10 THINGS TO DO IN SEPTEMBER TO SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE
September is a busy month of change. We transition from one season to another and head back into routine after the slower summer months. Here are 10 things to do in September to simplify your life.
SEPTEMBER IS A MONTH OF CHANGE
September has always felt like a month of change. Living in the UK, September heralds the change in seasons from warm to cool. My home, my clothes, my choice of what to cook for dinner and what grows in my garden all reflect the changing weather temperatures.
Now that I have children, September also marks the end of the summer school holidays and the beginning of a busy season and long winter school term.
In this article I’d like to suggest some things to do to declutter and simplify your life in September. Whether you have kids or not and whether your weather is getting warmer or cooler depending on where you live, I hope you find these tips helpful as we transition in different ways to begin a new season!
10 THINGS TO DO TO SIMPLIFY YOUR LIFE IN SEPTEMBER
Here are 10 things to do to declutter and simplify your life in September and create a little more ease and calm, even if life gets busy!
1. Declutter your home
Decluttering your home usually makes my top ten list of things to do each month! Not least because no matter how simplified your home, I think it’s always helpful to do a little routine maintenance declutter every month. It stops the clutter building up and makes your home so much easier to look after.
If you have young children, you might also notice how your home becomes dirtier and more cluttered during the holidays. We certainly have lots more art projects, Lego creations and bits of the garden bought in through our back door as my kids keep themselves busy over the summer!
Further reading: How to declutter your home in 30 days
2. Get clear on your boundaries
Boundaries are your invisible forcefield that protect you from having to make some of those millions of decisions you feel like you make every day. When school, work, family and time pressures (to name a few) build up as we get back into the swing of things after the holidays, it’s important to remain true to those boundaries.
Your boundaries could be about creating and making time for yourself, switching off from social media or your phone in the evenings, it could be saying no to shopping trips every weekend if you’re saving money. For more information on what boundaries are, how they help, how to set them and how to keep them, there’s a link below.
Further reading: How to set boundaries
3. Clean your car out
After a summer holiday which may have been filled with days out, if your car is anything like mine it will need a little clear out! Sort through the glove box, under and behind the seats and at the back of the car. Get a bag and remove all the rubbish. Decide on whether you’d like to keep anything handy in your car. I have umbrellas, baby wipes, spare change, tissues, a first aid kit, blanket and a brush!
4. Declutter your clothes
Whichever season you’re entering, now might be a good time to sort through your clothes. Put away any seasonal clothes that you aren’t or won’t be wearing this month. Organise the clothes that you will be wearing and create a few go-to outfits that you can throw on when you don’t have time to select your outfit for the day. These go-to outfits, kind of like a personal uniform, make my own mornings much easier! Make a note of any new or replacement items that you’d like to buy when you can.
Further reading: How to declutter your clothes in 10 easy steps
5. Get ready for school
If you have kids then you’ll be familiar with the back-to-school craziness. Your kids might even have gone back to school by the time you read this but in case you’re a little behind or need to re-think things, I’m including it here!
Getting organised for back-to-school means sorting the uniforms (including coats, shoes and PE kits). It also means getting those school bags ready with all the supplies they’ll need, doing planning and prep for packed lunches, checking all emails and communication from the school and ensuring it’s all signed and sent back. Perhaps you might even be thinking about after-school clubs, childcare options and transport. Plenty to think about! It might be helpful to brainstorm everything onto paper and then make a list of all these different points and tick them off as you go!
Further reading: How to simplify back to school and school routines
6. Check-in with your goals
This may seem like a strange addition to a list for September! However, I personally find that just setting annual goals can seem too long-term. If I do them in the New Year and then don’t check in with them (and myself) until the following New Year, I tend to find that I lose focus and motivation. It’s not just because I haven’t kept up with them, but sometimes, life changes and moves in a different direction. Those goals (and the steps we take to complete them) just feel a bit ‘off’ and when our goals don’t align with what we really want then they’re not very motivating!
Take a look at your goals and assess whether you’re on target to meet them and whether they still sit right with you and your current life.
Further reading: How to refresh your goals and why it matters
7. Tick off your monthly checklist
I created a simple checklist of things to do each month. It’s just a little tool to help you plan, prepare and make things easier for the month ahead. You can read the checklist here and get your own printable copy too!
8. Assess your morning routine
I’m a working parent so some elements of my day don’t really change even if my children are on holiday. I still have to go to work, juggle kids or childcare and I still have to get up before my kids so I can find a little peace and personal focus time to get a head-start on my day. However, I also know that it’s also easy to slip into holiday mode and be a little flexible on timings for getting up, and going to bed!
With this in mind, it might be a good moment to assess your own morning routine and make sure it’s supporting you to have the best day possible. Getting a good start is the key to success in many things in life and how you start your mornings is no exception!
Further reading: Minimalist morning routine tips to start the day well
9. Get outside
Whenever possible, get outside. Explore your local neighbourhood, plan a day-trip, take a walk. It doesn’t have to be big, long or expensive but time out in nature at this time of the year can be great. Where I live, I can see the tail-end of the summer flowers as they begin to wane and their changing colours and forms can be just as beautiful as the spring blossoms.
It’s a reminder that nothing stays the same in life, enjoy what you have whilst you have it and to enjoy the changing seasons in nature and in our day-to-day lives.
Further reading: How to enjoy the little things in life
10. Make a conscious effort to be less busy
For many of us, our diaries and our days tend to get busier this season. In my own life I know that the pace picks up for the kids at school and me at work. There’s also the extra homework, driving around, work projects, appointments and then, before we know it, it’s Christmas.
This month, I invite you to make a conscious effort to be less busy. Be mindful of what you say yes to, choose your commitments wisely and prioritise free time for yourself and family as much as you can. Avoid multi-tasking, get organised so you faff less and make a note of where you might be wasting time in your day. I’ve linked a post below which will give you some practical tips on how to be less busy!
Further reading: How to be less busy
Here are some more articles to help you declutter your home and simplify your life this September.
- 25 Ideas For a Simple Morning Routine to Kick-Start Your Day – A consistent morning routine can set you up for the day ahead and help you get physically and psychologically prepared for whatever that day has in store. Here are 25 ideas for a simple morning routine to kick-start your day on a positive, productive note.
- 25 Ways to Be More Organised at Home and in Life – Good time management is a great way of supporting a simple and intentional lifestyle. Check out this post for 25 ways to be more organised in your home and life to help you maximise your time and what you do with it.
- How to be Ruthless When Decluttering Clothes – Decluttering clothes is so much more than getting rid of a few shirts you don’t like. Here are some tips on how to be ruthless when decluttering clothes so you can create space, fun and flexibility with your wardrobe.
- Things to Declutter in August to Simplify Your Home and Life – Here are some ideas, projects and things to declutter in August. Let’s tackle decluttering your home, one project and one month at a time. Build good decluttering habits, grow your confidence and enjoy creating a home that really supports you and that stays clutter-free!
YOUR NEXT STEP…
I hope you enjoyed this article and it gave you some tips for 10 things to do in September to declutter and simplify your life this month!
Many of the points I shared are to do with evaluating your life, making the most of what you have now and consciously making an effort to have less stuff, whether that’s in your closet, your diary or on your task list.
Being aware of when your life gets cluttered is one thing, but knowing what to do about it is another! When we’re feeling out of sync or juggling too many balls, we can’t exactly stop juggling or ALL the balls will fall.
If you’d like to learn more about how to declutter your home, schedule, heart and mind, why not get your free copy of my Declutter Starter Kit.
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I’m Antonia and on this blog I share practical inspiration to simplify your home, time and life. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest! You can also subscribe to Balance Through Simplicity and receive regular simplicity tips straight to your inbox for free. Make sure you never miss an article plus you’ll get a copy of my free Declutter Starter Kit as a welcome gift!