Five Things I'm Doing Before September
That you might want to explore too.
August is a funny month- still summer, but Autumn is just around the corner. It’s the smaller transition before the bigger one: to school routines big shifts in weather and mood. What’s set up now shapes how smoothly September will flow for you and your family.
Here’s what I’m thinking about and doing this month to get all systems ready for Fall.
1. Harvesting and preserving the summer garden
I work hard all Spring and Summer to build a garden worth harvesting from, and once it’s producing, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all there is to do. My solution: harvest and preserve at least one thing a day. Canning one day, drying herbs the next, a simple batch of pasta sauce to freeze after that.
2. Filling in the family calendar
Emailing to teachers about accommodations, organizing carpooling schedules, confirming lesson times with tutors and instrument teachers, confirming afterschool activities and sports, booking hair, dentist, and doctor appointments and figuring out my own weekly self-care and workout routines. Now is the time to really look at the calendar and problem-solve logistics before the chaos begins.
3. Closets, giveaways, and inventory
We’re still in shorts and t-shirts, but when the kids are at camp I like to sift through their drawers and note what they’ll need for school. Running shoes always seem to be in need. Anything too small or barely worn goes in a giveaway bag. My younger kids can do this themselves now, and my teens won’t let me near their closets at all- but I can part with things more easily than they can while still respecting what they’d actually miss. And there’s always my closet to be tamed and organized.
You might enjoy this article from the archives:
4. Prioritizing inner work
I’m learning that so much of my mental health is rooted in the time I spend each day in active relationship with God- replace that word with Spirit, Universe, Divine, whatever you resonate with. Staying in conversation and in community with the Divine changes everything else. Summer gives more spaciousness to build a daily rhythm, so it’s worth experimenting now with what keeps me consistent before the Autumn morning rush hits.
You might enjoy this article from the archives:
5. Fridge and freezer inventory
Between all the summer harvesting and preserving, it’s time to go through the freezers and take stock of what’s there and what we’ll need once the school year ramps up. I like to have easy meals ready- shepherd’s pie, meatballs, lasagna- for the days I know I won’t have time to cook. I also start thinking ahead to lunches: what snacks to make and freeze, what to stock up on, and what allergy restrictions each of my kids’ classes has this year.
If you’re not sure where to start you could use an Autumn Bucketlist or Autumn Rhythm printable and start filling in your calendar or use a GOLDENTIME Journal to explore all the intentions you want to set this Fall.
Some more articles to help you with your transition to Autumn…
Autumn Family Traditions
Autumn is a time of bounty, harvest, connectedness and community. It contains the gesture of coming together and reaping the rewards of hard work. Each season our activities, celebrations and daily rhythm can reflect these seasonal archetypal qualities.
Building a Seasonal Capsule Wardrobe You Love.
I’ve been slowly transitioning my wardrobe to a majority of pieces made from natural, breathable, and sustainable fibres instead of synthetics. Not only do these fabrics feel better, they soften with age, are breatheable, and don’t shed microplastics into the water with every wash.