My porch has pumpkins on it, there is a pot simmering on my stove, and my phone has been sitting on my desk more than it's been in my hand this week. That is not an accident. It's October, and every year around this time I start pulling back from the noise and leaning into the season instead.

I put together a little joys checklist for the month, part of an ongoing series I'm calling Home Unplugged. It is not a to-do list in the stressful sense. It's fifteen small, doable things across cleaning, cooking, making, and decorating that add up to a slower, cozier October. Print it out, tape it to the fridge, and check things off as you go.

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What Is the Home Unplugged Checklist

Home Unplugged is a monthly series here on THTH. Every month I put together a short, seasonal checklist of little joys, things that pull you out of your phone and into your actual house and yard for a few minutes at a time. Some months it will tie into a recipe, some months a craft, some months just a mood. October kicks things off, and I'll be doing one every month.

If you're looking for more ways to soak up the season outside the house too, I've also got a fall bucket list printable full of pumpkin patches, pie baking, and other family favorites.

Cook: Warm Up the Kitchen

Simmer a pot of fall spices on the stove. This is the easiest way to make your whole house smell like a candle store for about a dollar in ingredients. Fill a small saucepan with water, add sliced dried orange slices, a couple cinnamon sticks, and a few whole star anise pods, then let it simmer low all afternoon, topping off the water as it evaporates.

I'm building out a full simmer pot recipe every month through February (or beyond!) as its own little series, so if this becomes your new favorite fall habit, you're in the right place.

Make a big batch soup or chili and freeze half. Soup season sneaks up on me every year, and having a container of something homemade in the freezer already has saved more weeknights than I can count.

Try a new apple recipe. If you have never made apple butter at home, October is the month to try it. My Instant Pot apple butter recipe skips the peeling step entirely and comes together in under two hours, and it makes the house smell incredible while it cooks.

Stock the pantry with fall baking staples. Flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a few cans of pumpkin (perfect for making this 2-ingredient pumpkin cake!) so you're never scrambling when the mood to bake hits.

Clean: Get Cozy Ready

Swap in flannel sheets for the season. There is a real, physical comfort difference between cotton percale in July and soft flannel in October. It's a five minute swap that changes how your whole bedroom feels.

Clean out and organize the entryway closet. Before the coats, boots, and umbrellas all pile up at once, take twenty minutes to clear it out. A basic hanging closet organizer and a boot tray at the bottom make a bigger difference than you'd think.

Wipe down the pantry before soup season fills it back up. A quick shelf wipe now means you're not doing it with a pot boiling over on the stove later.

Create: Make Something With Your Hands

Start a slow hand craft project (like this shabby chic pumpkin) for the season. Knitting, crocheting, sewing, whatever pulls you away from a screen for even twenty minutes at a time. This is the same idea behind the grandmacore craft cluster I've been building here, slow, tactile hobbies that give you something to show for your evening besides a scrolling thumb.

Press leaves or make a simple nature craft. Grab a few good ones on your next walk, press them in a heavy book for a week, then use them in a bookmark, a piece of art, or just tucked into a windowsill.

Cozy up a reading nook with a new throw or pillow. You don't need a full room redo. One good chunky throw blanket draped over a chair and a stack of books within reach is enough to actually make you sit down and read instead of picking up your phone.

Decorate: Set the Scene

Set pumpkins and gourds out on the porch. The classic for a reason. Mix a few different sizes and colors instead of matching ones for a more collected, less staged look.

Layer in a chunky throw blanket. Same blanket, different spot, this time draped over the back of the couch or the end of the bed for instant warmth in the room's look, not just its feel.

Light a fall candle. A good fall candle on the counter while you cook or clean turns an ordinary evening into something a little more special. This is a small thing, but it is one of those little joys that actually works.

Swap in seasonal pillow covers. Keep the pillow inserts you already have and just swap the covers for something in a warmer tone. It's the cheapest, fastest way to make a room feel like it changed with the season.

Unplug: Step Away From the Screen

Leave the phone behind for an analog walk. I built myself an actual analog bag this fall, a tote filled with screen free things to grab instead of my phone, and I'm sharing exactly what's in mine and how to build your own [CONFIRM: link to analog bag post once live]. Even without the bag, a walk with no phone in your pocket is one of the simplest resets you can give yourself.

Get the Free October Checklist

I turned all fifteen of these into a printable checklist in the Home Unplugged style, so you can print it, stick it on the fridge, and check things off all month. Grab it free below, and while you're there, sign up to get next month's checklist delivered straight to your inbox on the first.

FAQ: Home Unplugged, October Little Joys Checklist

What is a simmer pot and how do you make one?

A simmer pot is a pot of water with spices like cinnamon sticks, dried orange slices, and star anise left to simmer on low on the stove, filling your home with a natural scent. Just top off the water as it evaporates and simmer for a few hours.

What does slow living actually mean?

Slow living means choosing a few intentional, low tech activities over constant busyness or screen time, things like cooking from scratch, reading, or a phone free walk. It's less about doing more and more about being present in what you're already doing.

What should I put in an analog bag?

A basic analog bag includes a book, a notebook and pen, a small craft project like knitting or a crossword book, and maybe a deck of cards. The goal is having something screen free within reach whenever you'd normally grab your phone.

How do I organize an entryway closet for fall?

Start by pulling everything out and donating what you didn't wear last season. Add a hanging organizer for coats, a boot tray at the bottom, and a small bin for hats and gloves so everything has a spot.

What is apple butter and how is it different from applesauce?

Apple butter is applesauce that has been cooked down further and caramelized, giving it a deeper flavor, darker color, and thicker, spreadable texture. Applesauce stays lighter and chunkier, while apple butter is smooth and concentrated.

How long can you simmer a simmer pot?

You can let a simmer pot go for several hours in one sitting as long as you check the water level regularly and never let it run dry. Many people refresh the same batch of spices for two to three days before starting fresh.

What is the Home Unplugged series on The How-To Home?

Home Unplugged is a monthly series featuring a free little joys checklist plus a companion blog post, each one built around slowing down and unplugging a little more that month. New installments come out on the first of each month.

How do I get the free October checklist printable?

You can grab the free October Home Unplugged checklist by signing up through the opt in form on this post (directly below). It will also come with future monthly checklists delivered straight to your inbox.

Loved this list? Grab the free printable checklist above, then come back next month for November's Home Unplugged list plus a new simmer pot recipe in the series.