Fall in Love With Your Home All Over Again This Autumn

Rekindling the love you feel for your home is especially easy during autumn. This time of year has many cool and dreary days, perfect for settling in with those you love. But fall in Hampton Roads also has plenty of brisk, sunny days that are great for putting those outside living areas to good use. Work with your home's assets to see the true beauty of homeownership appear.

Ways to invite fall into your home include:

• Opening the doors. Literally invite others into your home to bring in new energy. Host a casual get together for neighbors to get to know one another better. Throw a Halloween bash for the kiddos, but don't forget to don a mask yourself!
 
• Incorporating seasonal touches on the exterior. Hay bales, pumpkins, decorative squash, scarecrows, fall wreaths and cornucopias are all ways to set a scene near the front door. Use seasonal flowers like chrysanthemums and pansies to brighten flowerbeds, porches and doorsteps.
 
• Exchanging summer items for fall-themed objects. Put away those hammocks, kiddie pools, croquet sets and citronella torches and bring out the rake, fire pit, football and firewood. Preparing your home for a fun fall makes it that much easier to let the good times roll.
 
• Tempting noses with autumn aromas. Some of the best smells on the planet are arguably associated with autumn. The scent of apple dumplings, pumpkin bread and sweet potato pies baking can make mouths water. But the earthy whiff of a roaring fire can also evoke feelings of comfort.

Don't let fallen leaves and overcast days dampen your spirits this fall. Highlight this season in your own unique way to note the joy of autumn in your own home.