We love a summer that slowly passes in a lazy haze of random beach days, unprompted road trips or spur-of-the-moment outdoor activities. But now that we’re nearing mid-August, it might be time to dial down the spontaneity and give yourself the ultimate routine reset before September hits.
Whether you’re prepping to transition your wardrobe, resuming a normal workweek schedule or dealing with a little one returning to school, we can all use a little help getting back in the swing of things. So, we tapped Shop TODAY contributor Melissa Garcia to share her must-haves for surviving what is sure to be a busy time of year — from easy and affordable fashion to cleaning tools that work as fast and efficiently as you do!
We’re talking 6-in-1 skin care, flats for more confident and comfier walking and shoe sprays to eliminate stains in an instant. Plus, everything is from Amazon and under $40! Check out our favorites, below.
When it comes to finding the right pieces to wear on cool summer nights, and then easily transition into the fall, this cardigan is a no-brainer. This short-sleeve style is not only on trend (up 84%, according to Google Trends!), but it also makes for a great layering option without making the rest of your outfit look bulky. Garcia stresses its versatility by pointing out how easy it is to style in multiple ways, whether it be buttoned-up as a blouse, unbuttoned over a fitted top or used as a chic addition over a casual dress.
If you have yet to hear about the seemingly magic formula of L’Oréal’s iconic Telescopic Mascara, your lashes have been missing out. While Garcia may be a beauty expert herself, her seal of approval comes from someone seemingly just as knowledgable in the field — her daughter. “The L’Oréal Telescopic Mascara is the only thing my 15-year-old daughter and her friends wear — and they’ve honestly tried every mascara,” Garcia says. And she agrees, claiming that it builds volume without flaking, smudging, clumping or weighing her lashes down.
Your all-white sneakers and flats may have elevated your favorite summer ‘fits, but we need to take care of the stains and marks that were accumulated in the process before pairing them with any autumn looks. Before just purchasing new shoes, trying use this Shop TODAY editor-favorite spray for a quick, easy and more affordable fix. The fast-acting formula works on all types of shoe fabrics to target stains caused by dirt, grass, food, drink and more. “It’s quick and easy!” raves Garcia. “Spray, wipe and they look brand-new again.”
When your only goal is to get out the door as quickly as possible, it can be easy to let style fall by the wayside. A spacious tote like this one is easy to grab and go — and makes any outfit look 10-times chicer. The slouchy accessory is perfect for getting back into routine as it works for any occasion. “You can literally throw everything in here — laptop, lunch, gym clothes — and still look pulled together,” raves Garcia. She also adds how impressed she is with its vegan leather design, saying that it’s durable, soft and “looks and feels like genuine leather.”
Right now, our team is seeing a spike in search for woven flats — up 150%, according to Google Trends — so it’s clear that people are on the hunt for comfier shoes ahead of fall. We recommend this pair for its breathable knit fabric, which doesn’t require a break-in period! They’re available in dozens of colors and even come with extra insoles to ensure every step is comfortable and supportive.
“This multi-function moisturizer is one of my absolute favorites — and a cult favorite!” says Garcia. Somehow, it’s formulated to perform six crucial skin care steps, including cleansing, moisturizing and priming the skin. It can also be used as a face mask for a bit of extra TLC, or as an after-shave or after-sun cream for more reparative benefits. “It’ll get you out the door faster since you’ll use fewer items,” adds Garcia, who is clearly a fan of multi-tasking and efficiency. According to the brand, makeup artists stand by this product since it creates a glowy canvas for makeup and even works on all skin types. Talk about a workhorse!
Keep all your sheet sets organized with these velcro bands. They come in various sizes, so you can keep your differently sized bedding separate from each other. They also come in handy when it comes to saving space in your linen closets or laundry rooms.
Speaking of saving space, these storage bags are a must-have for avoiding clutter and mess, especially when it comes time to transition summer clothing and accessories to your fall ones. Simply put all your items into a bag, zip it up and vacuum the air out of marked hole. Trust us, you’ll end up having so much room in your wardrobe, you’ll have no choice but to do even more shopping to fill it back up again.
If your fall reset doesn’t have a salon visit in the budget, this touchup stick can help hold you over. The wax-free formula is designed to glide onto your hair and cover grays in seconds. According to the brand, it also offers mess-free blending and is transfer-resistant.
This Amazon No. 1 bestseller offers the perfect opportunity to help you reflect during these last month’s of the year. Each page features prompts designed to guide and inspire you, while also keeping you more focused and happier.
Whether your need more organization at home or in the workplace, this compact label maker can make the process a lot easier. Once you download the compatible app, you can choose from over 1,000 symbols, 60+ frames and a variety of fonts; plus, it doesn’t require stocking up on ink or toner.
You can’t start your daily routine with a subpar cup of coffee. If your brew isn’t tasting as fresh as it normally does, you may need to consider giving your machine a deep clean. Use this descaling solution to remove buildup, residue and oil from your coffeemaker to ultimately enhance your coffee’s flavor and keep your machine from corroding.
There’s never a bad time to get your sleeping habits under control. Strengthen your nighttime snooze with a solid alarm clock. This dimmable option uses different light levels to help you drift off to sleep and then calmly wake you at your preferred time. It also offers more than 25 sleep sounds and also functions as a nightlight.
After a season full of sand, salt water and chlorine, your scalp is also probably in need of a full reset. This scrub has all the right ingredients to target and eliminate dirt and buildup, leaving you with a clean head and even softer hair.
As much as we love summer, we also have to admit that we’re looking forward to cozy pajama season. This is the pair we have our eyes on! The brand says the fabric is soft and stretchy, making it a perfect choice to pop on once the temperature drops.
Giving your beauty room a reset can be as easy as grabbing this $15 organizer. According to the brand, it can hold up 30 makeup brushes, 20 skin care products and other items like lipstick and nail polish. It’s also designed to rotate to give you easy access to all your tools and different cosmetics.
- Melissa Garcia is a Shop TODAY lifestyle and fashion contributor, a professional stylist and the founder of Melissa Garcia Styling.
The Shop TODAY editors and writers search the internet to find the best products out there. We interview expert sources, comb through customer reviews and even use our own personal experiences to make shopping easier for our readers.
As an editorial team, we independently create content and determine coverage based on research, reporting and what we think TODAY.com readers would like to read about. The goal of our content is to provide a service and inform readers who are on the hunt for the latest products to help make their life better. Items are sold by retailer, not TODAY. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time.
link