“Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth.” ~ Henry David Thoreau

Do more than just resign yourself to the earth's influence. Bring those influences into your home as well.

Our homes are the centers of our lives. Everything we do emanates from this core, this nest.

As we make seasonal living a priority, as we get outside, eat local food, and connect with our communities, we’ll see it all reflected inside our homes as well.

Create routines that allow you to bring the outside in, connect your home with the seasonal world. Light candles, rather than use electric light now and then. Bring in rocks or leaves for a while, open and close windows and drapes as appropriate, and cook and serve seasonal foods.

Autumn is a season that many of us find ourselves curling up indoors more often. Whether that's from cold temperatures or dwindling daylight. It is because of this tendency that we need to make sure home is a space that embodies all our family priorities (seasonal and otherwise).

This doesn’t mean a large redecorating project or some kind of huge renovation. It’s simply a matter of acknowledging the desire to nest and something to make that desire real in a way that is meaningful to our home lives and families. These urges and the level to which we take them are as individual as we are and there is no right or wrong.

Maybe the urge is as simple as creating a autumn-themed centerpiece or hanging a wreath on the door. (Stay tuned for a table runner project in lesson 7)

Maybe the urge is as involved as rearranging the furniture to take advantage of different natural lighting or changing the curtains to keep the heat in at night. Whatever it is, do it. Give yourself permission and carve out the necessary time.

Maybe you have the urge to nest but don’t know quite what to do with it, let me just say if that’s the case go simple, dip your toes in lightly and expand gently. Follow your personal desires and let them lead the way.

When you're taking that walk this week, collect items that you can bring into your home. Maybe it's a bouquet of wildflowers. Perhaps it's driftwood and some interesting rocks. Use these collected items as a table centerpiece or set them on the table near where you write in your journal. Allow these items to connect the inside home with the natural world outside. This simple thing can remind us that our four walls do not separate us from the earth only provide us protection and comfort.

As you indulge in these routines, as you burrow into the season and into your nest, think about ways to take your nest with you when you're out living your daily life, working, running errands, etc. Can you share some dried herbs with your neighbor? Take that jar of infused honey to work to share with co-workers.

Doing these things helps us focus on seasonal living and our homes and makes it all more natural. This is the process by which seasonal living will become habit and in which goals will be attained. Seasonal living will become a way of life, naturally rather than something that we're working hard to make happen.

While I think homemaking, is more than just housekeeping & cleaning. We all need to clean-up now and then too.

Do it naturally this Autumn with some simple DIY cleaning recipes that you can download here.

Lesson 6: Nesting at Home