How to Transition Your Home for Fall — the Free Living Way

As the weather cools, we spend more time indoors — and what’s in your air, on your surfaces, and lingering in your cleaning cabinet has a bigger impact than you think.

This season, we’re keeping it simple: three small but powerful upgrades to help you create a home that’s cleaner, cozier, and safer for everyone inside.

🍃 Purify Your Air

Cleaner air is foundational to a healthier home — and it starts with a few simple habits.

• Change your HVAC filters regularly
  Replace them every 90 days, or more frequently if you have pets or live in a dry climate.  Aim for the highest MERV rating your furnace recommends.

• Ventilate daily
  Open windows for just 10–15 minutes, even on cooler days. This helps clear out stagnant air and lowers the concentration of indoor pollutants.  Turn on vans or any built-in ventilation devices in each room.

• Incorporate air-purifying plants
  While the impact may be small on reducing toxins in the air, they do help, and also add a beautiful aesthetic to any room.  Snake plant, pothos, and peace lily naturally absorb toxins and are easy to care for.

• Consider a HEPA air purifier
  For bedrooms and main living spaces, these can significantly reduce airborne particles and allergens.  We love Austin Air and their new immunity machine is a must as we head towards cold and flu season.

🪴 Scent Safely

Fall is the season of cozy scents — but most conventional options release harmful compounds into your air.

• Diffuse essential oils
  Look for pure, single-origin oils like clove, cedarwood, orange, or bergamot — ideal for fall.  Make sure there are no added ingredients and aim for organic.

• Try stovetop simmer pots
  Combine orange peels, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and rosemary in a pot of water and let it gently steam for hours.  A mason jar with dried fruit and herbs makes a lovely hostess gift!

• Use baking soda scent jars
  Mix a few drops of essential oil with baking soda in a small jar with holes in the lid. Perfect for bathrooms, closets, or entryways.

• Avoid products listing “fragrance” or “parfum”
  These often mask synthetic chemicals with no requirement to disclose what's inside.  If you do anything - rid your home of synthetic scents!

🏠 Clean Up Your Cleaning Products

Cleaning shouldn't come at the cost of your health — and it doesn't have to.

• Audit your current products
  Avoid anything with ammonia, bleach, or synthetic dyes or fragrance. Look for full ingredient transparency.

• Switch to plant-based, non-toxic cleaners
  Prioritize brands that are MADE SAFE® certified or clearly disclose every ingredient.  Free Living Co does this vetting for you, so you can rest assured anything in our marketplace has been scrutinized and tested.

• Use less, more mindfully
  Multipurpose cleaners reduce your exposure to multiple formulations — and keep your cabinet clutter-free.  Most natural all-purpose cleansers are exaclty that - all-purpose!  You don't need specific cleaners for every room.

• DIY surface spray
  Mix 1 part distilled white vinegar with 3 parts water and a few drops of essential oil (like lemon or tea tree) for a simple, safe alternative.  Hot water and soap goes a long way as well!

Final Thought

Transitioning your home for fall doesn’t have to be overwhelming. These three small, actionable steps — purifying your air, scenting safely, and cleaning more consciously — help create an environment that supports your health and your values.

Start where you are. Swap what you can. And build a home that makes you feel good — season after season.

Breathe Free. Live Well. Feel Right at Home.
Fall starts from the inside out.