It’s September! Make Time To Do These…
In the start over, do over category of life, there are basically two obvious opportunities every year… September… back-to-school time and of course, January – the start of a new year.

September to me always feels like a new beginning. No matter how long I have been out of school, I find that with the summer months behind us, I get giddy with excitement when I turn my calendar page to September.
So much promise… new things, new projects, new aspirations… it is as if a new year begins, fresh and open… a proverbial blank slate. One that I am excited to begin to write on.
A blank slate or getting back on track is what many of us wish for. September is the month to do it.
A quieter, uncluttered house, a new project to start, a stretch of evenings to just stay home and curl up with a good book, hosting a get together with your friends, along with eagerly awaiting the new season of your favorite TV shows.

September also means new colors and cooler weather. If months had colors associated with them then September’s would be faded green.
The flowers in the garden and leaves on the trees are on the cusp of calling it quits. They’ve given the last green they’ve got, and are heading into a slight fade that will soon turn amber and orange.

As summer comes to an end, I am very excited for fall that starts on September 23rd.
Don’t Miss Out: Things To Do in September
If you are dreaming of making a fresh start this fall, or getting back on track for your goals (or even setting some new ones), like being a whole lot more organized or simply pushing that reset button we all wish we had sometimes.
The coming of autumn means a different kind of to-do list for me. Less frantic and more about fixing up my house for comfort and livability.
Over the next few weeks while we transition from summer to fall and the weather is still nice, why not…
Take an Afternoon Off
Stroll through your town to window shop while enjoying the feeling of being carefree.

Check out your favorite home stores to get ideas on how to decorate your home for fall.

- Stop at the local coffee shop or cafe to get a cup of your favorite beverage.
- Turn your phone off and sit outside, lookup, smile and enjoy the sights and sounds around you.
Go Day Tripping
Instead of only taking an afternoon off, play hooky and put an unused vacation day to good use to do a little sightseeing.

- Remember there are no long lines or tickets required to see the art in the everyday.
- Make a date with yourself to head to a museum, park or town you have always wanted to spend some time in.
- Eat lunch at a local spot you have been wanting to try out. Take along a notebook and your phone to document what inspires you.

- Do something completely different. For instance, instead of driving, get on a bike and feel like you were 12 again exploring the town and neighborhood around you.
- Take photos with your phone, draw in a sketchbook or journal to record ideas you see while out and about.
Head to the Garden Store
Fall flowers and pumpkins will be showing up at your local garden stores and nurseries soon.

- Keep an eye out so you can get the best pick so when the first day of fall arrives, you can celebrate by filling your beds and planters with ornamental cabbages, mums and other fall favorites.
Dust Off Your Library Card

September is National Library Month. I like to think of the library as my free university of continuing education.

- There is nothing like a good browse among the shelves in a library or bookshop to broaden your horizons. Libraries are treasure troves of inspiration and free books to read.
- My favorite books to search for are older home decor and craft books as they often provide just the idea or inspiration I have been looking for.
- Get to know the librarian, tell them what you are interested in and they will become your greatest resource and find you books that you may never have considered.
If you don’t have a library nearby, today’s bookstores sell much more than books. They are a bountiful source of art, design, color and creative packaging.
- Stop at the magazine racks and flip through art, craft, design, and home decorating publications.
Even if you don’t buy anything, you can still come away with inspiration.
Go On a Nature Walk
Take a bag or tote with you so you can collect acorns, pinecones, leaves and branches to decorate your home for fall.

Buy a New Daily Planner

Along with some colorful pens and pencils just like you did as a kid when it was back-to-school time.
- Use the planner to help you keep your life better organized. Don’t feel you have to use a ready-made planner. I find they never work the way I do. I have used many planners over the years and have found the most productive one for me is when I piecemeal one together that fits the way I work and live.
Start Your Holiday Shopping

Get a head start now so you can relax and not feel frazzled once the holiday season arrives.
Clean Out Your Clothes Closet
As the cooler weather approaches, September is the best time to organize your clothes closet.

- Get your fall clothes front and center so you can see what still fits, needs to be sewn or laundered.
- If your closet is dark and you have a light inside it, change out the lightbulb to a 100 watt daylight LED to brighten it so you can see better.
- When you figure out what you are going to keep, make a list of what items and accessories you can buy to complement what you already own.
Go On a Dream Drive
Jump in your car, and while you still can… put the top down, open the sunroof and/or all the windows and take a drive around an area or street with beautiful homes.

You may not be able to live in the homes you see along your drive, but you can takeaway plenty of inspiration to add a little bit of what you like to your own home.

For instance, I look for ideas on how I can enclose an area in the front of my house to hide the garbage cans.

What Do You Enjoy?
Create a list of the things you would like to do in September. Check them off as you do each one so you can see at the end of the month you got both the fun items as well as your “must-do” list accomplished.
Spend some time to reflect on the things that make you feel good, inspired and confident.
Make a list… Do more of these things everyday: Here is a TO-DO List FREE PRINTABLE for you.
Do you love September as much as I do? What do you like to do before the cooler days of fall arrive? Make sure to make time for them.
More Fall Posts You May Enjoy Reading
- Low-Budget, But Cozy Living Room Decor Ideas for Fall
- Early Fall Decorating Style Starters
- Decorate Your Fall Fireplace Mantel Like a Designer