Whether you’re ready for cooler temps or you’re trying to soak up the last few days of summer, fall is approaching. And winter is following closely behind, ready to fill our schedules with all the craziness of the holiday season. Since we can’t slow down time, our best bet is to do what we can now to get organized before the winter wind howls and the holidays smack us (lovingly) in the face. My favorite way to do just that is through a September reset.
I began doing a month-long September reset a few years ago after I realized that panic-organizing in one weekend was doing more harm than good, and it changed the game for me. I used to feel like I had to re-organize my entire life by September 1 to feel “successful,” but that just caused more anxiety and stress, which then spilled over into the busyness of the holiday season. Now, I take the entire month to intentionally reset my space, routines, and priorities and check off a few tasks to prepare for the upcoming holiday season and year-end transition. Keep scrolling for a gentle yet effective September reset that will help you get organized and prepared before life gets crazy.
Your September reset checklist
This September reset is divided into four main categories: your space, your routines, your priorities, and planning ahead. Feel free to use these, or adjust as needed to fit your lifestyle. The idea is to focus on one category per week, and one reset task within that category per day. Each category has four tasks, which means some to-dos can spill over to the next day if need be. This structure will help you fit these tasks into your life rather than require you to set aside an entire weekend to get everything done. Make this work for you! Your September reset should feel intentional, restorative, and doable.
Week one: Reset your space
Anytime I do a reset of any kind, I always begin with my physical space. I can’t think straight when clutter and lingering household tasks start to pile up. September is also the perfect time to take inventory of your home and note items needed for the fall and winter, whether that be travel gear, hosting essentials, or simple household items that need an upgrade (I’m looking at you, stained dishtowels!).
Do a speed declutter
Amid a summer full of vacations and fun plans, it’s easy to let clutter pile up at home. As you prep for fall, it’s time to get rid of those items you don’t really need. You don’t need to do a day-long deep clean, but go through junk drawers, closets, and other areas where clutter tends to accumulate and get rid of any unwanted items. (P.S. Make sure to include your car if you have one!) Donate what you can and discard the rest.
READ: Fall Is the Perfect Time to Declutter: 10 Ways to Reset This Season
Transition your closet and wardrobe
I know it’s tempting to hit the stores the moment you feel that first drop in temp, but take inventory of what you have first. Your wallet will thank you! Try on your fall and winter clothing and make note of what fits, what needs mending, and what needs replacing before you shop for new clothes. Tip: I recommend trying on full outfits while you do this. Not only is it fun, but it gives you ideas for how you can style your existing wardrobe for the season. If there are some new fall trends you have your eye on, see how you can recreate them with what you have before buying anything new.
Reset your kitchen and pantry
Between preparing holiday meals and whipping up cozy recipes on chilly evenings at home, fall and winter usually call for more time spent in the kitchen. Before cold-weather cooking commences, go through your pantry and kitchen and discard any expired ingredients (such as canned goods, spices, or baking supplies) and make a list of replacements needed. Then, head to the market and stock up. That way, when you’re ready to make a recipe, you don’t have to venture out into the cold weather for that baking soda you forgot you ran out of.
Restock cold and flu season essentials
I love that fall brings cooler weather and fewer bugs. I hate that it also brings the cold and flu season right along with it. Before that first sickness of the season, take stock of your wellness (and illness) necessities. Clean out your medicine cabinet, make a list of what you need to restock, and head to the store to grab what you need. Make sure you have a stash of not only things like cold meds and multivitamins, but also plenty of cleaning supplies and hand sanitizer.
Week two: Reset your routines
Fall brings earlier sunsets, new standing appointments and events, and other changes to your routines, so week two of your September reset is all about organizing your life admin. Set aside an hour or so per day this week to look at your calendar and arrange your schedule, systems, and appointments for the season. Make it cozy by lighting a candle and grabbing your favorite warm beverage to enjoy while you work.
Revamp your routines for fall
Before every season shift, I adjust my morning, evening, and weekend routines to match my needs in the upcoming season. Heading into fall, this looks like changing my workout schedule to accommodate my kids’ schedule change and the fact that it gets darker earlier (bye-bye, 5:30 a.m. runs). I also adjust our evening meal times so we can get to bed earlier and tighten up my weekend schedule so I’m prepared for the week ahead without feeling stressed. Today, take a look at your routines and make any changes to meet your needs and lifestyle for the colder months.
Put some systems in place
Establishing some systems now will help things run more smoothly when life gets chaotic. This will look different for everyone, depending on your lifestyle and needs, but there are tons of ways to put life tasks on autopilot. Create a list of default recipes or batch-cook some freezer meals for nights when you have zero time to cook. Outline a weekly reset routine so Sundays aren’t stressful. Or develop a chore system, household restock list, or shared family calendar to get everyone on the same page. The goal isn’t to automate your entire life; it’s to eliminate a few recurring decisions so you have more energy for the things that matter.
Book the appointments you’ve been putting off
Before your schedule fills up, make a list of all of the appointments you’ve been meaning to make and set aside an hour to get them all booked. Whatever needs to be scheduled (annual physical, well-woman exam, dentist appointment, car maintenance, home repairs, etc.), get it scheduled today.
Get your fall and holiday travel on the calendar
Traveling for the holidays? Have some work trips coming up? Get the flights and hotels booked now before you forget or prices go up again. Put all the info on your calendar now, including any days you need to block off for travel prep, so you don’t accidentally book an appointment or friend hang when you need to be packing. Not traveling this season? Cool! If family or friends are headed your way, get their itineraries on your calendar now so you can make time to prepare for their arrival.
Week three: Reset your priorities
Now that you’ve cleared your space and adjusted your schedule, it’s time to reset your priorities for the fall and winter. With these next few months being the busiest of the year, it’s so important to establish what does—and doesn’t—get your attention now so you don’t accidentally overdo it later. (Been there, done that, don’t recommend it.)
Revisit your goals for the year
Quick confession: I’m not a big New Year’s goals kind of girlie. I like to make quarterly goals and intentions because that feels more realistic and doable to me. So, during my September reset, I set my Q4 goals and intentions. Whatever your approach—quarterly or new goals at the top of the year—use this month to check in with your goals and decide how you would like to close out the year. This can look like adjusting goals to meet your reality, deciding whether a goal still serves you or if it’s just stressing you out, or altering your approach to accomplishing a goal so that the rest of the year feels more manageable and aligned with what actually matters to you.
Choose 3-5 priorities for the rest of 2026
Separate from your goals, create a list of things to prioritize before the year’s end. These can be household tasks, work assignments, or personal projects and hobbies that you’ve been meaning to get to. The biggest thing is to keep it short. If you are aware of your top priorities now, you can put a plan in place to chip away at them and put other tasks on pause until the new year.
Make a “joy” list (and schedule time for it)
Just because summer is over, it doesn’t mean the fun has to end. Autumn brings its own set of cozy joys, from that first sip of coffee on a cool, crisp morning to hearing the leaves crunch beneath your feet. This may be the busiest time of the year, but that’s why it’s even more important to schedule time for joy. Decide on a hobby to make a priority, call up an old friend and plan a girls’ day before your weekends book up, or schedule a fall beauty maintenance weekend. Tip: I love to have both weekly and monthly joys on my calendar. Your weekly joys can be small recurring activities, such as uninterrupted reading time or your Wednesday night Pilates class. Monthly joys can be something that needs more planning, like getting together with a friend.
Decide what you’re saying “no” to
Make a list of boundaries you need to set this season or what you’re saying “no” to. Whether it’s declining to attend a family event that makes you uncomfortable or refusing to fill your calendar up with every work event that crosses your desk, decide now what you’re not willing to let stress you out. And then stick to it.
Week four: Plan ahead for the rest of the year
The final week of your September reset is for holiday prep. By now, fall is starting to feel more like fall, so you may be more ready to accept the reality that the holidays are just a few more weeks away. You’ve got your home in order, your routines locked in, and your priorities established. Now you have the space to think about the holidays without the overwhelm.
Start your holiday gift list early
You don’t have to start shopping this early, but it’s a good idea to get a list started now. Write down the names of people you need to purchase gifts for and then begin jotting down ideas. I recommend keeping this list in your phone’s notes app so it’s easy to reference anytime. That way, when you’re out and about and something catches your eye, you can either grab it now or make a note of where you saw it and how much it costs so you can purchase it closer to the holidays.
Check your seasonal decor and essentials
Before you run to HomeGoods and purchase all the new pumpkin decor they just put out, pull out your current fall decorations and take inventory. Look for decorating inspo that fits what you already have and jot down any new items you want to add to your setup. The same goes for holiday decor and essentials related to hosting or travel. Do you need new guest towels? Is your fancy dishware chipped? Could your tablecloths use some help? Include all of this in your inventory check so you know exactly what to look for when you’re out shopping.
Adjust your budget for the end of the year
Now that you’ve taken inventory of what you have, what you need to replace, and started gathering some gift ideas, it’s time to budget. Take some time to create a budget specifically for the last few months of the year (or adjust your existing one accordingly). Make sure to account for gifts, decor, seasonal activities, self-care, and travel. It all adds up, so having a plan heading into the season can help you keep your spending in check.
Schedule some downtime
After all your upcoming events, travel, and appointments are officially booked and on the calendar, look at your availability and book time to rest as you would book a meeting. Make sure that time is blocked off so you don’t accidentally schedule over it in the coming weeks. I always remind myself that even though the fall and winter tend to be our busiest months, this is the time of year when we are technically supposed to be turning inward and slowing down. Rest always deserves to be a priority, so be sure to make it one.
And there you have it: four weeks and 16 manageable tasks to help you set yourself up for a fall and winter season you can actually enjoy without scrambling, overspending, or feeling completely overwhelmed. As I mentioned before, feel free to adjust or change any of the tasks to fit your lifestyle. For example, if you know you’re not traveling or hosting for the holidays, change up those tasks to something else that will bring calm, ease, and joy to your home—whatever that may look like for you. Here’s to a calmer, cozier autumn and holiday season.
Caroline Sumlin, Contributing Writer
Caroline Sumlin is a writer, author, and content creator specializing in topics ranging from self-worth, lifestyle, wellness, motherhood, education, society, and culture. Caroline received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism from Howard University in Washington, DC. Driven by her passion for freedom and justice, Caroline crafts articles that urge readers to reflect more deeply and critically about themselves, their lives, and the world around them.
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