s a potluck dinner, a cozy coffee date, or a weekend outing, make a point to connect with loved ones and create meaningful memories before the rush of the holidays.

9. Embrace Seasonal Rituals

Finally, think about what you can do now that you won’t be able to do in the spring or summer. Maybe it’s going for a walk to enjoy the crisp fall air, lighting your favorite seasonal candle, or spending more time reading by the fire.

Seasonal changes bring with them a unique atmosphere, so take advantage of it. What feels extra cozy or special to you right now? Incorporate those little moments into your daily routine to fully embrace fall.

I hope these tips inspire you to get organized, cozy, and intentional about how you spend your time this fall. If you’re looking for more guidance, check out my one-on-one coaching spots (limited availability), and be sure to tune in next Monday for another episode of the Mindful Productivity Podcast!

Happy Fall!

• TRANSCRIPT

  Well, hello there. You are listening to episode 37 of the Mindful Productivity podcast. And I'm your host, Sarah Steckler. And I'm just going to tell you guys, I'm in a really goofy, weird mood today. So I've had a lot of coffee, and I'm just excited. I'm excited because it's the best time of the year. This is my time of the year. It's fall. It's getting colder. There's pumpkin everything. It's cozy time. Yes. Like, yes. It rains more. I'm all about I am about it. So in today's episode, I wanted to talk a little bit about how to get yourself and your life organized for fall. So some things that you can do, some things to consider, how to get your space organized, how to organize your mind. These are some reminders and some strategies and tips and things I do every season to step into fall. So keep on listening if you want all of those things in your mind, and we'll go ahead and get started. Welcome Welcome to the Mindful Productivity podcast. I'm your host, Sarah Steckler, and this is the place to be to live a more mindful and productive life. If you're ready to turn daily chaos into calm and start your days with intention, then get ready to join me as we dive deep into mindful living and personal productivity.

  It's time to connect with your true self so you can live the life you want to live. And it all starts now. Hello, my friends. So it's fall. It's back to school time. It's back to reality time in a lot of ways, right? I think there's something about this time of year where it's like, oh, my gosh. That's right. I have responsibilities. I have things that I need to do. This is quarter four. This is the last quarter of the year. I need to get my stuff together and get on top of things. And also, too, it's a really great reminder to just get organized again. And I always get excited about it. I am a forever student at heart. So anytime there's an opportunity for me to get some back to school supplies, I'm on it. I'm about it. It's planner season. Let's go. Let's go. It's really exciting. But today I wanted to talk about some ways to organize your life beyond those things and intertwine them. And just keep in mind, too, that we're shifting into the colder months or maybe hopefully soon, depending on where you are, if you're into the cold.

  I know a lot of people are like, hanging on to summer, but I'm not a summer person. I'm a fall person. So I'm just like, sorry, not sorry. I'm excited. But we tend to spend more time indoors during this time of year. We're outside less. It's a great time to reconsider our habits and our routines and what goals that we want to make for not only for yourself, but for spending time with family and friends, all that stuff through the end of the year. So in this episode, we're going to be talking about some ways that we can all get a a little more organized for fall and prepare ourselves for winter and everything that comes with it. So I'm not going to be talking about getting your your driveway ready for ice or anything like that. We're going to be talking about more personal development stuff, obviously. But I am going to be sharing some things that I do every season, some things that I will be doing, some things to consider, and just some of my favorite tools and strategies for organizing and decluttering my life. And like every episode, hopefully pushing you a a little bit to take action on something.

  So number one, and let me check my list here because I actually do have nine things I'm going to be covering. So number one is a cozy space is a happy space. So what I mean is it's really a great time to consider what you want your space to look like and feel like. And for months, let me just share this little backstory. For months, and I'm not even kidding, months, I I had a whole slew of boxes, both broken down and not broken down, just hanging out in my dining area because I don't have a dining table right now. I moved into this apartment. That's a whole other story. And there's just tons of empty boxes from packages, from things when I moved in. And every time I would see those boxes, which is constantly, because I'm in a 600 square foot little place right now. And it's like when I walk to the bathroom, when I walk to the bedroom, it's there. When I'm sitting on the couch, I'm like, the boxes. They would just put me in a low mood, and they would lessen it. And every time I see them, I'd be like, eow.

  How like Jimmy Fallon is like, ew. That's exactly how I would feel. And it's a lot like if you've ever played the Sims, shout out to my Sims peeps. If you've ever played that game, you'll notice that they have that little bar of health above them. And any time they walk into a room where there's trash or if they see a painting that they don't like, their little health bar goes or their mood goes down, like their overall health goes down. And it's always just a good reminder to me that our surroundings matter. How we feel, especially in our own home and our own space, is so important because if you get home at the end of the day and your space annoys you, what an awful way to come home. You've already had a long day and then you get home and you're like,. So doing what you can, taking some time to improve your space and just some ways that you can do that. So take some time to clear your space. Remove eyesores where you can. Invest in some storage containers or go find the ones that you have hiding somewhere in your garage and find a home for things in your home or find a new home for them altogether.

  Hello, donation pile. So really just considering what things are just cluttering your space, what things just tend to pile up. Say no to that pile in your home. Usually it's like a dining table or sometimes It's like a chair in a bedroom or it's like the entire kitchen counter. Just make a rule for yourself that like, no, we don't get to throw things down here willy-nilly anymore. Everything has to go where it needs to go. One simple thing I do is I always have a hook for keys at the front door, no matter where I'm living. And that just makes it easy. My keys are always there. I always know where they are. Bada boom, bada bing. So just take some time to do that and clear the clutter by eliminating having all of the things out. So whether that's on your desk, and this can apply to your home, this can apply to your work environment, wherever you're spending a significant amount of time, these are things I want you to consider. So instead of having all of the things, like out and about, like decorative items, candles, whatever you have in your living space, I'm actually a pretty big knickknack person.

  I always say that I'm not, but then I'll see a cute little llama figurine with a bow tie, and somehow it just up on my desk. And I'm like, hello, welcome to the SoulFam. But the problem is that sometimes there are a lot of things of these things on my desk. And I don't know if you've had this experience, but it really doesn't matter how many mini animal statues you have glaring at you on your desk. No amount of little fake eyes is going to get you to work any faster. So one thing I like to do is to get in the habit of rotating my items in my house, on my desk, even in the kitchen. So what I mean is this is something I usually do once a week with my desk, so usually Fridays. But I just take some time to be like, okay, what do I want on my desk this week or for the upcoming week? What do I need to have to remind me of stuff? I have some cute little items that say less is more, or I have a specific crystal or a candle. And so sometimes if I know I'm going to have a busy week, I will purposely and intentionally I put those items on my desk to remind myself.

  And one thing, too, about decor that we have in our house or in our office space or whatever is that we get used to it, so we stop seeing it. We are humans. We notice differences. We notice change. But you just get used to the same things and seeing them out of the corner of your eye. And so we don't pay attention to them. It's why my dad always ingrained in me. Don't ever hang anything from your rear view mirror because you'll get used to seeing something in the way of your view. And then if that pedestrian is crossing the street and you just think it's those giant dice that everyone used to have in the '90s, then you're going to miss that and possibly hit that person. So anyway, that's just an example. But I like to rotate things and also, too, doing this seasonally. So now that it's fall, it's like, what are the seasonal items that you want out? And I don't mean necessarily that they have to be holiday or fall related, but sometimes it's helpful to make a list of the things that you like having around certain certain times of the year.

  For instance, I have a couple of little owl things or journals, and I like to bring those out in the fall time or put those front and center in my bookshelf, even just moving around journals that you have or something like that. You can redecorate your entire living space without having to go spend $300 at TJ Max. You already probably have things that you're just not seeing front and center. So just reorganizing things can be a really fun and and virtually free way to do that. And that's just one thing I like doing. So also consider adding or moving things around depending on your mood and what's going on. So I alluded to this before. But if you're Having a difficult week or even if you're having a great week, what can you do to move things around? Or maybe that cute thing that you have or that vase, instead of having it on top of the fireplace mantle, maybe now it's going in the kitchen. Spice Get things up, move things around. It's sometimes the simple little things that make a huge difference in our surroundings. So I just love doing that. So number two is to get real and make a decision about how you are going to track and manage things.

  And just even for the next week, even for the remainder of the year. We are humans. We tend to have sticky notes, notes on your phone, multiple journals, notes at work, five different productivity apps, places that you're just putting stuff and ideas and things. And it can get really overwhelming, especially when you don't know where things are or you just don't check certain things regularly so you forget about them or you lose track of things. So do yourself a favor and get clear on where you will house things all in one place. Now, personally, I like to have one journal, and I use this as a reference notebook for all of my bigger lists, my to-dos, all that stuff. And then I use Trello and Asana for different reasons. I'll have to get into that a whole other time for more of my bigger thing. So more of routine business tasks and more complicated workflows. I use digital stuff. But I'm telling you, when you have one place to keep everything, it's so helpful. And if you go back and listen episode 23 of the podcast, I also have a whole episode. It's a whole episode on how to use a journal to organize your life.

  And you can also find templates and a whole process and system I use in my organizational self-care journal course. So you can find all of that by visiting mindfulproductivityblog.com. I'll have it in the show notes of this podcast as well. But just organizing your life and getting clear on that. And this is a great opportunity if you have a lot of journals that are laying around or you have a really pretty journal that you just don't You don't want to write anything in. Now's the time to use it. Use that journal, get organized, choose one place to start keeping all of your notes. And you can use this to put your sticky notes in, too. So it's just really great when you have that all in one spot. So what's your plan for that? Number three is create a plan for movement for this season. So as it gets colder, as seasons change, it can be easier to make excuses to not go to the gym. Colder days, sometimes ice on the roads, the lure of the blankets on your bed and being in a big blanket sandwich. That can make it hard to get out and get going.

  So make a game plan for how you'll start or stay active and ask yourself stuff like, will you do home workouts? Or do you need to change the time of the day that you head to the gym because of the difference in when it's light and dark? Do you need to do yoga in the morning instead of maybe going on that walk because now it's dark outside, right? So it's okay to switch up your routine. The perfectionist in me often thinks, well, I have to do the exact same things the exact same way. Otherwise, I'm I'm failing, or I'm not going to be consistent or whatever. But the truth is, is that success is really permanent and something that is consistent when we are flexible and consistent regardless of outside factors. So Be flexible. Be willing to change your routine. It's okay, or start a new one or try a new one out. Be open to new routines as seasons change. The seasonal change affects us in so many different ways, just with holidays, with the weather patterns, with daylight savings, all that stuff. It really does impact us. I've even noticed a shift in my own mood and just the way I think every season.

  Those things are important to consider. Number four is this is a great time to get your finances in order. So one of the biggest things I am striving to do with the realm of mindful productivity is just really creating a resource on my blog, on my podcast, through my coaching and my courses, a resource of tools for you to systemize and automate your life and organize things so that you do have more time for mindfulness and self-care. And a lot of productivity comes from organizing things. So this is a great time of year before the holidays hit, especially to consider your budget or start one, consider the things that you want to save for. What money do you need to be putting away now to save for the holidays? Is there travel involved? Do you need to spend extra money at the grocery store for special big dinners? All that stuff. So it's just a good time to really start thinking about that. Oftentimes we wait until it's weeks before stuff. But I'm telling you, this season is going to go by so So fast. So thinking about that now can be super helpful for that.

  And I've actually got three free resources for you that can help you do just that. So that is the financial... If you go to my blog, there's the financial self-care printable that actually helps you map out your budget. And I also have a free master class on the financial self-care framework that helps you through some of the mindsets on all of that and a system that I've been using myself for over a decade. So you can find all of those links by visiting the website and going to the show notes of this podcast. So if you go to mindfulproductivityblog.com/podcast and just look for episode 37, I'll make sure that all of those are there so that you can find them and you don't have to be scrounging around on the website trying to look for them. Number five is map out all of the shows and the movies you want to watch this season. I mean, okay, look, I know people will tell you that life is more than TV or all that stuff. But honestly, I love myself some fall traumas. I love just getting into TV around this time of year. I'm not always a big TV watcher, but sometimes it's really nice.

  And if it is improving your happiness, embrace it. Enjoy some fall TV, okay? And I think sometimes there is so much good stuff that I completely forget about it, or even the months go by, or I end up having more time, or there's a snow day later in the winter, right? It's like, Oh, what was that show? I don't know. It's like the one with the doctor in the place. And it's like there's tons of those, right? So get clear on what those are. And this is a great time to sit down with some friends and make a list. Make a list of all the shows that you want to watch. Put them in your bullet journal, make a reference list, and don't feel like you have to watch all of them. But then you have a place to check it out, right? There's also so many awesome blogs that have like, what's new on Netflix this month and what's going And you're like, whoa. At least I am. I'm always like, that's awesome. Or I had no idea that movie was on there and it already went away. So that's sad. But do that or jump into the Facebook group that I have and ask people what shows they're into.

  That's your space, you guys. It's your space to help each other out and find resources and meet each other. So that's really something that I love doing. I also love creating a page in my bullet journal like I was talking about to have a reference list. It's fun to even track episodes and all of that. And And just a PS, too, there are printables and templates for tracking all of this stuff in the organizational self-care journal course. So make sure to check that out if that interests you. Now, number six is add things to your fall bucket list. So this is similar. But I want to say that in the past, I don't always make seasonal bucket lists because I think, oh, no, what if I don't get around to doing everything? Or I'm going to feel guilty if I don't do them. But here's what's great, regardless about creating these bucket lists, is that everything that you don't do just becomes something that it becomes an idea in a reference list for the future or for someone else. So whether it's carving pumpkin or drinking cider or apple picking or like me and my husband like to do, going out to find the best new pumpkin beer or watching Hocus Pocus for the 88th time, make a list, make a bucket list, make it fun.

  It's fun to go on to something even just like Canva or Pick Monkey and make a collage, put something in your scrapbook. It's a great time to use stickers. Be fun, be crafty, and make a bucket list. And again, just take out that notion that these are things you have to do, but these are fun things you could do. And that can just be a really great way to embrace the season, to bring yourself back to, oh, yeah, okay. Oh, yeah. These are the things that I can do right now that I can only do this season, right? So thinking about that is It's really, really fun. Number seven is map out what you want to accomplish in the last 90 days of the year. So depending on when you're listening to this, we're getting close or we already are, 90 days away from the end of the year. And so many of us wait until January first to set new goals. I've been guilty of it. But honestly, why not set new goals right now? Why not do it? There's still an entire quarter of the year left. And this is a great time to make things happen and create momentum, especially for the new year.

  Imagine if you got started on your goals now and then you arrived in January already working on things. And then you could really create momentum instead of feeling like, now I have to get started, right? So it just shifts your whole mindset and how you look at things. And here's my one big tip for this. Choose one thing, one thing. I know it can be tempting when we're thinking about setting goals or planning or we've got 90 days to do all the things. But if you make it simple, you're going to make it happen. So you don't need to set out to change the world. Just make one thing in your life consistent and see what happens. And if it's a daily thing, you can do even better. So maybe that's working out every day. Maybe that's setting aside time to journal for 15 minutes in the morning or committing to maybe reading a book a week week. There's a whole episode on how to start a reading practice. I'll link that in the show notes. But decide how many pages that book is, how many pages you're going to need to read every day, what time you're going to do it, all that good stuff.

  Or maybe it's just even cooking dinner 2-3 nights every week for the rest of the year, maybe with some local ingredients, or just making time to sit down as a family, or sit down at the table yourself instead of sitting down watching Hocus Pocus, which I honestly wouldn't judge you for. But simple changes can make all the difference. So map out what you want the last 30 days, I'm sorry, 90 days of your year to look like and make it happen. Okay, here's number eight. And I realize I've been talking a little fast, but I know a lot of people listen to podcasts on two or three speed anyway. So if you're doing that, good luck. But number eight is make important people in your life a priority. So I know that Q Four, a quarter four can be a stressful time for a lot of people, especially with holiday planning and growing work deadlines. But if you can take some time, ASAP, to sit down and plan out at least one special something with either close family or friends or your spouse or even your dog. Hey, we're going to go to the park for eight hours.

  I don't know, right? Something special. What's a memory that you want to have before the year is over? And make it something fun. Like make it a potluck, lifestyle dinner at your place. Set it for next Sunday or maybe you're meeting for drinks with everyone before the holidays hit, before everyone's schedule gets crazy or before people are traveling. Now is a great time to do that. And also to consider, how can you make it accessible and possible for everyone. So I know sometimes my friends in the past have been like, hey, we're going to go do this thing, and it involves this $80 dinner and then this $50 party bus. And it's like, make it accessible. So what's something that you can do that requires There's very little monetary investment. Maybe it's getting together at someone's house, potluck style, anything like that, instead of maybe going out. Just consider what would make it easier for everyone, right? Especially if family have kids or anything like that. And just really remind yourself and ask yourself, what's important for you to experience with these people before the year is over or before the holidays hit? What's really important?

  Is there something that you've been wanting to tell someone? Is there something that you just need to talk about? Is there something that you need to share that if you didn't get the chance again, you might not? I know this is a morbid thought, but think about it. Life is now, time is now. There are so many times when we say, oh, we'll hang out later, or it's just too busy. We'll do something in February, and you both laugh. But why not make it a priority now? These are people that are important in your life and mean a lot to you. Make them a And it doesn't have to be a full on, full day event, right? Seriously, sometimes even making time for coffee with someone for 15 or 20 minutes can be amazing. Seeing someone face to face, giving them a hug, communicating beyond Facebook or text. Sometimes that's just a really solid reminder of the connection that you do have with those people, okay? And here's number nine is lastly, just consider what you can do right now. What can you do right now in this season, in fall, that you're not going to be able to do in January, in February, or in July, right?

  What does the weather allow for you now where you are that might not allow later? And what does What does a limited daylight time give for you right now? So what things can you do right now that you might not be able to do otherwise? Okay. One thing I love about this time of year is that, yes, it does get darker earlier, but there's also just so many more opportunities when I can take a walk around the town center here where there's lights and stuff with my dog and I can see the moon. I mean, you can't really make that happen in the middle of the summer, right? So what are rituals or routines that maybe just feel extra magical or extra cozy that you can do this time of year that you couldn't do otherwise? I know there were a lot of things mapped out here, and I have created a little printable for you that you can go download by visiting the show notes of this podcast, by visiting mindfulproductivityblog. Com/podcast. This is episode 37. You'll find it there. But I really just want you to take some time, some time this week, some time today.

  It doesn't even take that much time to just consider all these things and how you're going to make your life cozy, how you're going to plan out the last 90 days of your year. And I also, too, want to tell you that I have opened back up spots for one on one coaching. They are filling up. And depending on when you're listening to this, there might be a waitlist. But if you are looking to get guidance, support and accountability from an amazing coach, I'll say that about myself, then go ahead and visit the website and go to work with me and fill out an application. I would love to support more of you. And it's really exciting that I'm back to a place where I'm open to taking on one on one clients. So I only take on a few at a time. And it's really important to me that we're a good fit. So when you do fill out that application, we will meet and make sure that I'm a fit for you, too. But anyway, I'd love to work with more of you. It's been so fun connecting with some of you that I had no idea that you've been listening to stuff for years and finally reached out.

  So if you're looking for an opportunity to work with a coach or you've never worked with one before, I would love to be that person for you. Regardless, I will be back every single Monday with a new podcast episode. And next week, we have an amazing guest that's going to be coming on to talk about some more spooky type stuff for October. We're not super spooky, but we'll be talking about rituals. We'll be talking about tarot cards and Reiki energy healing, which is a completely different topic we haven't even dived into on the podcast yet. So stay tuned for that episode. Until then, thank you so much for being here. Thank you so much for listening. And I can't wait to hear from more of you. Have an amazing week, and I will see you next week on the podcast.