Now is the time to… (pre-Fall 2012)

The summer has gone by quickly and school will be starting in just a few weeks! So this is the ideal time to do certain things in your home and for your family:

∞ Clean out your children’s clothing (and your own) to see what you need to purchase for the Fall.

I always shop ahead by buying things on clearance when a season is ending. However, there are always a few things we need at the beginning of a new season. So I pull out my boxes for the new season and take a brief inventory. Then I know what to look for when I am shopping (online or brick and mortar). See my post on “Staying on top of your kids’ clothing” for more tips. For your own clothing, see my post “New season, new(ish) wardrobe” for tips on making the most of your current wardrobe without spending a fortune each new season.

∞ Buy those school supplies!

As I mentioned in my post “School Supply Shopping Strategy,” you don’t have to spend a fortune to get all your kids’ needs if you shop smart.

∞ Shop the summer clearance sales.

Some stores have already cleared out their summer merchandise. For those that haven’t, look for deals on swimwear, summer toys and pools, picnic items, leftover Fourth of July items, and more.

∞ Get all your paperwork done for your children’s schooling or your own.

This might include emergency forms, re-enrollment forms, new tuition agreements, etc. You might also need to register for a child’s high school or college classes. You might even check out your local continuing education classes or look into finishing up your undergraduate or master’s degree. I hope to take another master’s class this Fall, too. I am four classes away from being done!

∞ Start thinking about the High Holidays.

Perhaps you want to make your Sukkah larger, then start putting aside some money to do so. Want some new recipes for the Yom Tov (Jewish holy) days? Start looking for and printing a few. No need to start master planning; just put the holidays on your radar! For tips on organizing your recipes, see my post “Here a recipe, there a recipe.”