School buses are back on the road and imagined or not, traffic seems worse. Regardless of whether your family has kids, we can all benefit from a few fall chores that will make this transition a bit easier on the soul.

• Update your bedroom. A new duvet cover or set of sheets can make your room feel like the oasis it should be. If you’re feeling the need for a more significant change, consider a new paint color.
• Purge. It feels so good to get unused items out of the house! If you haven’t worn something in 6 months, donate it.
• Evaluate the family calendar. Find a smart-phone calendar system that will work within your family so important dates don’t get missed. If you’re old school, get a large calendar for the frig or wall that will be a visible reminder for everyone of what’s on tap for the week.
• Meal prep and freezer meals. Life only gets busier, so it’s great if you can plan ahead for the busiest of days. Prep a few meals in advance so you can just throw something in the oven instead of heading through the drive-through on the crazy days.
• Update the family photos. It’s likely that you captured some great shots this summer, now is a great time to get them printed and up on the wall before the holidays take precedence.
• Put together a plan for fall and winter exercise. With the it getting darker earlier in the evenings and later in the morning, it’s hard to find time to exercise.
• Figure out how you’re going to stay active with the change of season.

Most of all, enjoy the downtime that you have. Try a new restaurant, go for walks, play in the leaves. Happy fall!