Poll #4: Back to school

I do love fall. Even though fall doesn't technically start until the 23rd of September, the weather in Southern California has mellowed from a late-summer heat wave to cooler nights and mornings and lovely sunny afternoons. Though my life is not based around an academic year, living it for most of one's life does tend to give you the sense that the year doesn't start in January, when the calendar turns, but rather when school buses replace ice cream trucks on suburban streets.

My poll last week was about back to school rituals, many of which we still enact even if we are no longer the ones going back to school. Half of the respondents replied that their favorite thing was new school supplies. Sharp pencils and fresh sheets of paper are endlessly inspiring. With 20% of responses each, back to school clothes shopping tied with the sentiment that back to school season isn't my readers' thing. I understand that, too, as summer can be a magical time that no one wants to see end. With just 10% of the votes, the return of routine lagged far behind the others. I suppose a few of my readers don't let their routines waver, even through summer, while others don't institute one at any time of year.

Next up, a very short poll. As my own thoughts turn toward Thanksgiving and Christmas preparations, I want to know your thoughts. Is it too soon, or are we just being prepared? Thanks for participating!

Lelah Baker-Rabe is a Los Angeles-based professional organizer. To discuss your organizing needs, call her at 818.269.6671 or email lelah@lelahwithanh.com. Sign up for Lelah's News, a once-monthly newsletter.