Every season has unique qualities and characteristics that influence our health and well-being. Nature compels us to adjust and adapt to winter’s cold air, spring’s blooming flowers and the heat of the summer. Fall, like all other seasons, is a time of change and adjustment.

While we often think of spring as the season for cleaning and starting anew, fall is a wonderful time to create breathing room and space. As the temperature cools and sunlight decreases, our time at home and indoors increases. Between summer and winter, fall is a preparatory time for the extended time we’ll spend at home during the winter months. It’s also harvest time, when we gather with family and friends to celebrate the blessings in our lives.

Here are a few simple ways to honor the spirit of the fall by creating a warm, comforting and uncluttered sanctuary at home.

1. Spruce up your rooms. Go through each room of your home and find one thing that you need to discard or clean. Is it time to clean the curtains or drapes, mop the floor or clear out the medicine cabinet? Commit to taking on one room at a time. You might be surprised how much you enjoy this process. Getting rid of things that are taking up space in your home can be liberating. It may inspire you to let go of other stuff that no longer serve or enhance your life. “Fall at its best is twilight in its most essential form—a really satisfying deep breath that inspires and enlivens on the inhalation, nourishes at its moment of pause, and satisfies and fills one with joy on its release”, says Jane Butler-Bigg author of Feng Shui: A Seasonal Guide to Good Energy. Clearing space and letting go of what we no longer need frees us for fully embracing and enjoying fall’s bounty.

2. Organize your clothes closet. Take all your clothes and shoes out of your closet and organize them into piles: what you will keep, what you will give away to a friend or family member and what you will donate. Bag the items that will go to Goodwill or another charity. Schedule a time to drop them off or have them picked up. Call your friends and family members to find out if they want the items you want to pass on to them. If yes, plan a time in the near future (within the week, if possible) to get the clothes to them. Resist the urge to hold onto items that were declined by friends and family. Bag the rejected items along with the others that will be donated. Once you have decided to give an item away, commit to letting it go.

3. Manage and let go of unnecessary paper. Go through the mail and piles of paper you have been pushing off. Sorting through piles of paper can be time consuming, so you may have to take this in small chunks. But the key is to get started. As you sort, determine which documents you still need, what can be thrown away, what requires action (i.e., a follow up call) and what should be filed. If you don’t have a filing system, set one up. Major categories might include: Bills, Health, Home, Warranties, Computer, Kids and Finances.

4. Go green. Place a few plants throughout your home. Plants add life to any environment and help to keep the air fresh and clean. Spathiphyllum and Aglaonema (Chinese evergreen) are houseplants that require low light and little maintenance.

5. Light a candle. Candles are an essential for the fall and winter. They provide an easy and affordable way for decorating and adding ambiance, color, light and warmth to your home. Vanilla, cinnamon and apple are great scents for this time of the year.

6. Decorate with pillows and throws. Pillows and throws in rich colors like wine, gold and sage, and soft and luxurious fabrics such as chenille create a feeling of luxury, warmth and comfort. They are great to keep around on cool nights or for an afternoon nap.