Have you noticed that seasonal decorating has been a booming business in recent years?

The stores are on to us, they know how much we love to welcome the season into our home and if you are like me, you might find yourself wondering how you got so many bins full of cute seasonal decor that can only be used four weeks a year.

It’s so tempting to think if one pumpkin bunny or Santa is festive, then why not use three our four or by golly forty-seven to create even more festivity?

Lately it seems like the person with the most pretend pumpkins on their porch wins.

You know what they win? A day full of packing up fake pumpkins every year and storing them for the other 48 weeks. Don’t forget they have to purchase the pumpkins and provide the storage space.

Seasonal decor spends 90% of its life stored away.

I admit, I’ve been the worst seasonal offender because I crave seasonal changes and I didn’t know what to do besides fill my house with factory-made decor. Instead of making me feel festive, it exhausted me. For years I believed the consumer lie that more stuff meant more style. That more plastic seasonal decor meant a more meaningful season. I’m not saying that bins full of plastic decor is wrong.

I’m saying I’ve found a better way.

An easier way. A way that still honors the season and adds beauty and freshness to my home.

What do you love about the changing seasons?

A few years ago I made a Pinterest board for each season (here’s autumn). I collected images of nature, of how I wanted to enjoy each season, how I wanted to feel and experience the seasonal changes. Guess what? There was no plastic decor. The truth is we experience the seasons with our five senses.

Everything about my seasonal decorating changed when I decided to decorate my house for the season by first paying attention to my five senses.

Listen to Episode 2 of the House Rules podcast to hear how this works applied to fall.