Every single year, around the end of August, I start daydreaming about fall decorating. I imagine myself transforming my home into something straight out of a magazine spread. Cozy throws casually draped over chairs, tasteful pumpkins in every shade of orange, and candles that smell like “crisp autumn harvest morning”, whatever that is.
I can practically see it: wreaths on the doors, corn stalks by the entry, and maybe even a basket of mums that somehow stay alive under my questionable plant-care skills. Insert Pinterest worthy pic here!
And yet… every single year… reality happens. I am not a decorator.
My Pinterest Dreams vs. My Real Life Porch
Pinterest tells me I need garlands, twinkle lights, and tiered trays of miniature pumpkins. Google says that if I just “invest in neutral tones,” I too can have the farmhouse-cozy look of Joanna Gaines’ long-lost cousin.
But here’s what actually happens: I buy one pumpkin. Maybe two if I’m feeling really ambitious. I put it on the porch and step back, thinking, There. Nailed it.
My porch does not look like Pinterest. It looks like… well, a porch. With a pumpkin.
The Procrastination Factor
Remember that little procrastination problem I had? Well, it comes in full force here. Part of the problem is timing. I always think I’ll get around to decorating “this weekend.” Then the weekend comes, and I realize that dragging bins of decorations out of the closet feels about as fun as scrubbing the bathtub. So I wait.
And wait.
Before I know it, Halloween is here, and I’m suddenly grateful that at least my lonely pumpkin counts as something. In my head, I tell myself: Minimalist fall decor. Very chic. Very intentional.
But in my heart, I know it’s just procrastination dressed up as a design choice.
Why the Pumpkin is Enough
The funny thing is, nobody in my family actually cares. My kids aren’t keeping score of how many gourds are on display. My husband isn’t wondering why our porch doesn’t have matching hay bales and corn stalks. If I’m being completely honest, he’s probably silently cheering that there’s nothing banging on the door every time it opens and closes.
To them, that one (or two) pumpkins still means fall. It still feels cozy when soup’s on the stove and the evenings get cooler. And honestly, sometimes enough really is enough.
The Lesson Hidden in the Pumpkin
Maybe my pumpkin-on-the-porch style is a reminder that we don’t have to do it all to make a season feel special. A little goes a long way. One pumpkin can say “fall is here” just as loudly as twenty.
And maybe next year I’ll finally haul out the decorations early, style the perfect porch, and light those “crisp autumn harvest morning” candles.
…Or maybe I’ll just get another pumpkin.
Happy Fall!