The summer of ‘18 was full of highs and lows, and I’m absolutely feeling ready to hit the “refresh” button. Whether you had the summer of a lifetime or a so-so season, September is always a great time for new possibilities and fresh beginnings. For me, this September is the new January.

With school back in full swing and a new fashion season, I’m planning on taking a ‘back to school’ mentality starting September off with a clean slate. After all, we’re programmed at young ages to think about September as the beginning of a new year. When we were in school,  it was always about what needed to be accomplished by the end of the year. Now, it’s time to focus, set new goals and get prepped to take on new challenges. On my to-do list for September? Declutter, re-organize and refresh my pantry and closets.

Declutter
When I was getting my recipes together last week for the holidays, making lists of what I needed to replenish and seeing what I already had, I figured it would be the perfect time to check the expiration dates on my spices, seasonings, oils, and condiments and get rid of those that had already expired. Time intensive as it may be, this tasty project prepares me for all the holiday cooking that comes after fall rolls into town.

Elsewhere in the Eskowitz home, I’m changing things up in my closet. I plan on putting away the summer pieces that I won’t wear at all this fall. Of course, that’s easier said than done in LA. It tends to be kind of hard getting into that fall fashion mode living among palm trees and ocean breezes. I think that’s why I haven’t given up my white jeans yet, but I am definitely incorporating darker colors into my transitional wardrobe. Last night marked the return of black denim!

Speaking of seasonal closet clean-outs: Have you heard of the 80/20 rule? When it comes to clothing, we typically only wear 20 percent of the clothes we own 80 percent of the time. Your mission should be to get rid of the things you don’t use 80 percent of the time. A few decluttering tips:

1. Put a large shopping bag in your closet. When you come across a piece of clothing that you’re ready to get rid of, you can toss that item in the bag to donate. You may want to put another bag in your closet for potential consignment items.

2. Try the Oprah Winfrey closet hanger experiment. Hang all of your clothes with the hangers in the reverse direction facing the wrong way. After you wear an item, then return it to the closet with the hanger facing the correct direction. After 6 months, you’ll have a clear  idea of which items you don’t wear - and it’ll be easier to say, “Adios!”

3. Buy Marie Kondo’s book The Life-Changing Magic Of Tidying Up, or her latest read called Spark Joy. She is an organizing expert with a cult following and has sold millions of books for a reason.

Organize
I find it much easier to organize after the decluttering process has been done. We all have our different organizing methods, but whether you organize your spices alphabetically or organize your clothes by color and style, I’m certain that we’re all happier when our life is put together. Believe it or not,  Psychology Today and Web MD share that people are more likely to feel out of control when they surround themselves with more things than they can manage. In other words, mess causes stress. The best cure? Store like items together and close to where you will use them as this will reduce little stresses in your everyday life. Cleaning and organizing your closets, pantry, rooms or office is guaranteed to improve your life. No more wasting time looking for things you can’t find.

Refresh
After the decluttering and organizing process is complete, it’s a lot easier to see everything you actually have and assess what you need more of. It’s the perfect time to restock your pantry shelves with fresh items and treat yourself to a few pieces of clothing to freshen up your fall wardrobe. I don’t know if you feel the same way, but for me, there’s no better feeling than starting off September with a clean slate, just like those olden school days...

Some Things I’m looking forward to this September………

• Buying a darker shade of lipstick

• Putting on a cozy sweater

• Baked apples

• Wearing boots

• Pumpkin lattes

• Leather jackets

• Chilly nights

• Binge-watching a new TV series

Let me know what you're looking forward to this September in the comments section below.

Smooch!

xx Barbara