| Although the truly hectic part of fall | | | | video games, shopping, Internet, etc.) |
| doesn't really start until the end of | | | | than we normally do. |
| October for most people, you don't want | | | | While some of these things may translate |
| to be tripping over summer over the next | | | | into our everyday lives without any |
| couple of months. So, take this time to | | | | visible problem, many of these habits |
| store, put away or organize your summer | | | | are not healthy ones to carry over into |
| items and clothing, souvenirs, photos, | | | | the fall. In fact, several of the ones |
| etc. It's also a good time to shift | | | | I've mentioned have a horrible circular |
| some of your habits and those of your | | | | effect. We eat less healthy foods so we |
| family from "vacation" mode to "normal" | | | | have less energy. So, we don't exercise |
| mode. | | | | as much and we watch more TV. Because |
| Summer Items and Clothing | | | | of the sugar and caffeine, we end up |
| Once the summer is over, is it really | | | | staying up later and have trouble |
| necessary to keep the beach towels, | | | | getting up in the morning. We feel |
| inflatable rafts, and water slides out? | | | | sluggish, slow and not up to par during |
| If you are one of those people who live | | | | the day, so we consume more caffeine and |
| where the weather and lifestyle | | | | sugar and put off doing more of what |
| accommodates these things year-round, | | | | needs to be done and so on. |
| then this section does not apply to you. | | | | It's a dangerous cycle to get into. The |
| For the rest of us, who have distinct | | | | next thing you know, your home is a |
| seasons, we really need to clean up and | | | | total wreck and you have become a couch |
| pack away these things until next year. | | | | potato with little to no desire to do |
| The same goes for summer clothing. Ask | | | | anything and experiencing little joy in |
| yourself before storing it if you intend | | | | the process. It's perfectly OK to "take |
| to wear the clothes next year. Also, | | | | a vacation". The key is not to take it |
| check to see if the children's things | | | | to excess. |
| will even fit them by the time next | | | | Prepare to "fall" into the next season |
| summer comes around. If not, why take | | | | Even as you are packing away the summer, |
| up the storage space? Donate it or get | | | | it's a great time to start prepping what |
| rid of it now. | | | | you'll need for fall. You don't want to |
| Souvenirs and Photos | | | | get caught off guard by the first bad |
| People often come back from summer | | | | storm of the season or the first really |
| holidays with mementoes of their days | | | | cool day. Start making arrangements now |
| away. Who wants to deal with | | | | to turn off the air conditioning and |
| undeveloped rolls of film, jars filled | | | | turn on the furnace or heater. Make |
| with beach sand and shells, and numerous | | | | sure that your car is ready for autumn. |
| brochures, ticket stubs and receipts | | | | Things like windshield wipers may have |
| from summer's attractions in October? | | | | dried out with the summer heat and may |
| Don't put it off. | | | | crumble during the first downpour |
| Back to "Normal" | | | | leaving you struggling to see out of |
| During the summer, many of us tend to | | | | your front windshield. Begin unpacking, |
| get lazy on a variety of fronts. | | | | airing out and cleaning your fall |
| Chanting the mantra "I'm on VACATION!", | | | | clothing items and linens, checking at |
| we eat less healthy, we stay up later | | | | the same time to see if any are obsolete |
| and sleep in later, we put off chores, | | | | or unusable. Just doing some of these |
| we dress more casually, we exercise less | | | | things ahead of time can save you a lot |
| (except for kids who probably exercise | | | | of scrambling later, allowing you the |
| more!), and we spend much more time on | | | | time instead to fully enjoy the season. |
| entertainment (DVD rentals, movies, | | | | |