Week of September 11 – 17 | We’re welcoming fall with fresh ideas for decorating and entertaining that won’t break the bank.
Both of us spent much of the week away with our parents, and it’s been a reminder of how quickly roles shift as loved ones age.
Balancing careers, homes, grown children, spouses, and now our parents’ care has been intense. Sometimes priorities shift and other tasks wait — for us, that meant postponing new blog posts while we focused on family.
Instead, we updated several of our most popular fall posts, and they’re already getting a lot of attention on Pinterest. We think you’ll enjoy the refreshed ideas.
This week will be busy too: we’re juggling back-to-back work trips and our monthly supper club, and we’re also working on a holiday project that we can’t wait to share.
- AnnMarie’s Week
- Anne’s Week
- This Week on Simply2Moms
- More Ideas and Inspiration From Our Friends
AnnMarie’s Week
Last week I flew to New Jersey after a frightening call about my dad. Thankfully it appears to have been a COPD flare rather than something worse, and he was released within a few days.
I cancelled my return flight when his discharge was delayed and stayed through Friday to help him and my stepmom. I’m grateful I could be there during that stretch — family comes first.
I returned to Charlotte late Friday, repacked, and headed to Boone for the weekend for Gavin’s last family weekend at App State. It’s hard to believe he’s a senior.
The whole family was there — all three kids, their partners, and the dogs. Even with crowded restaurants during parent weekend, we treasured the time together and shared meals when we could. Saturday’s tailgate was a highlight, and I even snuck back to our tiny house for a much-needed nap during the game.
Anne’s Week
I spent most of the week at my parents’ home in northern Maryland. My dad is dealing with heart-related issues, and we also began the long process of clearing out decades of accumulated items from their basement.
They found the task overwhelming, but sorting, decluttering, and organizing are things I enjoy. We made serious progress in a few days.
We cleared out several boxes of housewares and small appliances and organized the shelves into useful zones: antiques and collectibles set aside for a dealer, and kitchen items grouped for easier access. We ran out of room in the van before we ran out of donations!
Back home late Thursday, I caught up on work and laundry. The next morning I discovered expired items in my pantry and ended up emptying and reorganizing it completely.
After clearing out things we no longer eat, I sent a few items home with Livy and Cam when they stopped by. I’ll share the after photos and a quick video on Instagram soon.
This Week on Simply2Moms
This week we’re sharing easy, budget-friendly fall decorating ideas you can create with items you already own. We also have a simple entertaining tip from AnnMarie designed to make hosting less stressful.
Love seasonal decorating? We do too. One of our tutorials shows you how to dry pampas grass in three easy steps so you can use it for free, natural fall accents.
If you enjoy neutral palettes, check our step-by-step guide to creating a simple, elegant fall centerpiece that works on dining tables, consoles, and coffee tables alike.
We also shared a guide to building an entertaining “capsule” — a small set of versatile essentials that let you create many different tablescapes without a big investment.
One of our most popular Pinterest images shows an easy, step-by-step method for styling a fall basket that looks curated and cozy. It’s a simple way to add seasonal charm anywhere in your home.
More Ideas and Inspiration From Our Friends
Each week we visit a few favorite sites and share stand-out finds with you. Below are a few things that inspired us recently — beautiful decor ideas, recipe inspiration, and clever DIY projects.
We love seeing how creative people use natural materials, vintage finds, and simple ingredients to refresh their homes for the season. If you have suggestions or questions, contact us or leave a comment — we always enjoy hearing from you.
Don’t miss any of our tips, tricks, or stories. Follow us on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook to stay up to date.
