When the month of October rolls around, the air starts to smell crisp and everybody feels the need to get cozy and start decorating. The most obvious ways to start loving Oregon’s beautiful fall season is indulging in pumpkin spice lattes, snuggling into your favorite sweater, and binge watching Stranger Things. To me, the best way to welcome the season is to invite fall into your very own space and start decorating. Decorating can be overwhelming and take different directions, but don’t worry, below I’ll share my 5 favorite ways to decorate my home stress-free. 

1. Candles

The thing I adore most about fall is the irresistible scents it’s known by. As soon as October hits, I head out to go shopping for candles and wax melts. In autumn, there are two ways to go with scents: cozier warm tones, such as pumpkin spice, apple pie and roasted marshmallows, or for a lighter scent, I lean towards french vanilla, fallen leaves or brown sugar cinnamon. The best place to get candles is Bath and Body Works, they have a wide array of scents and styles, and you can test all of them! If you want to go for a more environmentally friendly approach, you can opt for soy candles or wax melts. You can find these soy products at Hirons or Home Goods.  

2. Lights

Light fixtures are one of my favorite ways to brighten up dark spaces in my room, literally and aesthetically. For my style, I am a fan of edison bulbs as opposed to christmas lights. They give off a warm yellow glow that spreads across your whole room. Lights are an excellent way to battle feeling the chill during the cooler seasons, and hanging these in your home is an easy way to cozify your room within minutes. For placement, I suggest stringing lights over your bed to create a warm tone when the nights are cold. Another prime light spot is around your mirror, it will reflect them, not only brightening your room but also providing great photo lighting. My favorite and most affordable pick is, Room Essentials “Clear Globe Lights” from Target. 

3. Bedding

Let’s be real, the switch up you’ll notice most for fall is your bedding. Starting with sheets, head to your favorite home goods store and purchase some flannel sheets. The flannel texture will have you sinking into your bed while its nippy out, or opt for a new heated blanket or plushy pillow. Another way to bundle up is adding a few fuzzy throws to the top of your bed or in the living room, perfect for going into winter and keeping your feet warm.

4. Spooky Decorations

My favorite part of autumn is, of course: Halloween. I love all things sparkly and all things spooky, so it’s a given that it shows in my home. You can never go wrong with window and wall decal. Picking pumpkins or bats to display on your walls or windows is just the beginning of channeling your spooky spirit. If you want to go the distance, I suggest buying fake spider webs and stringing them over orange or purple lights, this transforms your room into a space even dracula would love. 

5. Door Decor

If you want to show off your seasonal spirit to those who don’t enter your house, focus on decorating your door. Door decorations can be a pleasant surprise to friends, strangers or even the mailman. If you’re new to the University of Oregon, this can be a great tip for freshmen who are living in the dorms or transfer students trying to spice up their new apartment. Personalizing your door can be fun, and best of all, cheap! For a door that’s a little more sophisticated, you can purchase an orange and red wreath to hang on the door. After that, line your doorstep with mini pumpkins to create an inviting entryway. To create a more eerie door, head on over to Target or Hobby Lobby to find a witch or dracula hanging door cover. You can add fake blood and spider webs to scare any trick or treater (or passerby)!