September Reset
A few small ways to rethink the routine around Montclair.
January may get all the credit for fresh starts, but September has always understood the assignment. The pace shifts, the calendar fills up again and even those of us who are nowhere near a classroom feel the pull of a new beginning. Even if no one in your house just went back to school, September still has a way of making a fresh notebook feel necessary. Suddenly, we are reconsidering everything from our morning routine to whether we should finally try that place we have passed approximately 47 times.
Maybe it’s time for a reset.
Not the new year, new you kind. We’re not suggesting you reorganize your entire life before October. Take it easy, make life more fulfilling. Take a closer look at some Montclair spots you might have passed right by. Work somewhere different. Walk into the gallery you’ve passed a dozen times. Bring flowers home for absolutely no reason. Give the dog a little fur fluffing. Sometimes a change of scenery is all the reset you need.
Take Work Somewhere Else
Working from home sounded pretty wonderful once upon a time. Then your kitchen table became your desk, conference room and lunchroom. This month might be a good time to change the view. Eagle Rock Cafe on Bellevue Avenue combines coffee and a small co-working space under one roof, with a reservable conference space, outdoor patio seating—plus the considerable advantage of having a barista nearby.
Bring the laptop. Order the coffee. See whether a different chair and a little Montclair energy can shake loose that idea you’ve been staring at all summer. And if Eagle Rock isn't your usual spot? Even better. The point of a September reset is to get out of your routine.
Buy the Flowers
There are things we tend to save for occasions. Flowers shouldn't be one of them.
Stop into A Trio of Petals for something that looks unmistakably like fall. Put it on the kitchen table, bring it to a friend or welcome the new neighbor who just moved in down the block. No birthday required.
A Moment of Zen
The kids are on the bus. You have a few hours. Now what? Dump your “To-Do” list and the errands and consider giving yourself an hour or two that isn't particularly productive but improves your mood, reduces cortisol and brings feelings of tranquility.
Visit Montclair Art Museum and spend some time with an exhibition. Or wander into ria x gallery on Bellevue Avenue, a contemporary gallery tucked inside a woman-owned custom framing shop featuring emerging and contemporary artists. You don't need to be an art collector. You don't even need to know what you're looking at. Sometimes it's enough to stand in front of something interesting for a few minutes and see what happens.
The Dog Gets a Reset Too
If your dog spent the summer swimming, digging, rolling in questionable things and generally living their best life, this may be time for some professional intervention.
Bloomingtails Montclair Pet Grooming on Bellevue Avenue can handle the fall refresh.
You get a haircut. Why shouldn't they?
Consider it back-to-school grooming for the family member who doesn't actually go to school.
Try the Place You Keep Passing
Take the PerchedIN September Reset challenge.
Pick one place in Montclair that you've driven past, walked past or said we should go there sometime about—and actually go.
✓ A coffee shop you’ve passed but never stepped into.
✓ A gallery you’ve meant to visit.
✓ A storefront that always makes you slow down.
✓ A side street you’ve never had a reason to wander.
Because living somewhere for years doesn't necessarily mean you've seen it all. In fact, familiarity has a funny way of making us stop noticing what's right in front of us. September gives us a reason to take a few deep breathes of cool, calming air.
No resolutions. No reinvention. Just a little reset.
A different place to work. Fresh flowers on the table. An afternoon with art. A freshly groomed dog. Maybe a new favorite place you didn't know was about to become one. This month, change the routine just enough to see Montclair with fresh eyes.
Take a closer look. You might be surprised by what’s been there all along.
