End of summer rituals

[CostaDelOrchard]

It’s been a bit nippy today so got me thinking I should probably wash the summer bedding before the weather changes, also been eating in the garden most evenings (same reason), I should probably pencil in the seaside trip we’ve postponed the whole summer.

Does anyone have any other suggestions or rituals to wind down to autumn (like the opposite of spring cleaning? I suppose wiping down the garden furniture and putting it away should be on the list)?

And and I forgot the obvious!!! Go blackberry picking - get a tub or two in your freezer ready for crumble season. (Blackberry and apple crumble with custard is autumnal food heaven)

This is a great shout!

What a lovely description of Autumn 😊my favourite season.

This is a nice thread. I dread the onset of winter, so it’s inspiring me to make some plans. My children are back to school in ten days but my Autumn only starts at the equinox. We usually get great weather in September (Londoner here) and I like to have lunch al fresco on WFH days.

I want a new winter coat. I usually buy in the January sales but this year I’m going to buy something sumptuous and just wear it every day so I get my money’s worth.

I washed and ironed jumpers at Easter when they were put away so I’m looking forward to getting those out. I definitely don’t have a lissom summer dress body and being covered up in layers suits me best.

Buy beeswax candles and frankincense to make the house smell Christmassy.

This might be the year I finally commit to getting some bay window curtains.

Last minute panic school uniform sorting, the horror when the kids say they tried their school shoes on ( honestly mum!) But you find out a few days before school they have gone up two sizes and you contemplate cutting the toes off the shoes and giving up...

I used to wash my curtains. Now I mostly rock in a corner!

Come half term I get more into nesting type stuff. It's too soon to give in for me. I love, love love Autumn too

I like to organise my wardrobe and put away all my summer only things (only a few dresses and sandals)

Book something for Christmas

Batch cook some more wintery stuff

I love autumn but I also love summer, and I'm not looking forward to the really cold weather, so need food and fun activities to get me through!

I'm also broke after the school holidays so can't be going out for dinner or buying lunch at the shop for the next few months

Big handwashing of winter coats in the bath and dry them outside on a nice sunny day.
I don’t have enough clothes (or space!) to have a seperate wardrobe so it’s just a rotation of jackets and coats, and bringing my winter work shoes to the front of the rack!
Do a big clear out of mine/kids clothes that don’t fit - or in toddler’s case won’t fit next summer - and book a charity collection.
Fans back up in the loft and blankets for the bed out of storage and washed. Wash and change thick duvet.
Sort the freezer out, use up things that have been in there a while - and start batch cooking pasta sauces, stews and dahls for the easy evening meals.
Deweed the front of the house!
Find hats/gloves/thick socks at the back of the wardrobe ready for walks.

I love this time of the year. The French call it “la rentrée”, literally going back to school but sort of “returning to normality” for every aspect of your life and setting you up for autumn and back to routine.

Be changing summer bedding to winter bedding.
Summer curtains to winter curtains.
I have 3 bedrooms to myself so plenty of wardrobe/ storage space.. so nothing gets put away and out again with clothing..
I'm not buying new clothes because I'm on mounjaro.. probably be in my sewing room a lot taking clothing in.
Might be selling some on vinted .
Will be spending a lot of time at my villa in Lanzarote..
Taking my youngest daughter and Grandson with me.
Other Daughter and Grandsons will fly out when we fly back.
Have to be careful now of time spent out there.
Hate miserable cold winters in UK.
Don't mind Autumn.

Empty dry and dismantle pool.
Tip run garden furniture, not good enough to give away. Was meant to replace this year but we've had a naff spring/ summer.

Wash curtains in house
Re paint my bedroom whilst nice to have windows wide to dry it .
Sort garage out for any Tip items.

Another few weeks Time

Buy dcs winter coats wellies and winter pj's.
Decorate house for autumn 🍂
Start Xmas shopping
Buy new winter duvets ( binned this year wouldn't normally)
Wash summer duvets and vacuum pack into loft.

I'm in the lucky position (at last!!) of being retired now and on my own with no kids. FREEDOM! So as soon as the schools are back I go away somewhere in September, November and Christmas. Far away from here but not long haul anymore. Can't afford or justify the fares and hate the boredom of a long flight anyway.

The September trip is sorted.
November TBD
Christmas sorted.

I love my little home, don't get me wrong, but OMG I live to get away also.

As for other things, I just sort out the Autumn/Winter clothing and shoes. Move the Summer stuff into the spare bedroom wardrobe, and move the Winter stuff from there into mine. I don't have that much as I regularly cull and charity shop things, and I am bloody ruthless.

Can't say I like the Winter here, but I do enjoy a night by the fire or under the heated overblanket. I don't go out much otherwise so my trips away are my treats.

@DappledThings Oh I get you now. I just swap thing from the slightly less accessible bit of the wardrobe to the more accessible. (Part of hanging space doesn't have a door opening in front).

Personally I have 4 holidays booked between October and March. I hate winter. Do like Autum a bit though.

Autumn is the best time of year. Love the weather, the clothing, being cosy rather than sweaty.

• school uniform shopping
• new DC casual clothes - tights, dresses and boots!
• bringing out the winter jumpers and coats from under the bed and putting summer dresses away
• deciding what to buy for myself for the season
• nail polish turns to burgundy from red/pink
• generally go slightly darker blonde with my hair too
• always buy new socks
• am a massive reader and books tend to become slightly darker/mysteries/more melancholy
• menu will change - away from salads, towards soups

So quite a lot, actually! I don't really like the Americanisation/commodification of the seasons (seasonal decorations etc) but there is definitely a natural shift and I think it's nice to honour the seasons.

I have quite a lot of summer clothes because I travel for work to warmer places
But when I was a student in Edinburgh I kept one or two summer dresses for ceilidhs in the winter!
I don't swap over my or the DCs clothes till at least mid September but it's also a good chance for a cull.

We've just got back from three weeks camping in France ( Cevanne) . We've washed the tent carpet and footprint. Summer ends when we pack the tent and all camping equipment away.
Or. When I've finished picking sloes and blackberries.

I will burn all my clothes and bedding, buy a duffle-coat and a 80 tog duvet

I’m north west UK and we have had a lovely summer! Granted May/June were wet & chilly but since the schools have been off it’s been lovely! Maybe not cracking the flags every day but wet days have been few and far between and we’ve had plenty of sunshine & warmth! Not sure what else we could expect in the UK!

I love this time of year. I start tidying my garden ready for autumn & planning my spring bulbs. Candles get lit in the evenings and I can start buying a few nice jumpers. I’m also planning a huge Halloween party, and have started reading dark horror ready for the nights drawing in!

@DappledThings I have things like black jeans which aren't suitable for summer -- look wrong IMO. About fifteen different jumpers I keep stored away in summer. Corduroy pinafores, long sleeved thick fabric dresses, etc.

Not much!
Put the duvet back on the bed
Swap my summer/fresh candles and diffusers for more autumn scented
Start using a heavier body lotion

I haven't put my winter clothes away this year, but wouldn't normally swap over. Going to the coast on Friday as weather looks ok.

BBQ will be wrapped up even though we've only used it a few times.

South East has been pretty good. Not hot every day, but plenty of hot, dry days

I wondered the same thing. With it being Molton Brown you're probably throwing away about £20 worth of toiletries!

I start thinking about birthdays and Christmas as we have a few all close together. I start buying from now on and squirrelling away.

I also get a few new Halloween decs each year at this time as I can't resist!

My son needs new trousers and socks and a new winter coat as he has outgrown all of his over the summer. I'll also get his pre school kit sorted and make sure its all labelled.

I like to reorganise my car boot and ensure all my coats and wellies etc are stored neatly, put a towel in the car for any wet days.

I love late summer and autumn and winter. Dont like spring and early summer at all!

Crikey, I'm almost 50 and haven't developed any of these habits. I also work outdoors (self employed dog walker) so spend a lot of time in the elements every single day.

I don't have a different duvet or bedding. I don't have enough clothes to need to put very summery gear away- which would only be a pair of linen trousers, and a few dresses and shorts.

Outdoor gear wise, I do have some thermals, warmer jumpers and lined trousers but TBH it's very rare that I need these. I've definitely not worn them for the last 3 winters as it's not been cold enough. So it's really just a case of layering the same clothes up or down to fit the weather regardless of the season.

I do love the fact that we have seasons though, and it is food for thought that maybe I should be marking the change from one to another.

Change over wardrobe (live abroad)

Put bikes, rollerblades etc in shed.

Find ice skates

Plan a trip to the market during harvest time to buy all the really cheap fruit and veg

Make huge vats of apple sauce for freezer