July Seasonal Living List

Whimsical ways to savor summer

July has arrived with warm breezes, ripe berries, and golden light that lingers well into the evening. It’s a month made for exhaling, for barefoot wandering, for letting life unfold a little more slowly.

At its best, seasonal living invites us to meet each month with presence. Not to rush through it or fill it to the brim, but to tune in to what’s growing, ripening, fading, and waiting to be noticed. July is summer at full stretch, asking us to pause, play, and soak it in.

Here’s your Seasonal Living List for July. A thoughtful mix of simple ideas to help you slow down and enjoy what this summer month has to offer. Whether you’re surrounded by fields or sidewalks, July calls you to move with the rhythm of the sun and savor the softness of the season. Below, you’ll find a July bucket list of whimsical ways to savor the summer and live a little slower this month.

July Bucket List

In Nature

• Eat something fresh from a local farm or garden.
  Tomatoes, berries, cucumbers, whatever’s in season near you.

• Pick wildflowers or whatever’s growing nearby.
  Weeds count. Arrange them in a jar and place them somewhere you’ll notice.

• Hang laundry in the sun.
  Watch it flutter. Smell the fresh, sun-dried fabric.

• Spend more time barefoot.
  On grass, on wood floors, in the sand. Let the ground remind you where you are.

• Take a day to be near water.
  A lake, a pool, a river, even a cool bath. Let it reset your body and your mood.

In Stillness

• Do nothing on purpose.
  Sit on a bench. Swing in a hammock. Stare at the sky. This is the heart of seasonal living.

• Wake up early at least once to watch the sunrise.
  Let the quiet of the morning settle around you, before the day begins.

• Escape the heat thoughtfully.
  Find a quiet, cool place like your local museum, a movie theater, or a shady tree. Let it feel like a little retreat.

• Read outside in the shade with a cold drink.
  A stack of magazines, a book you’ve already read, something breezy.

• Visit the library.
  Check out something light, curious, or comforting. Let yourself linger.

Create and Capture

• Make something with your hands.
  Press flowers. Weave a daisy chain. A collage. Try your hand at a summer recipe.

• Make a pitcher of homemade lemonade.
  Keep it in the fridge for slow afternoons. Add herbs or berries if you have them.

• Keep a “July Joys” list.
  Each day, write down one small thing that delighted you. A laugh, a sunset, a breeze. Keep the list somewhere visible. Let it grow.

• Capture small summer memories.
  Take photos just for you. A corner of your garden, a messy picnic, light falling on the floor.

• Write a love letter to summer.
  Thank her for her sweetness, her slowness, her sunsets.

Play and Explore

• Celebrate the silly.
  Have a water balloon toss. Blow bubbles. Dance barefoot in the kitchen. Summer is made for play.

• Play a game.
  Mini golf, cards on the porch, lawn games with friends.

• Go to a live music show.
  It doesn’t have to be big or loud. Enjoy the moment.

• Try a new brunch spot or summer café.
  Sit outside if it’s not too hot. Eat. People-watch. Enjoy.

Living Slowly in a Fast World

There’s no pressure here. These aren’t tasks to check off. They’re gentle invitations. Choose the ones that speak to you. Leave the rest. Return to the list whenever you feel a little too fast or far away from yourself.

It can be easy to feel like you have to “make the most” of summer. Packing every weekend with plans and productivity. But seasonal living reminds us that "the most" often looks like less.
More rest. More notice. More delight.

Let July be a month of sun-warmed slowness, soft wonder, and playful pauses. Take time to twirl, taste, and breathe. Life is stitched together by moments just like these.