1 week until September: 12 Things to Do Before Summer Ends

One week and two days until September… I can really sense the shift in the air these past few days. Now that the heatwaves have ended, it seems as if nature has let out a long breath. The woods of Quantock Hills feel very autumnal. And in our human world, squashes appear on the displays in farm shops, and school supplies aisles in supermarkets are getting rather crowded. Days are definitely cooler and the evenings draw in. We’re reaching the end of Summer, and I bid it a heartfelt farewell.

📅 Saturday, August 22nd, 2026
1 week until Autumn!

In our home, these last days of August don’t feel like Summer anymore, but the doorway to Autumn. We have harvested the pears from the tree in the corner of our garden. Rosa excitedly talks about starting year 3, and Jacob looks forward to his first year in college. Andrei is already busy with dispatching your autumn candle orders, and I am… I am getting ready to write book number two. September will be both a month of big steps and quiet work and focus, and I know we are not the only ones. In September, many start new jobs, new chapters, or decide to build new habits and routines. Some of you might be starting your slow living journeys too. Once the happy chaos of summer is over, Autumn offers the perfect setting to learn to slow down, reduce commitments, and practice resting without guilt.

Catch Up with the 9-Week Countdown to Autumn 2026
Click here to read every post in the series

***

A weekly mail filled with friendly chat and the countryside calm, delivered straight to your inbox. Join Adriana's Slow Living Newsletter HERE

***

I love beginning new things with a blank card. I close out outstanding tasks, declutter, reset, and plan so that when I enter the new chapter, I can fully focus on it. Since I’m diving into writing my second book in September, I spent some time listing things I want to do before Summer ends, and I thought it would make a lovely post to share with you.

1. Finish small summer plans you kept postponing (In my case, adjusting the curtains I meant to shorten ages ago and making a batch of pizza sauce)

2. Consider what commitments you can reduce to have a calmer Autumn and a restful Winter. (I dropped voiceovers from my vlog, posting Instastories and how often I share short-form content)

3. Declutter and refresh your home before bringing in Autumn decor (Next week I'm resetting the entire house!)

4. Wash throws, blankets, and cushion covers while the weather is still good, and you can air-dry them, in preparation for long, colder evenings. (Done)

5. Finish burning Summer candles & stock up on seasonal candles - check out our dedicated Autumn and Pumpkin collection, so loved by our customers! (Done)

Discover my first book "Slow Livin for Modern Women" on our website or  SHOP ON AMAZON

6. Create an Autumn reading list of books that have the mood you want to embrace in the coming season (eg, cosy, spooky, spicy or mix ) (I'm adding a few books by Frieda McFadden to my list, to form my own opinion - I see a lot of contradictory posts about her writing.)

7. Bring out your jumpers and cardigans and refresh them before the new season (To be done)

8. Cook or bake something with locally grown fruits and vegetables, taking advantage of harvest season, while it lasts (Done!)

9. Mindfully enjoy the sunshine, to charge your “batteries” for the dark part of the year. (Yes, done; it's so much easier enjoying sunshine when it's pleasantly warm, not scorching hot:D)

10. Photograph or memorise your garden or green space so you can come back to it later when the colours change (This year I pay special attention to the willow trees at the back of our neighbourhood)

11. Finish home DIYs, especially the smaller tasks, so you don't faff around in Autumn, when it gets dark early, and you’re supposed to be cosy and relaxed. (Still got a few bits and pieces around the house, but Andrei and I will sort it out soon)

12. Take a full day of “nothingness” before you begin a new chapter in September. (Very much needed!)

Please share anything else you will be closing before Summer ends - work, mindset, home, garden, personal - lots of women read the comments and get inspired!

One more thing I want to complete before September is the "cover" of my short ghost story, "Hollowing", set in an imposing manor house deep in the Devon countryside, which I will be sharing with you from September. We're officially beginning on the 12th. The story has almost 30K words and will be posted every Saturday in 4 parts until the first week of October. I will talk to you more about the story in the coming weeks, but I hope it will be both cosy and a little scary, just in time for the dark Autumn evenings :)

Thank you for reading, until next (the very last in this series!) week
Adriana x