Intentional Living: A Step-by-Step Guide to Your Fall To-Do List

 One of the absolute best seasons of the year is here. Hello, fall. A time to truly celebrate the beautiful gift of changing seasons. The time to slow down the hustle. Anticipating all the joy and excitement for all the things your fall list brings. Cooler temperatures, cozy evenings at home, oversized sweaters, fall drinks, crockpot meals. Truly, this fall list is endless. Today I’m sharing the fall intentional living to-do list. Specifically sharing the things you need to put on you and your family’s agenda this fall season.

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The Power of an Intentional To-do List

I absolutely love an intentional to do list. This is something that has been so important to my heart from the very beginning of showing up online. Ever since I created my very first blog post back in 2018. The first post I ever created was an intentional to do list. (And if you just so happen to want to see what the cringe status of my first ever blog post looks like, go right ahead. Don’t say I didn’t warn you!)

Now, this is not your normal to do list, but it’s a to do list curated with intention to help you live your best life. A list that emphasizes a life celebrating the little things and the little moments. Finding joy in the everyday. Rooted in gratitude and grace. Believing the ordinary moments are full of the extraordinary.

A to-do list with the intention to give you a list to inspire you to live with more purpose and more intention. So you are able to step away from the crazy and step away from the chaos. To actually be able to remove yourself from the stress and to really find more joy in the simple moments. With as much as I love a good intentional to do list, I decided to take it up another level and add in a seasonal intentional to do list. Specifically an intentional to-do list for fall!

Fall Intentional To-Do Checklist 

Now, to help celebrate all things fall, I have a very special freebie for you! It is a download of a fall intentional to-do list checklist that allows you to live your very best life. Download it, print it out, check things off. Or, save it to your phone as a reminder. I love a good list and this one is created to help inspire you to live more intentionally this season.

11 Things To Do This Fall

So this fall list full of intentional living, I have 11 things to share. The good news is, these things are not meant to be rooted in perfection. This fall list is not meant to be rooted in comparison or expectation. These are things that are simple. Things that you can do on any budget or no budget at all. Specifically, this fall list will allow you to really find more peace, presence and joy in this season.

Intentional Fall List #1 – Get cozy at home

The very first thing on this fall list is to get cozy at home. This sounds so comfy and so relaxing. Additionally, this can look many different ways, however you think of it. This can be snuggling up and being comfortable being home. Resting and not really feeling the need to go everywhere and do all the things. Taking the fall bucket list that always is trending and bringing it inward. Instead, making it internal within your home. Stewarding this intentional presence by being close and connected within the walls of your home and just finding that rest and that comfort there.

Therefore, the very first thing on your intentional to do list for fall is to get cozy at home and embrace it. Embrace this new cozy lifestyle. Whether that is just getting cuddled up in blankets and snuggling on the couch. Or lighting your favorite fall candle or sipping your tea or your coffee cozy by a fire. Playing at home with the little ones and simply not having a rushed pace about yourself. Regardless of whatever this looks for you, definitely get cozy at home this fall. 

#2 – Make a fall inspired dish 

Second on your fall list of intentional living is to make a fall inspired dish. I love the opportunity to have time to explore in the kitchen. I love experimenting with dishes and meals, and have so much fun looking at cookbooks and recipes. I always love Half Baked Harvest. I love looking through her blog, especially her seasonal recipes. She always adds seasonal flair, and so it’s so fun to look through and bring to the kitchen. Take your favorite food blog or cookbook and have fun, get fancy, and experiment a little in the kitchen.

Step out of that normal routine, away from the meals that you always resort too. And actually take time to make a fun fall inspired dish. Additionally, this is such a great way to get little ones involved. I love anytime I can cook something at home in the kitchen with my son. Yes, it’s messy. You’re going to have to let go this of the desired clean, perfect kitchen. Simply embrace it and be more excited about the moments spent together. Therefore, make a fall inspired dish and really focus on that communal moment. Sit at the table and connect as a family. Such a fun thing to do and what better time than doing that during the fall. 

Intentional Fall List #3 – Watch a fall inspired movie

Third on the fall list for intentional living is to watch a fall inspired movie. There’s so many movies that scream fall. It’s great to find little moments where you can plug into a really good movie that takes you to another place. Whether that’s when Harry Met Sally, or You’ve Got Mail, or Harry Potter, whatever your preferred choice is. There’s so many good lists out there, too. There’s so many people that have gone through and created the “every movie you need to watch during the fall”, or “these are the best fall episodes,” Personally, I’m always big on watching as many of the Gilmore Girls episodes that I can during the fall season. Whatever is your cup of tea, pick it and take some time to watch a fall inspired movie this fall season.

#4 – Start a gratitude journal 

Fourth on the fall intentional living list is to start a gratitude journal. This is such a perfect time to dig deep in your heart and reflect on thankfulness and gratitude. Allowing that to set a foundation for your soul within these months. It’s so necessary and so important. What better time than now to really start this practice of gratitude throughout the fall season.

Intentional Fall List #5 – Read a book from your bookshelf

Fifth on the list for fall intentional living is to read a book from your bookshelf. I love reading. It’s such a great way to slow down and to not always be on our phones or always be doing work. Instead to actually find time within the day, whether the end of the day or the beginning, to wind down with a good book. Find one from your bookshelf, one that’s been sitting there waiting for you to read it.

Let this season be the season where you actually read. Maybe if it’s a beautiful morning and the weather’s perfect, read outside. Or you can light a nice wonderful candle and get cozy on the couch with all the blankets. Truly help build this whole cozy at home feeling. Definitely read a book from your bookshelf this fall.

#6 – Play a fun fall or autumn playlist

Number six on your fall list, play a super fun fall or autumn playlist. There’s so many great playlists that people curate on Spotify. You can simply search fall/autumn playlist, or fall/autumn vibes. Play it, turn on the music, and spend some time tidying up a room. Go through and clean up an area that’s just causing you a little extra stress. Wipe down the counters, reorganize a drawer.

It’s such a gratifying experience when you can take the time to do something that is physically decluttering or physically simplifying a space. I feel like anytime my hands are working through a part of my home to either throw away trash or get rid of unnecessary things or reorganize. It’s almost like it’s fixing my soul and fixing my mind. Allowing me to sort through the clutter of my head. And it’s this really cool process. Therefore, what better way to do that with a really fun vibe playlist that screams all things fall. 

#7 – Spruce up an outdoor living space

Number seven on the fall intentional to-do list, spruce up an outdoor living space. As the temperatures are finally getting cooler and more and more of the air and the weather is screaming to spend time outside. Make a super fun outdoor living space. Bring a TV from your house outside. Especially if you love watching football games. Elevate your football Saturday or football Sunday and bring that energy into an outdoor living area.

Add some mums or other seasonal flowers of choice to add more life and colorful brightness to your outdoor living area. Additionally you can add in either a rug or some pillows. Outdoor string lights. There’s a lot of really easy, inexpensive ways to spruce up an area that you already have to make it more livable. Spruce up an outdoor living space and allow yourself to enjoy the outdoors this fall season.

Intentional Fall List #8 – Go for a hike in a local park

Number eight on the list, go on a hike in a local park. Often times we think we need this great fall adventure. I must go to Vermont. I need to go to Colorado. And I’m saying this because my heart and soul have been screaming the need and the desire to want to go to Vermont or Colorado. And we’ve been to both places during fall and it just was such a heartwarming, homeful experience.

And… that’s what my heart wants right now. But you can also find contentment and peace and joy in your own home, in your own neighborhood, within your own backyard. Take time to go on a hike in a local park. There’s definitely places out there. You might have to get creative, but just go spend time outside. Spend time lost in nature. Allow yourself to be connected to earth and connected to the beauty of the world that we live in. Which is all such a powerful thing.

It can be hard to stay within the walls of your home and the walls of your office, going through the motions every single day. Running to this activity, running to that activity. It really is the simple moments when you can take a step and just do the simple things that really reset and bring a whole lot of value to your heart. Therefore, this fall season take time to slow down and enjoy nature by going on a hike nearby.

Number 9 – Enjoy a fall festival 

Number nine, enjoy a fall festival. There’s a whole bunch of fall festivals everywhere, even if this is just going to a small pumpkin patch or going to some sort of fall festival where there’s food and activities and people and music. It’s a vibe and it’s fun. There’s a lot nearby us that aren’t really anything extravagant, but just are things to do and something to add as a unique experience.

Therefore, take time to enjoy a fall festival. We live really close by this super cute downtown area which holds a scarecrow contest every year. All of the local companies and businesses sign up for a small little plot of sidewalk and they decorate a scarecrow. It absolutely screams Stars Hollow vibes.

It’s one of my favorite things to do. Once all the scarecrows are up, to walk throughout this downtown street and check them all out. It’s so fun, and that in its own self gives this fall festival vibe. Be sure this. fall season to spend time enjoying a fall festival.

Intentional Fall List #10 – Wake up earlier and enjoy slower mornings 

Number ten on the fall intentional list, wake up earlier and enjoy slower mornings. Even if it’s just a few minutes early. Make this fall a time where you give yourself more time in your day by waking up and giving yourself a few minutes where you can prioritize yourself. Where you can connect with yourself, and connect with something deeper. So that you are not rushed. Instead, start your day in a more gratifying and grounding place.

Number 11 – Enjoy the simple moments outside 

And finally, eleventh on the fall list of intentional living, enjoy the simple moments outside. This is so important to do during the fall. Something we love doing as a family. This past weekend, we went to one of our favorite coffee shops. We picked up coffee, and it started raining. So we relocated to a beautiful gazebo in the center of this downtown area of this small town.

We sat in the gazebo, drinking coffee, eating our breakfast, all while watching the rain. It was such a special moment. Especially as this was the same gazebo, my husband and I sat under right before driving to the hospital to be induced with our son. We sat there in this gazebo together. Holding each other’s hands, full of so much emotion. Knowing that we were about to have this life changing moment, that would change everything.

It was this intense, emotional moment where time kind of felt like it stood still. And we sat at the same gazebo, with our now two year old son. We were dancing and playing. It was just such a full circle moment. It was so cool to sit there and just take it all in.

Enjoy the Little Moments This Fall

Therefore, actually take time to enjoy the simple moments outside this fall season. It is so important to realize that there’s beauty around us every single day. Every single moment. There is joy that we can find in the simplest of things. Life truly is extraordinary even in the ordinary. And that is my hope every single time I present a new intentional to do list. For you to find that joy, and that excitement, and that you truly believe and know without a doubt that life is an extraordinary thing, even in the ordinary of ordinary moments.

Live Your Most Intentional Life This Fall

Well friend, that is your fall intentional to do list. Eleven things to do this fall. Eleven ways to slow life down, live more intentionally, and with more purpose. To truly enjoy the season that you are in, no matter the circumstance, and find joy in the little things. Wishing you the happiest of falls and cheering you on every single step of the way!