Ask Erin | Your September To-Do List

by ERIN SHARPLIN LOVE  |  erinlove@panachebyerin.com

Welcome to September!  The kids are back in school and ”routine” has returned.  I don’t know about you, but I thrive in a routine.  Without it I feel disoriented and unproductive; so this time of year is a welcome change from the hustle and bustle of the summer.  With that in mind, I wanted to show you how I use September to perform a little reset on my home and life.   Check out my list below!

September Reset List:
• Update your calendar immediately! Now that the unpredictable and lazy days of summer are gone, you can focus on upcoming homework, ball games, practices, meetings, and other events. Gather all sport calendars, practice schedules, class schedules, and any other appointments that will be coming your way, and sit down with your phone and calendar.  I use my phone’s Google Calendar, as well as a notebook planner to keep up with my schedule.  I like to write it down and get a reminder on my phone.

• Start planning for the upcoming holidays! I know it is early, but time can move fast sometimes; so, if you don’t start planning now, you will be caught off guard.  I stay ahead by planning for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas during the month of September.  For instance, start talking with your child about what she wants to do for Halloween.  Do you need to purchase a new costume or parts of a homemade costume?  Start buying candy a little at a time when you find good sales.  As far as Thanksgiving and Christmas go, I just start a list of recipe ideas and a gift list at this time.

• Update your meal planning lists. Do you plan meals weekly?  If not, start now!  It makes shopping and cooking so much easier.  Before I had kids, I would plan our meals daily instead of weekly.  I can’t tell you how much less stressed I feel since I started preplanning!  Now, I create a meal plan for the week every Sunday.  Monday morning, I place a Walmart delivery (or pickup)  I have a folder in my phone for all our favorite recipes, and I add to it as needed.  September is the perfect time to start incorporating your family’s favorite warm meals like soups and stews to the weekly meal plan.  

• Check out your fall/winter clothing. This step is especially important for young children as they typically outgrown, things rather quickly.  Here in the south, the weather can change from day to day without warning, so be prepared!  Make sure all the jackets, coats, sweatshirts, boots, gloves, and hats that are in your child’s closet (and yours) fit and are in good condition.  

• Reset your home furnishings!  September is the perfect time to update your home with your fall furnishings.  There is just something about  fall colors and scents that truly make a house feel like a home.  

• Create a plan of attack for your outdoor space. You might want to tidy up your outdoor spaces before the bad weather and colder temperatures arrive.  It will soon be time to cover outside furniture and check off other tasks that are on your outdoor to-do list.

• Make your fall bucket list!  For instance, we love to visit the pumpkin patch, so that will be on our bucket list every year.  Each year, though, I try to find something new and fun for my family so planning that now makes it easier to ensure that happens.  

I truly hope this list sets you in the right direction to reset your life and start enjoying the upcoming fall season!