Instead of searching for new recipes every week, make a list of 10 or so easy dinners your family already likes. It doesn’t have to be exciting. It just has to get everyone fed!

Recently, we celebrated the first day of school, and as I welcomed a brand-new group of second graders into my classroom, I greeted everyone with a cheerful, “Happy New Year!”
I know, I know. The calendar says September, not January.
But as a teacher, the beginning of a new school year has always felt a lot like the start of a new year to me.
There are new faces, new schedules and new routines.
The slower, less-structured days of summer give way to alarm clocks, packed lunches, practices, homework and calendars that suddenly seem a whole lot fuller.
I’m already feeling tired but in a good way. I did something productive.
Do I miss being able to stay up, sleep in and stay in my pajamas with my favorite basset hound in my lap?
Of course. But in many ways, the reset is just what I need.
September gives us a chance to settle back into routines, take a look at what is — and isn’t — working in our everyday lives, and make a few small changes before the hectic holiday season sneaks up on us.
And unlike January, when we sometimes feel pressure to make big resolutions and completely reinvent ourselves, a September reset can be much simpler. The cooler temperatures don’t hurt, either!
So before fall gets into full swing, I’m hitting the reset button in a few areas of my own life.
Here are seven simple September resets that might make your days a little easier, too.
Reset Your Calendar
September has a funny way of going from zero to 60. School starts, sports and activities return, appointments pile up, and before we know it, October is staring us in the face.
Take a few minutes to look beyond this week and see what the next month or two holds.
Add the things you already know about — appointments, birthdays, school events, practices, days off and other commitments. I find that simply knowing what’s coming makes life feel a little less chaotic.
Sweet Simplicity Hack: Take a photo or screenshot of any paper schedules you receive and add important dates to your phone immediately. That permission slip sitting on the counter isn’t nearly as helpful as a reminder that pops up when you actually need it.
Reset Your Meals
After a summer of vacations, cookouts, eating on the go and plenty of “What do you want for dinner?” conversations,
September is a great time to simplify weeknight meals. Instead of searching for new recipes every week, make a list of 10 or so easy dinners your family already likes.
Tacos, spaghetti, breakfast for dinner, grilled cheese and soup — it doesn’t have to be exciting. It just has to get everyone fed!
Sweet Simplicity Hack: Before grocery shopping, plan meals around what you already have in your freezer and pantry. You’ll save money, waste less food and probably discover a few things you forgot you bought. Some of my friends like to do a “No Spend September” and you can absolutely combine that freezer purge with your own challenge — you will appreciate that savings when it comes time for Christmas shopping!
Reset One Cluttered Space
Notice I said “one.” September does not require a whole-house organizing project!
Choose the spot that causes you the most frustration every day.
Maybe it’s the kitchen counter where everything lands, the entryway overflowing with shoes, your bathroom cabinet or even your car.
Set a timer for 20 or 30 minutes and tackle just that space.
Sometimes one small area that’s functioning better makes the whole house feel a little more manageable.
Sweet Simplicity Hack: Set a timer for 20 minutes and grab an empty laundry basket. Anything that belongs somewhere else goes into the basket. When your timer goes off, walk through the house and put those items away.
Reset Your Morning
You don’t need a 5 a.m. wake-up call, meditation session and color-coded morning checklist to make mornings run more smoothly.
Thank goodness — the night owl in me runs strong!
Instead, think about the one thing that repeatedly causes stress. Are you looking for keys?
Making lunches at the last minute? Searching for something to wear?
Running back inside for the water bottle someone forgot?
Fix that one thing.
Sweet Simplicity Hack: Do a five-minute “tomorrow prep” before bed. Check the weather and calendar, put anything that needs to leave the house by the door and make sure you know what you’re wearing. Five minutes at night can save 15 frantic ones in the morning. For me, having my breakfast and lunch prepped makes such a difference in whether I walk into school relaxed and ready to face the day — or roll into that parking lot on three wheels, playing catch up all day!
Reset Your Spending
Summer can be expensive. Vacations, day trips, eating out and back-to-school shopping all add up, making September a perfect time for a little financial reset.
This doesn’t have to mean a strict no-spend month. Simply pay attention again.
Look through your subscriptions, check recent spending and decide where you can pull back for a few weeks.
Sweet Simplicity Hack: Try a “use what we have” week. Shop your pantry, freezer and bathroom cabinets before buying more. It’s amazing how many meals — and how much shampoo — we already own.
Reset Your Evening
A calmer morning often starts the night before.
I’m not suggesting spending an hour cleaning the house every evening.
In fact, I’d suggest the opposite. Give yourself 10 minutes.
Clear the kitchen counter. Load the dishwasher. Put away whatever has accumulated in the main living area.
Check tomorrow’s calendar and plug in the devices everyone will need.
Then stop.
Sweet Simplicity Hack: Set a ten-minute timer and involve everyone who lives in the house. You’d be surprised how much a family can accomplish when everyone knows they’re only cleaning until the timer goes off.
Reset Something Just for You
Not every reset needs to make us more organized or productive.
Think about something that makes you feel more like yourself that may have gotten pushed aside during the busyness of summer.
Maybe it’s reading before bed, taking an evening walk, working on a hobby, calling a friend, sitting outside with your morning coffee or simply going to bed a little earlier.
Put one of those things back into your routine.
September may feel like a new year, but that doesn’t mean we need a whole new version of ourselves.
Sometimes the best reset is simply figuring out what makes life work a little better — and making room for more of it.
Because before we know it, the holidays will be here.
And if a few simple September resets can help us head into that busy season feeling a little more organized, a little less rushed and a little more present, I’d say that’s a pretty sweet way to start the “new year.”
(Editor’s Note: Kristine George is a freelance journalist who resides in Easton.)