The summer is coming to an end and it’s time to prepare for the busy, back-to-school season. Whether you’re craving more structure or just trying to survive the chaos, this free checklist and set of ideas will help you reset, recharge, and hopefully feel less overwhelmed this fall.
I have always said it’s kind of crazy that you go from summer, which is full of fun and chaos with young children, to fall, and then the holiday season! It’s non-stop from May to December, it feels like!
This Fall Reset Checklist will help you ease into a more grounded, energized version of yourself, especially if you start this prior to your kids starting school!
I will actually be doing ALL of these things as well. I tried to keep this post quick and easy to read because who has time for that? Time, in general, is seriously rare these days – use this as a flexible guide to help you feel more prepared.
Screenshot this list to keep in your phone or come back to this post, if needed. This is a flexible checklist so you can use it to make your own based on your preferences.
Part 1: Home and Kitchen Reset
1. Clean Out Fridge
Here is where you are going to start fresh with your fridge. Toss expired condiments, forgotten leftovers, and any other items that you will never eat.
Then, actually clean your fridge: wipe shelves and drawers with warm soapy water or a vinegar solution. And lastly, take some time to re-organize and stock your fridge.
2. Toss Expired Pantry Items
An organized pantry will help make meal planning easier. Here are a few ideas to try:
- Pull everything out and group by category: grains, snacks, baking, canned goods, etc.
- Toss expired or stale items.
- Put duplicate items that are opened in one box.
- Store essentials in clear containers or bins (think: rice, cereal, granola bars).
- Make a running list of staple items to restock monthly.
3. Take Inventory of Freezer Staples
Do a quick audit of what is in your freezer (ugh, I really need to do this) by, you guessed it, pulling everything out and putting each item into categories. Toss anything freezer-burned or expired and write down what you have (or mental note) to make future meals.
4. Closet Overhaul
Go through you and your kids’ closets. Throw what you aren’t going to use for the fall and winter into garbage bags and schedule a donation pick-up. We usually do donatestuff.com and they come right to our house and just pick it up! Here are more ideas:
- Take a quick inventory of what no longer fits, feels good, or gets worn.
- Store or donate anything that’s out-of-season or outgrown.
- Make a “maybe” pile—set a reminder to revisit in 30 days.
- Group clothing by type (tops, bottoms, layers) or outfit formula.
- Use drawer dividers or baskets for socks, PJs, or school uniforms.
- Choose 3-5 go-to outfits for yourself to hang in front as a “mom uniform.”
5. Declutter At Least One Area
Pick one area that is giving you stress and declutter it, whether it’s your purse, work bag, car, front closet where you keep all the backpacks, coats and shoes! Great time to clean your drop zone!
6. Find Back-to-School Deals
Search online and at local stores for deals on all of the back-to-school supplies. If it’s that good of a deal, stock up on all that stuff. That way, when one kid runs out, you don’t have to run out and buy anything!
Part 2: Meal Planning
1. Make a Master Grocery List
Start a master grocery list with all of your usual staples to build easy, well-balanced, healthy meals. Think: canned beans, broth, oats, frozen veggies, apples, and sweet potatoes.
2. Pick 3 Easy Weeknight Dinners & Put on Repeat
Reduce your mental load by selecting three easy weeknight dinners you can repeat every week until you get sick of them. If you prefer more variety, select a ‘theme’ that you can make some sort of variation to the dinner.
For example, Mexican night can be tacos one week and a chicken fajita bowl the next. Get creative on pizza night with different toppings and sauces.
Dinner Inspiration:
- Easy, Low Prep Dinners for Busy School Nights
- Freezer-Friendly Dinner Plan -> could do this prior to fall!
- 13 Easy Dinners to Feed the Whole Family
- Theme Night Ideas
3. Restock Lunchbox and Snack Drawer Items
Set yourself up for success by having an organized restock of all the lunchbox items and after school snacks.
4. Prep One Cozy Breakfast for the Week
Prep a cozy breakfast for the week, like overnight oats or baked oatmeal, that you can grab on those busy mornings to prioritize a healthy breakfast that will hold you over until lunch.
Feel free to start doing this prior to the first day of school and stay motivated to continue doing it all year-round! My site has many easy meal prep breakfast ideas with a good balance of protein and fiber.
5. Create a List of “No Brainer” Lunches for You and Your Kids
We have covered breakfast and dinner, so to save yourself some stress trying to come up with what to eat for lunch, come up with a few go-to lunch ideas for you and your kids.
You might have a couple of ideas off the top of your head but writing down a list of at least 10 options will ensure there is plenty of healthy options to add variety to your week.
6. Make a Big Batch of Soup and Freeze Half
A hearty, delicious soup makes for a really easy dinner one night. Double or triple the recipe, if possible, and freeze the rest for later.
This could be an easy family dinner in the future or used for lunches if frozen in individual portions. Your future self will thank you at a later time!
Another option: try my Freezer Friendly Meal Plan which already has the grocery list made for you along with the prep/cook time listed for each recipe.
7. Make a List of 10 Fall Dinners You Want to Try
This one is fun and easy – yet will save you some mental stress in the future! Find 10 fall-inspired dinner recipes you want to try and make a list of them.
Keep that list in a safe place so you can refer back to it when you don’t know what to make for dinner or you’re meal planning for the week. If you’re not someone who likes to write things down, keep a go-to list in your notes app on your phone.
For inspiration, check out these Easy Comfort Dinners That Are Healthy and Satisfying.
Want help with this?
👉 Grab my Busy Mom Meal Planning Toolkit – it’s full of useful tools like mix-and-match dinner formulas, meal planning templates, easy lunch printables, no-brain dinner recipes, and quick-prep ideas for when life is nuts. Mindset & motivational checklists, too!
Part 3: Mindset Reset
1. Choose One Habit to Focus On
This can be anything to help you with self-care or your health – fitness, wellness, or self-care related. Do you want to drink more water? Cosume fewer calorie dense snacks? Take a 10-minute walk?
If you start small, with only one thing to try and change, you’re more likely to see positive results.
2. Swap Mindless Scrolling for an Alternative
Swap mindless scrolling for a fall playlist, audiobook, or a walk outside. Or, use this extra time to work on that habit you want to focus on. Maybe that habit was to take more walks – so both #1 and #2 can go hand-in-hand!
3. Re-establish Routines
Coming off the fun and carefree summer, it might be time to re-establish routines or put some new ones into place.
This could be for you and/or your kids. Think: bedtime routines, after-school homework period, or one new routine that supports your mental load like a Sunday meal prep session.
Find that balance of getting organized without overwhelm by only choosing the routines that matter most to you this fall.
For example, I will take about 30-45 minutes on Sunday to wash and chop fruits and veggies for lunches and snacks, make a huge batch of rice or chicken for the week, and pack some things for my kids’ lunches. This feels less overwhelming but also very productive, too.
More examples:
- AM workout before kids wake up or while they are eating breakfast (this one is for YOU)
- 10-minute walk after lunch
- After-school routine (snacks, homework, chill time)
- A Sunday reset to plan for the week
I hope this outline of “fall reset” ideas inspires you to get organized to set yourself up for a more prepared and less stressful fall! This is a totally flexible plan that you can easily adjust. Follow along for more nutrition for moms content and healthy recipes.