- August 1, 2026
- Debbie Hall
Here in South Jersey, there’s a shift that happens right around Labor Day.
The light changes. The mornings get cooler. And if you’re anything like me, you start looking at your home differently—noticing what needs attention, what could use a refresh, what you’ve been meaning to get to since spring.
It’s one of my favorite times of year for exactly that reason. It’s a natural reset. A few small things done now can make a real difference in how your home feels and functions through the coming months. If you have family and friends coming through for the holidays, getting ahead of it now means you’re not scrambling in November.
Late summer is a good time to walk through your home with fresh eyes. If the windows are the first thing you notice, that’s worth paying attention to.
Here’s what I’d put on the list.
The Quick Around-the-House Checks
These take almost no time and are easy to forget until they become a problem.
Ceiling fans: Reverse the direction for winter. Clockwise on low speed pushes warm air down from the ceiling and can reduce heating costs noticeably. There’s usually a small switch on the motor housing. Takes 30 seconds.
Window and door seals: On a cool morning, run your hand slowly along the edges of your windows and exterior doors. You’ll feel a draft if one is there. Weatherstripping is inexpensive and makes a meaningful difference, both in comfort and on your utility bills. Well-fitted, energy-efficient window treatments help significantly with this as well, which we’ll get to shortly.
Air filters: The general guidance is every one to three months for standard filters, depending on your home, pets, and air quality. Thicker high-efficiency filters can go longer, just check the manufacturer’s recommendation. Fall is a natural time to change before you switch from cooling to heating. A clean filter runs more efficiently and keeps air quality better through the months when windows stay closed.
Batteries (all of them): This is the one people consistently forget until something stops working. Change the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors, your window treatment remotes, and any battery-operated motorized shades or draperies. Do them all at once while you’re thinking about it. It takes ten minutes and saves a lot of frustration later. There’s nothing quite like a motorized shade dying mid-descent when guests are arriving.
How to Care for Window Treatments
At Designer Draperies, we know custom window treatments work hardest in fall and winter. They manage light, insulate against cold, and provide privacy during shorter days. A little care now keeps them looking and functioning their best heading into the season.
Draperies: Give them a gentle shake to release any dust that’s settled over summer. A light steam refreshes the fabric and releases wrinkles in draperies without the risk that comes with dry cleaning. Check that all rings, hooks, and hardware are secure. If anything has shifted or loosened, now is the time to address it before the holidays.
Roman shades: Dust the folds gently with a soft brush attachment on a low-suction vacuum, working from top to bottom. A light steam works well for freshening fabric Romans. Check the lift cords or cordless mechanism to make sure everything is operating smoothly.
Woven wood shades: Because they’re made from natural materials, woven woods can be sensitive to humidity changes as seasons shift. Dust with a soft brush or dry microfiber cloth (never wet). If you notice any slight movement or variation in the material, that’s normal with natural fibers and typically settles once the indoor climate stabilizes.
Shutters: Wipe down the louvers with a slightly damp cloth, working along the slat rather than across it. Check the tilt rod and hinges to make sure everything is moving smoothly. Shutters are low-maintenance by nature, so a quick wipe-down once a season keeps them looking sharp year after year.
Motorized treatments: Test all motorized shades and draperies to confirm they’re responding correctly. Check battery levels on any battery-operated motors and replace proactively rather than waiting for them to fail. If anything seems off in the programming or response, reach out sooner rather than later. It’s always easier to address before the busy season.
A Simple Soft Goods Refresh
You don’t need a renovation to make your home feel ready for fall. Swapping out a few soft layers is one of the fastest ways to shift the feeling of a room.
Lighter throw pillows in summery textures can be replaced with warmer tones, heavier weaves, or wool accents. A cozy throw draped over a chair or the end of a bed adds warmth without any effort. On the bed, moving from a lighter coverlet to a fuller duvet or layered bedding changes the entire feel of the room.
These are small moves. But they’re the kind of thing that makes a home feel intentional, like someone who pays attention lives there. And when guests arrive, they notice.
Getting Your Home Holiday-Ready
If you’re hosting this season (Thanksgiving dinners, holiday gatherings, or overnight guests) a little thought now goes a long way. The goal isn’t a major overhaul. It’s the kind of thoughtful preparation that makes your home feel finished and welcoming without a last-minute scramble.
The guest room: This is the one room that often gets neglected until someone is actually sleeping in it. Fresh bedding, a room-darkening shade or blackout-lined drapery so guests can sleep comfortably, a few extra pillows, and a cleared drawer or two. That’s it. It doesn’t take much to make someone feel genuinely taken care of.
The main living spaces: Walk through the rooms your guests will spend the most time in and ask honestly what they notice. Bare windows that have been on your list? Draperies that have seen better days? A layered treatment (think shades for light control and draperies for warmth and softness) can completely transform a room’s feeling, and it’s the kind of update that photographs beautifully and holds up for years.
Our team has been serving clients throughout Burlington County, Camden County, and the Shore with all of their window treatment needs for thirty years.
The small details that make a big impression: Fresh flowers on a table. Cloth napkins instead of paper. A table runner that brings some warmth to the dining room. Custom throw pillows that pull the room together. None of these are major investments, but collectively they signal care, and that’s the core of what hospitality actually is.
Window treatments as a finishing touch: One of the most common things I hear from clients is that their home felt unfinished until the window treatments went in. It’s the layer that ties everything else together, and makes it feel like a complete room rather than a collection of nice things. If there’s a space you’ve been meaning to address before the holidays, now is the right time to start.
Ready For a Refresh?
Custom window treatments take time. From our initial consultation through fabric selection, fabrication, and installation, soft treatments typically run eight to ten weeks. Hard treatments, including shutters, blinds, and shades, average three to six. If you start now, you’re installed and settled well before the holidays. If you wait until November, you’re looking at January at the earliest.
We offer complimentary in-home design sessions where we come to you, with samples, and help you figure out exactly what your space needs. No pressure or guesswork, just a good conversation about your home.
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