For me, August has always been a month of last hurrahs, and hopeful beginnings.

Do you remember the August to August planner? For a long time, I’d buy one every year along with my mountain of books for school. As an English major, and perpetual reader, I’d get so excited for the day I could buy my books and see what I’d be learning, that I would count down the days. I loved walking the aisles of the bustling college bookstore, with its smell both astringent and sweet. I was in my happiest state; the state where I’d get to imagine all that I would learn and do. The state of pure potential. I didn’t care what price tag came with it, both because I had the luxury of my parents paying my way, and also because the price of learning, of words, has always seemed worth it. It probably also helped that, most of the time, I wasn’t buying hefty math and science texts. Yet even those gave me a rush of fear that felt more exhilarating than bad—I’d be learning about Entropy during the same quarter I’d be reading Anna Karenina! The August to August planner was always at the top of the stack, the reassurance that I would get it all done, and still have time for friends and dating.

Even during my years as an English teacher, I’d always make a point of going into the bookstore to see the books I’d assigned stacked up with my name, and course information, under it. The first time I saw that it was one of my proudest moments. Little did I know, that just a few days later I’d run into my future husband at Powell’s bookstore, which sealed our fate as far as I was concerned. That was ten years ago.

As this August draws to a close, I’m relishing the last evenings of summer as well as those hints of fall I feel in the air. I’m trying to hold both lightly, which is not my way. My oldest will be starting kindergarten, and I’m excited to create a back to school ritual that gets him jazzed for the year ahead, and sets him up to be a lover of books and learning, too. Next month, I’ll be exploring all things back to school. Here’s what I’ll show you:

• How to re-organize your closet so you love it
• A round-up of beautiful family command centers
• How to eliminate paper clutter and manage all those school forms
• How to simplify your grocery routine, and save money
• A simple, slow cooked meal to reclaim a day of rest
• An easy, DIY, self-care practice that will help you stay calm amid the back to school rush
• Why you should consider setting up a monthly dinner rotation with friends, and how to do it
• How to make school lunches easier and more fun

I hope you enjoyed your August. As it winds to a close, take some time to dream about all that’s ahead.

Lauren