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The first morning when the air offers hints of autumn’s arrival, no matter how many more days and weeks remain in summer, a switch flips within me. I start to think of the first outfit of the school year even though I no longer step back into the classroom to teach, so pondering items needed to add to fill in the fall wardrobe’s gaps. The details of everyday life that are depended upon without having to think about them, each bringing ease and more enjoyment to a full schedule as light in the days slips away gradually as we slide toward winter. That too is a comfort, as cozying in more readily – lighting candles, tucking in under throws, and hunting for porch pumpkins – is then just around the corner.
At this point, we have the warmth of late summer, daylight that still stretches into evening, no need yet for tussling with heavy coats or pulling on boots, and we are still seemingly free to ponder what is needed, what would be appreciated, and what is loved about the season to come. La Rentrée’s arrival is discussed with dependable regularity here on TSLL at about this time each year, as it is a ritual each year in my own life to sit down, pull out my planner and lists, and assess.
Assess what, you may be asking?
What is working?
What has caused exhaustion? Then asking myself, can I improve this, iron it out or tweak it in some way?
What ‘lifestyle grocery items‘ need to be restocked before they run out? And are those items still working or do I need to adjust the items I use with regularity?
Is my work and life schedule working for me?
How do I want to grow/challenge myself?
What gives me stability? And am I consciously investing in it?
So much of what we do, now, pre-autumn, is in preparation for what has the potential to be a great new year. And I say, ‘new year’ because it really is an advantageous time of year to begin. In fact, it is where my new book Savoring the Sojourn begins the journey of creating a masterpiece. And while I will let you read the book to discover why, within the book, we talk about in detail the laying the groundwork for an auspicious creative cycle to begin, whatever or however your ‘creativity’ emerges.
And so, it was last week, on a late summer afternoon, that I snuggled into my sofa (as the photo above captured), plopping down with my planner and other necessary journals and lists, prepared a teapot of tea and some Hobnobs to nibble on, and went to work on assessing how to prepare for La Rentrée. A time of year when we step back into a more regular work and/or school routine, where TSLL kicks off a new season of the blog (we are beginning the 17th season here on TSLL), and when a genuine feeling of possibility fills the air. Can you feel it too?
Below is a list of 16 things that I tended to this year, as each year is a bit different if we pay conscious attention to our life, what we need, how we’ve grown and how we wish to continue to grow, as well as the life that brings us to life. May they provide inspiration for your own preparation for an auspicious la rentrée with September’s beginning next week.
1. Slightly adjusting my work schedule
In last year’s la rentrée post, I shared how I was changing my work week. Quite significantly, after having continued with the traditional M-F for work and Saturday and Sunday for weekends, even after retiring from teaching in 2021. Finally, I realized – if it doesn’t work well for me, why am I doing it? Now, I am reflecting on one year of following my schedule.
The great news is that I thoroughly loved it. It supported the content creation and my energy levels much better. The one change I am making has to do with when I clean my house. I give my house, Le Papillon, a deep, thorough clean once a month (tidying up and spot cleaning as needed in between), and I was doing this on one of my days off. But I disliked taking a near half a day away from my weekend. Remembering this feeling, I am changing my schedule to include the monthly cleaning at the end of my work week (still once a month). This way, even though my mind will be exhausted, it really isn’t needed to clean the house. A physical task that, upon its completion, leaves me relieved, grateful, and ready to step into a weekend with a clean house.
2. Restocking my skincare and makeup items, and assessing which I still love, making changes as necessary
While some of my items for both skincare and makeup (haircare too) are on automation, some are not because I don’t need to repurchase as frequently. And as I shared in this Ponderings . . . post with Premier members this summer, one product in particular wasn’t cutting the mustard and so I was needing a stronger product. Turns out Premier members, I am loving my new lotion that was shared in the post. Highly recommend it if you too are looking for a more deeply moisturizing body cream.
3. Stocking up my tea cupboard and trying something new
The timing just happened to occur while I was tending to this list, but my regular Palais des Thès Montagne Bleue tea needed restocking, so I purchased more and, this time, also bought a box of tea bags so I always have some tucked in my handbag, tote, and for travel. I also ordered a pouch of a new tea that I loved after trying a sample: Tea of Lords (Earl Grey).
4. Stock up on Nelle’s food and supplies
From her favorite dried salmon skin cubes (Chewy has many options) to her shampoo for sensitive skin, and dog food, she is now stocked up and ready, without any lapses of Mom (me) not having her favorite treat each day we step into the office. (see photo of her treat canister in the office that sits on my desk)
5. Candles, making sure I have what I love
Over the years, I have shared that I have a candle cupboard, and last year, I shared how I keep tall beeswax tapers stocked to place in various brass candlesticks around the home (see below). The latter is an affordable habit and ensures I always have candlelight when I want to wind down the day and really sink into comfort. Actual candles full of scent, and specialty ones at that, are a treat, and as often French Week will inspire me to pick up one or two favorite French candles. And so I spoiled myself this year and purchased my first Trudon, but found some savings so I didn’t have to pay full price (shop here and use APP10 to save 10% – may need to purchase on the app; I purchased Cyrnos, the regular size, as I wanted a slight lavender scent).
These two brass candlesticks in the living room are a pair that will hold various colors of candlesticks depending on the season (or what I have left in my candle cupboard ;)).
6. Taking any clothes or accessories to be tailored or zhushed up (dry clean, resoled, etc.)
In Part Sept(7) of the Lifetime Wardrobe series, we focused on belts, and I shared that one of the new belts I purchased need to be shortened. So I scheduled an appointment with the tailor, and took it in last week. I was delighted to discover that this particular belt provides ease of tailoring as the belt buckle comes off, so no restitching is necessary or making of new belt holes. I was thrilled! And my pocketbook was too, as the tailor did the quick slicing off of the excess belt leather right there at that moment, and it only cost $10. Wahoo!
What I learned was that many quality belts and brands provide this ability so that you can rest assured the belt you buy will fit you. So, when in doubt, purchase a longer belt than you think you need, and if it is Ferragamo, as it was for me in this situation, know that their belt buckles easily come off with a snap, and you can size it at home if you feel comfortable and have a sharp cutting utensil.
7. Travel tote stocked and ready
I don’t have plane tickets to travel anywhere yet (but am working on it!), and while I usually restock my travel tote as soon as I arrive home from a trip to make sure I don’t forget, this time before September provides a window to double-check. Having duplicates of things that I use and don’t want to forget is important. For example, making sure my razor is packed and not having to take the one I have from home ensures that if it’s taken at security (because I have forgotten about it in the past), I know I will have one at home when I return. 🙂
The razor I love has been discontinued, so I am now looking at this one, but have yet to decide (yes, I know it’s a men’s brand, but be sure to check the description). Will let you know in a future Ponderings . . . post what I discover.
8. Improving my internet speed/connection/reach and pricing
Working from home, as many of us do, requires an internet connection and accessibility that supports our working life well. When I moved across town now six+ years ago, I noticed a reduction in the speed of connection even though with the same company; however, I stayed with as I had other things that were more pressing and didn’t really have many other options at the time. Fast forward to today, and the ability to connect to the internet via 5G towers is more readily available (depending upon where you live). And while I am still test-driving this change (I chose T-Mobile’s internet), so far it is going very well. Three benefits that I have appreciated:
- half the price of what I was paying
- faster connection
- able to connect to the internet even while I sit outdoors in the garden from all of my outdoor ‘rooms’ (something I wasn’t able to do before
9. Clean out the fridge
Not necessarily something that has to coincide with la rentrée, but something that feels great when the schedule picks up a bit and the food you want is easy to find in a hustle. A clean fridge – tidied, organized. This task has now become far easier since I purchased my Bertazzoni fridge 18 months ago (tour it all here), as there are no nooks and crannies for food and crumbs to slip into, and everything is easy to remove and wash.
10. Start assessing garden plants (and plans) for next year
The new bulbs for spring will arrive next month, but already the new irises have arrived and have been planted (they need to go in the ground in July or August to establish their roots before cooler temps arrive). And as the garden is in full bloom, it is the best time to assess what is needed, what is working well, and how we would like to change it. Garden centers as well have great discounts, and if a plant or tree is available that you have been wanting to add, scoop up the savings and purchase it now. Look for August’s gardening post later this week here on the blog to see what I have been contemplating and the tasks I have been up to this month.
11. The upcoming seasonal wardrobe – what is needed?
A significant reason I am writing and sharing the 12-part Lifetime Wardrobe is to reduce the need to shop so intensely this time of year and in early spring. When we have what we love and need for our everyday life (investment items, tailored to our bodies), then all we really need to do is replace, or occasionally fill a gap. I know I am getting closer to this happening, and this year the items that remain on my list to be worn in autumn are ankle boots. I was thrilled (to say the least) when the pair I had on my list went on sale at Net-a-Porter by chance. So I scooped them up. Will be sharing more about boots in Part Neuf of the Lifetime Wardrobe series later in September.
12. Setting my monthly intentions for the month ahead, using the new TSLL Autumn Notepads
Back in June, when Premier members had a choice of which design they preferred for the notepad that would be chosen as the free gift to pair with TSLL’s new book, the Monthly Intentions notepads were an option. There were four designs (one for each season), each with a different illustration that you will find in the book, Savoring the Sojourn. This one is the autumn illustration (Premier members, I will be walking through all the details of each illustration found in the book in September’s A Cuppa Moments, and sharing the inspiration for each). And as some members asked if these Monthly Intentions notepads might become available even though they weren’t chosen as the free gift, I wanted to make that possible.
So! Here is a preview of what will be available in limited supply until they are sold out, beginning Tuesday, September 1st (Premier members will receive a discount for the first week of the release). The notepad has 50 pages, a magnet on the back, eight checkable boxes and lines, all set atop the backdrop of the Autumn illustration by Sarah Lœcker (potentially, the other seasons may become available in the future based on the response).
What I began doing late last year was setting monthly intentions to both keep me focused and remind me to savor the everydays, even while I made progress on larger projects. I found it helpful and quite rewarding to be able to check them off or show progress by month’s end. With a month being quite some time compared to a check-off list of a day’s to-dos, it can be easier to forget all that we have accomplished and what we wish to focus on to make us feel both accomplished and content with how we engaged with our daily life. So! Mark your calendars if you are interested, as the Autumn Monthly Intentions notepads will go on sale Tuesday, September 1st.
~If you are viewing this post after September 1st, you can shop the Notepads here in TSLL’s Notepad shop.
13. The workout schedule – how does it feel?
For two years now, I have been jogging/running once a week along with my twice-weekly sprint interval interval training and weekly yoga. And I have to share with you that, partly because Nelle LOVES our running/jogging sessions so much and, therefore, I like them even more, I am trying to find a time to add a second jogging session to my schedule. Again, still trying to figure this one out, but it does feel amazing when I finish it, and Nelle is a very happy camper, so my motivation is there. We will see if I can add it somewhere (it has to be an off-leash area for Nelle, as that is what she loves about it, so that limits our options, but Bend has many of these, so we can do it).
14. Books, books and more books!
This inclusion has been present on nearly every la rentrée post, so it will not surprise you to see it again. This go-round however, I am adding my new library to my list of resources for picking up books that I am less likely to read twice, but still want to read, as I already have piles of books sitting around Le Papillon with no home on a shelf. We have a gorgeous new central library here in Bend, and the books they have available are vast, which is what impressed me and encouraged me to check out items from them more often.
As far as the books I am purchasing (I try to always have at least one fiction and one non-fiction), see photos below: This new release will be out soon for mystery lovers, and I have preordered my copy, and I am currently engrossed with this book that I am 99% confident will inspire a podcast episode in the future.
15. Empty, file (Organize & Clean-Out) my computer desktop and email
I tend to do this at least twice a year, sometimes three, but always in August before September ushers in the new season of the blog. This takes time, but it also gives me the opportunity to reflect, remember, and appreciate all that has transpired, been brought to completion, how I have grown, or what I have learned. It also reminds me of the many photos I take and how I really need to organize them better from the get-go! 🙂
Once I do this, I also try to put into place better systems of organizing up front when it comes to photos, for example, so I place them in their desired desktop folder from the beginning and don’t have to do it again. Similarly with emails. Once I am done with them, or don’t need them (shipping reminders, for example), I need to habituate putting them in the trash. Simple, absolutely doable, and very helpful in the long run to reduce mental and computer clutter.
16. Don’t forget to make room (and time) for the fun regularly scheduled events and meet-ups
During the past two months, I put my head down, figuratively speaking, to work with focus to bring all four formats to completion by tomorrow’s publication date (something I was never able to do before due to my teaching schedule – the audiobook was always released later). This meant much of my ‘off-time’ from regular blog content was given to recording the audiobook. That meant that Scrabble, a weekly meet-up I thoroughly enjoy, had to be paused. Well, no longer! Nelle and I returned this past week, and what a fun time we had. Not because I did well (one game was horrendous), but because sharing time with this crew of word-loving folks is a true joy, and they and the game were dearly missed.
This list really could go on and on. And in fact, it does, and in depth, in my new book Savoring the Sojourn (being released tomorrow!). So I will leave it there for now, and may your La Rentrée be much anticipated with you prepared and eager to step back into the life you love living when all engines are firing after a restful summer holiday.
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