1.  Have a Shared Calendar

Calendars are so important in our lives. We have a monthly wall calendar that holds everything-doctors appointments, shoots, everything on the schedule. But we also have a shared google calendar, which has been a life saver for our family. Daniel and I both have access to the calendar, and I can send him reminders of upcoming sessions and appointments. To survive the Fall season we highly depend on calendars and communication. And every night we review the upcoming day or week’s schedule. To survive this Fall season we suggest communication and a great calendar.

2.  Have a “zone” for everything

This is so important for our family. For us to stay organized during the busy Fall season we have “zones” for everything. A zone is a location for a certain item. We have a zone for shoes, a zone for masks, a zone for keys, a zone for bookbags, a zone for all of the things. This helps us and the kids to be organized when we walk through the door. The kids know  (not that they always put their stuff back in the right place), where to put everything when they get home. This helps me and the kids stay organized during the Fall.

3.   Plan Ahead 

This one is major for our family. The Fall season gets very busy and overwhelming at times. We have sessions, birthdays (almost 10 birthdays between October-December!), and all of the holidays. For us to survive the Fall, we plan ahead on the “major” things. We start buying Christmas gifts early, we start buying/planning Halloween costumes (I have already started!) and plan ahead as much as possible. For us to survive the Fall season, we have to plan months ahead of time.

4.   Schedule Family Days 

Our weekends can get really full in the Fall so we purposely schedule family days on the calendar. Family days are family days- nothing also can be scheduled-no work and no sessions. These family days help us have breathing room and some time to relax. These days also make sure we take time for what is really important-our family and making memories with our kids.

5.   Enjoy the moments! The Fall is full of so many sweet and fun moments with the family! Jumping in the leaves, smores, bonfires, craving pumpkins, trick-or-treating, decorating for Christmas. Don’t let the craziness control your schedule or your life!