Autumn Approaching

September 1st feels more like a new year than January 1st to me. Perhaps growing up in public school conditioned me to feel this way, or maybe it's because I'm a fall baby and something deep inside me is preparing for rebirth each time this season rolls in. Maybe it's my inner rebel that rejects the gregorian calendar because it was invented by a man anyways. Whichever way you spin it, there's an undeniable sense of new beginnings and renewed sense of excitement.

On the one hand I'm hanging onto the last few weeks of summer, getting every last drop of sunshine and salt water that I can. The weather hasn't yet turned but the beaches are empty. The water is still warm for swimming but there's pumpkin on every menu. The hydrangeas are fading in color, turning to a papery vintage but the trees hold strong to their green leaves. I find deep gratitude in this in between place.

As an interior designer I know and believe in the impact of our surroundings on things like mood and productivity. As a human living a full life, I find myself forgetting and rediscovering this fact in my own spaces time and time again. Perhaps this is why I love to live in a climate with four seasons, it's nature nudging me to follow suit. I see the changes occuring outside, slowly and quickly all around me. Almost instinctively I feel inspired to do the same. I'm called to the rituals of each quarter, a deep clean, a declutter, a small refresh to my surroundings. The stale energy that I accumulated over the summer is swept away and replaced with a whole new flow of freedom.

This is me reminding you, as I remind myself. Autumn approaching is the perfect time for a reset. Could you clean one small corner of your space each day this week? Could you find a new plant to place at your entryway? Could you get a teeny tiny pumpkin to decorate your counter? Could you donate a rarely used item to someone in need? Could you refresh your bed with a new decorative pillowcase? Could you find a funky tray at your local thrift store to make order of that cluttered catchall surface?

The possibilites are endless, and the impact is always greater than we think it will be. So just start!

Xo Claire