Goosebumps covered my ten-year-old arms and legs as I skipped rocks on the river beside my grandparents’ cabin. How I wished for my gray corduroy pants on that breezy autumn day. Cooler weather reminds us of sweaters and flannel. An easy six-step plan for seasonal closet adjustments can lead us to examine our hearts this fall.
Each September I exchange the summer clothes in my closet for scarves, warm slacks, and turtlenecks. When I assess my fall wardrobe, the try-it-on-to-see-if-I-still-need-it mound grows on my bed. A glance in the mirror confirms my suspicion that some outfits have outlived their usefulness.
The goal is to keep only seasonally-appropriate, well-fitting clothes. The rule? Toss those articles you haven’t worn in two years. (Or if you’re feeling brave, one year.) Are you ready to tackle your closet? Come on, it’s not THAT hard, right? Well maybe, but not impossible.
6 Steps for Changing Your Closet This Fall
- Choose a date and write “Fall Closet Reno” on the calendar.
- Plan a reward for a season-ready, well-organized closet.
- Divide clothing into three piles: Keep, donate, not sure.
- Tackle the “not sure” pile. Ask, “Will I wear this soon? When? Where?” Mirrors are honest. Try on each item and take a whirl. If necessary, call an honest friend.
- Arrange outfits on your bed. List new pieces to purchase for added pizazz. A new scarf, a denim jacket, or a tailored white shirt might multiply possibilities.
- Celebrate with the reward you planned.
Like cool weather signals wardrobe adjustments, a new season can be a good time to examine our hearts. Are there habits or attitudes we should abandon like a moth-eaten sweater? Are there Christ-like characteristics we should practice or “put on?”
Like cool weather signals wardrobe adjustments, a new season is as good time to examine our hearts. Share on X
6 Steps for Examining Our Hearts This Fall
1. Plan for fall quiet times with God.
Before the hurry-scurry of holiday season arrives, ensure you have a daily time of prayer and Bible study—short or long—but daily. You might try to write in a journal or find a new devotional, but keep the Bible as your main source.
2. Pull up your chair to God’s table.
A table for two. He waits for you and welcomes you. Take time to enjoy His presence. To worship and praise him. To express gratitude. To lift the needs of others. To ask questions and lay your needs before Him. To listen.
3. Put away un-Christlike thoughts and behaviors.
Examine your heart as you read the Bible. We can confess sin and count on God’s forgiveness and His strength to rake away negative thoughts and actions from our lives like dead leaves.
But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth.
Colossians 3:8 ESV*
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
Ephesians 4:29
4. Put on Christlike qualities.
Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another . . . And above all these put on love . . .
Colossians 3:12-14
God’s Word teaches us to “put on” godly conduct. When I try to improve myself, success is short-lived.
The good news is when God does the work, we change from the heart outward. God promises to conform us to His image. When He changes us, these qualities dwell in our hearts and shine from our lives.
Prayer and Scripture will remind us of the work God is doing in our hearts. Perhaps it would help to imagine slipping on a new fall jacket labeled “kindness,” or “love” or “patience” before we start each day. When we read the gospels, we see how Jesus walked on earth. His example lights the way for us.
5. Ponder on His promises.
When the enemy tempts you to think negative thoughts, find a promise of God’s to cling to and pray. Thank you, Father, you’ll never leave me. Thank you, Father, you promise to meet my needs.
6. Plan for adequate rest, rich fellowship with others, and opportunities to serve in Jesus’ name.
Okay, it’s time to get into that closet and make bold decisions as you prepare for cooler weather. As you work, play praise music and worship the Lord. When you rest, try the six steps above and ask God to examine your heart. As a believer, you can thank Him for the warmth of His presence for every season.
* Scripture verses are taken from the ESV.
Your Turn
Please share a closet organization tip or a way you examine your heart for a new season. What helps you remember to “put on” Christlike behavior?
If you need a new fall devotional or if you want a Scripture-filled Christmas gift for friends, may I suggest my new devotional? A Place at His Table: God’s Daily Gifts to Satisfy Your Heart. Each devotion begins with a table story and leads to a Bible passage that illustrates one of God’s gifts. Table Tips include recipes, easy centerpiece ideas, and celebration plans.
Love your suggestions for “renovating” our closets. I love the suggestion of including Jesus in our decision-making of what to toss. It occurred to me that God wants me to donate a nice item which I seldom wear to someone of His choosing. Now I’m to pray and ask which item or items He wants me to donate and to whom. Thanks for your insightful suggestions.
Evelyn, I’m glad you liked the suggestions. Thanks for letting me know. How exciting to share with someone else. What a blessing to you and the person who receives it.
I love the correlation between preparing our closets for a new season and preparing our hearts for a new season of reflection and change. Both are important and make us feel better,
When I clean out my closet I think of organizations that can use them, such as women’s shelters. There are needs all around us, and a giving heart is so important.
Jan, I agree both processes make us feel better. I have a couple of closets that need work now, I love your reminder about donations and appreciate this statement: “There are needs all around us, and a giving heart is so important.” Thank you.
Jeannie, these points are spot on and your analogy helps us visualize how Christ takes away the old and puts on the new for us. We do have to make the decision to wear His wardrobe, but when we do He is the one who does the work. Thank you for this change of season post.
You’re so right, Barbara, that Christ does the work in our hearts. When we yield to Him, He changes us. I appreciate you making that point.
Some great ideas Ms. Jeannie. You know I’m sharing this with the ladies at church, don’t you?
I hope the ladies at your church enjoy the ideas, J.D. Thank you for sharing.
Jeannie, I really need to clean out my closet! What a wonderful plan you have shared. And your Scripture choices are perfect to encourage us to get it done. Thank you for inspiring me to do a task that I’ve put off too long and to think about God’s plan for me in the process (rather than my plans). Blessings!
Katherine, I need to put the plan into practice again for two closets. Of course we need to examine our hearts daily and ask for God’s guidance, but the analogy of trying on and sorting clothes reminds me to examine my heart.
Great ideas Jeannie! Thank you for the inspiration to organize our clothing and order our hearts for a new season.
I’m glad you found the ideas helpful, Marilyn. I like your phrase “to order our hearts for a new season.” I appreciate you stopping by.
Jeannie, it feels good to clean out what you don’t use. However, it is also hard because I remember the times I gave something away, like belts I wasn’t wearing, and they immediately came back in style! 🙂 Thanks for the tips.
I’ve had that happen, Debbie. When you wish you’d kept an article, it makes parting with something the next time harder. I’m thankful God helps us part with the qualities we don’t need.
Closet organization tip: Invite Jeannie over. 🙂
Great post. Love the scriptures you chose and thank you for the actionable steps and reminders.
Congratulations on the release of your devotional book, A Place at His Table. Got my copy and looking forward to reading it. God bless you and your writing, Jeannie.
Rachael, I’d better finish my closet cleaning first. 😉 The “put off” and “put on” in Scripture helps us seek God’s forgiveness and transformation, doesn’t it? I hope you enjoy the devotions.
I always kind of dread that seasonal closet exchange, but these were good ideas, Jeannie, and so were the ideas to renovate our hearts! So important!
Kathy, I‘ve felt that dread too. A step-by-step approach nudges me to begin physical chores. I’m grateful God promises to continue the work He began in believers (Philippians 1:6) so that we can cooperate with Him but trust His mighty works.
You’ve do a wonderful job of relating the seasonal closet reorganization to cleaning up our spiritual beings.
I’m also thinking about it it terms of seasons of life, as I have been through quite a few.
Much to ponder here.
I enjoyed your post and love the Scriptures you used.
Thanks for your comments, Connie. Isn’t it amazing how God’s work in us corresponds to our current season of life? He’s a wise Father.
Great recommendation Jeannie. I usually do a spring cleaning in my closet because our seasons don’t change as much as other areas of the country.
I do plan to try your ideas for preparing my heart for the new seasons.
I’m glad you found the suggestions helpful, Yvonne. I need them as well to keep my heart tuned to His.
Excellent suggestions, Jeannie, for both the physical and spiritual clothing. As a northerner who lived in the south for years, I can’t help but chuckle a bit at the clothing you pull out for your warm southern winter. I was glad to relinquish the full winter wardrobe when I lived there. Nevertheless, I will never relinquish the wardrobe God provides. Blessings to you!
I enjoyed your comments, Annie. Normally, a light jacket works for us here, but we do like sweaters and scarves for cooler days. 😉 Blessings to you.
I enjoy seasonal clothing changes because I always discover surprises I’d forgotten about. Thank you fo the reminder that our hearts often need renovation as well. Happy Fall!
I like finding those surprise garments, too, Candyce. Sometimes God surprises us with lessons He places on the table for us, but they’re always good.