This post has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. This post was sponsored by Starbucks as part of an Influencer Activation. I received compensation and complimentary products to facilitate my review. #StarbucksCaffeLatte #MyStarbucksatHome #CollectiveBias

Now that fall is in full swing, it’s time to recognize the fact that Thanksgiving is approaching pretty rapidly. I know, I can hardly believe it either, but now that Zack and I have our Halloween costumes squared away, it’s pretty easy to think that guests will be arriving soon for the various fall and winter holidays… That’s why I couldn’t put it off any longer– it was time to update my coffee bar to prepare for fall guests.

When it comes to coffee bars, ours can tend to be a catch-all… parade candy from our town’s fall celebration, playing cards, trinkets and more… so the first step to any coffee bar preparation is simply to declutter it! Even if you’re not one to keep trinkets and candy at your coffee bar, it’s a good time to go through and make sure all of your coffee is in-date, that you toss any mugs that just aren’t working for you, and you get rid of any gunk and grime that can pile up in those nooks and crannies. Just taking out the non-essentials to put someplace they wouldn’t feel so cluttery helped our coffee bar a lot, and it only took me about 3 minutes to do.

Replace any cracked or worn mugs with newer mugs– I love these with cute sayings, but you go with your favorite style and type of mug to help you wake up in the mornings. Coffee is usually the first part of my work day, so I love these, and I always get compliments on mugs like these, which is why I picked them. When buying mugs, you’ll want to match your other decor to the mugs if they’ll be sitting in the coffee space. It’s a great way to make sure everything looks super cohesive in your decor!

Because I couldn’t do away with candy completely, I also picked up these cute little candies in autumn colors. Guests can always grab a few to snack on while waiting for coffee to brew, or you can pass around the mug during after-dinner coffee and conversation or a game of cards, too. Consider keeping tea towels in your coffee area, and a spoon to stir in any fixings, just to make sure guests have everything they need right there when preparing their coffee!

I love when home decor has a little bit of a personal touch, so I like to DIY an element or two when decorating. It may seem intimidating, but this simple DIY project didn’t take me long to complete and made a great statement when finished. To make it, I simply picked up a chalkboard plaque at my local store (but you can easily DIY that, too, with some scrap wood and chalkboard paint!)– I tried to find a color that would match the mugs I chose– and a chalkboard marker. You can definitely use real chalk to write, erase, and re-write your board, but I love the bolder look that a chalk-style marker makes.

Begin by tracing any stencils you want to use or free-handing your design with a pencil. This allows you to erase if you make a mistake… just remember to have a light hand so you don’t make a deep indention in the surface!

Once you’re happy with how the design looks in pencil, add any other elements you’d like (I added the coffee mug and leaf motif at the top because I felt it needed a little something extra), then go over everything in chalkboard marker to outline it.

From there, fill in any details (like the lines I added to the word “coffee” to fill it in a little more). Then, brew yourself a cup of coffee and let it dry fully before you hang it up.

While I was waiting on my plaque to dry, I brewed the coffee drink that I’m totally in love with at the moment– Starbucks® Caffè Latte K-Cup® pods. These are a two-step coffee drink that I love serving my guests, too, because they just have that extra-special feel about them.

They’re brand new in grocery stores, and the best part is they come in great flavors so you can pick your favorite– caramel, mocha, and vanilla are available, plus for a limited time, pumpkin spice and peppermint mocha are available, too! Those are some of my favorite seasonal flavors, so I’m pretty thrilled about stocking up on those!

To brew your Starbucks® Caffè Latte K-Cup® Pods, simply pour in the flavor packet, which is made from milk and has no artificial flavors, then brew the K-Cup®. After that, you just stir and enjoy!

After I finished enjoying my Starbucks® Caffè Latte, my sign was dry, so I put it into place… but first, I tucked stuff I didn’t want to be visible on my coffee bar, but still needed nearby, behind it! Signs like this are a great way to hide the essentials without letting them clutter up your coffee bar surface.

There’s just something special about the fall season and being able to gather around the table with those you love, talking about life, and coffee is a huge part of that for me. That’s why before the fall season is in full swing, I have to make sure that I’m stocked up on coffee for my friends and family to enjoy, and that my coffee bar is in great shape to entertain!

What do you have to do before you have guests over? And do you have a favorite fall beverage? Let me know in the comments below! Don’t forget that you can also learn more about Starbucks® Caffè Latte K-Cup® Pods here!

 

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