3 Steps to a Simple Fall Bucket List

September is one of my favorite months of the year, and it’s not because the kids go back to school (though that certainly gives one cause to celebrate as well.) For me, September is all about new chances, fresh starts, and opportunity for change. Call it a “second January” if you will, because a new school year calls for updated goals, resolutions, and plans for success.

We’ve already made some big modifications in our household with a change of schools to launch the new season, and my 6 year old is having to adjust to full-day school now that he’s in grade one. With more time in school, comes less time for playing outside, less time for friends, and less time spent with family. Fortunately, I’ve come up with an easy system to ensure we continue to spend quality time together as a family to protect our outdoor time, and to help us make the most of our weekends. I call it “the monthly bucket list.”

Simplify with Monthly Bucket Lists

Here’s how I create a monthly bucket list

First, grab a piece of paper or a piece of colorful construction paper and draw a bingo or tic-tac-toe grid. The number of lines in your grid is up to you, but I suggest starting small to begin with. After you get used to creating bucket lists (or perhaps if it’s a big month with lots of exciting things to do), you can expand your grid to include more boxes.

Second, connect all the lines so that you have a page full of boxes. A simple tic-tac-toe grid for example, would have nine boxes.

Third, fill each box with something you want to do together as a family this month. This is your bucket list. Don’t worry if you didn’t start right at the beginning of the month. You can always draw a bigger grid and cover all the Fall months in one big bucket list.

Bike rides are a must for autumn bucket lists

Create an autumn bucket list for October

Now, I know that September is almost finished, but you can create your own bucket list for October. To see some suggestions I have for autumn bucket lists and to read my full story, please follow this link to the original piece I wrote, 3 Steps to a Simple Fall Bucket List.

The story has recently been published and sponsored by BonBon Break during their September theme: "Simplify."