Organize with a new calendar / journal
It’s a weird time of year to get a new calendar but I don’t keep track of anything in the summer months so I tend to get calendar inserts at discounted prices this time of year and load up my planner with all the tools. I love starting out the new school year fresh with a brand new planner and inserts that get me excited to get organized and be productive. I love Cloth and Paper for their inserts. Amazon also has inserts for great prices (just make sure you’re ordering the correct sizes for your desired planner.) Here is August 2025-December 2026, which I just purchased. Lastly, I love this insert for weekly goal planning.
Create a Fall Bucket List
The start of the school year and sports brings a whole lot of chaos and juggling, which can feel overwhelming. I like to look at my calendar at the end of August and really plan out our weekends and fill our days with all the fall fun. Pumpkin patches, apple picking, visiting local farms, and scheduling time with friends around Halloween is always on my list. We will also be filling most of our time with football games and lacrosse games for all three boys but I’m hoping to squeeze in some good old fashioned fall festivities in between the sports madness. Pinterest has some cute ideas for fall bucket lists I love looking at and drawing inspiration from.
Refresh Your Home/Closet Space
Let’s start by buying some new candles for fall.. but I like to ease in. This candle from Target is my current favorite before I really dive into the more intense scents for fall. I also like to swap out any summery pillows and trade them for more neutral, earthy tones. And let’s cozy up spaces with lush blankets and knits. The same goes for my closet. First, I move my summer clothes to the back and move my comfy sweaters up front where I can access them more easily. I recently purchased a few new pieces from Quince to add to my sweater rotation.. my favorite place to shop for fall sweaters and get me excited for cooler weather.
Try New Recipes
I almost bought corn bread the other day at the market but then thought, “Too soon.” It’s still pushing 80 degrees in Seattle so corn bread and chili is going to have to be put on the back burner for a hot minute (all the puns intended). I rarely cook in the summer because 1. It’s too hot and 2. We’re all going five different directions that we aren’t sitting down for regular family meals. With the start of the school year will bring more routine and structured evenings where we can sit down and eat together. I always find myself cooking the most in the fall and busting out my cookbooks that have been collecting dust the past few months. Looking forward to warm, hearty food like soups, casseroles and enchiladas.
Adjust Your Sleep Schedule and Routine
We know sleep is the most important thing to keeping us healthy and while I don’t stray much from my nighttime routine in the summer, I really dial it in once the school year starts. Right now, I let the boys stay up later than normal and they get to sleep in each other’s rooms. But once that first day of school hits, it’s back to their own rooms, reading and early to bed… for everyone. This is my weekly Sunday routine that I rarely deviate from followed by early bed time. In the summer, our social calendar is bit more spontaneous and we’ll get together with friends and stay up later than normal. We had an end of summer pickleball party the other weekend and spent all day yesterday on the water with a bunch of friends and their kids so it felt like the perfect finale before school starts later this week. Now we just need the temps to drop a bit in Seattle but I’ll take 70s and sunny as we head into a new season 🙂
Xx, H
