One of these things is not like the other.
I’ve committed to making the bed every morning throughout October. It may not be a typical time for New Year–style resolutions, but with our house often needing to look presentable for potential buyers, keeping the bedroom tidy felt like a simple, useful change. A neater home also makes the whole place feel calmer, and it doesn’t take much effort each day.
Of course, not everyone is thrilled with the new routine. Our cat Burger has always preferred to curl up under a mound of blankets and sleep well into the afternoon—part of why we let the bed go unmade in the past. Now he’s having to rethink his strategy to fit around my fresh habit. Here he is, caught mid-mission, trying to squeeze himself under the covers despite the newly smoothed duvet.
If you want to try it too, feel free to join my October bed-making challenge. Or, if you already make your bed every day (or prefer a bed that’s always nap-ready), you can join another small habit I revisit each fall: drinking only water for the month. I started calling that “Aqua-tober” back in college when I used it to break a soda habit. Years later, I still find autumn an easy time to reset and cut back on sugary drinks, especially Dr. Pepper.
UPDATE: For anyone worrying about Burger—he adapted. It took a little while, but he’s learning to work around the new routine. If you look closely, you can spot a familiar lump in today’s made bed.
