The turning of the season is always a good time to take stock and reassess. Fall is traditionally a time for harvest, laying away what you’ll need for the coming winter.
In modern times, this season is perfect for paring down as well as stocking up, and preparing for holiday celebrations while planning for a fresh start in the new year.
With that in mind, here are six ways to simplify your life this fall.
Get a Grip on Your Budget
If the pandemic proved one thing, it’s that you should maintain an emergency fund and keep an eye on your household budget. However, if you’re one of the many Americans living paycheck to paycheck, you might wonder why you should bother when you rarely, if ever, have anything left after paying bills.
However, examining your income and expenses can reveal savvy ways you can save. For example, refinancing your vehicle or refinancing your home could cut down on what you owe over the life of the loan, saving you money each month. That’s found cash you can use to pad your savings if your stimulus stash has already dwindled.
Review Your Insurance Coverage
Another savvy money move to make this fall is reviewing your insurance coverage. If you lost work or had to move due to COVID-19, you might be eligible to re-enroll in new marketplace coverage if your new employer or circumstances leave you without a health policy.
Please don’t risk bankruptcy — illness and accidents don’t discriminate. Plus, many insurance carriers no longer waive charges for COVID-related expenses, and experts still don’t know for sure what will happen with the delta variant.
You should also review your auto and renter’s or homeowner’s policy. If you haven’t had any accidents, ask your carrier if you’re eligible for a discount. Did you invest in a bunch of equipment to work from home during the pandemic? You might want to increase your property coverage in case of theft.
Organize Your Living Space
If your home has started to fray at the seams since your last quarantine cleaning binge, it’s time to organize. Doing so before the start of the new year lets you begin 2022 on a fresh note.
Start with your garage. It doesn’t take much carpentry skill to hang a pegboard for organizing small garden tools. Build high shelves to keep antifreeze and other chemicals away from little hands.
Then, tackle your closets. Make three piles — to keep, to donate or sell, and to repurpose or recycle. Pledge to practice one-in-one-out living by discarding an old item of clothing before buying something new.
Start a Daily Agenda
Do you want to supercharge your productivity? One of the best ways is to plan for each day in black and white. You can update your to-do list each evening before leaving work and make a master family schedule once a week.
What should you tackle first? Experts recommend “eating your frog” by scheduling your most burdensome chore first. Once that’s out of the way, the rest of your day will feel like a walk in the park.
Plan to Eat More Healthfully
You returned to the office, and you’ve had a killer day. You resolved to eat more healthfully, but you’re too exhausted to peel an onion, let alone fire up a wok. The drive-thru it is. But it doesn’t have to be if you get your meal-prep game on point. It all starts by looking at what you typically eat and discovering ways to streamline the process on your off days.
For example, if you live for salads, chop all your veggies and store them in stay-fresh containers so that all you need to do is blend the ingredients you want in a bowl. Then, stock your freezer with healthy microwavable home meals that provide far more nutrition than fast food.
Tackle Your Holiday Planning Early
Do you find yourself standing in line at 8 p.m. on December 24? Why not get an early start on your holiday shopping this year? That way, you can spend time mindfully selecting each gift for those you love instead of making do at the last minute.
If COVID-19 changes left you with an empty wallet, use this time to DIY. You can make thoughtful and useful items like homemade beauty products and stash them away until December.
Simplify Your Life This Fall With These 6 Ideas
Getting yourself organized and tidy makes you feel better and lets you go into the holidays and new year feeling accomplished. Simplify your life this fall with these six ideas!