Keep Your Home Cool and Collected With These Top Professional Organizer’s Tips
Summertime. When the days are long, life is simple, and the kids are…at home?!?! We all have fond memories of our childhood summers, but summer as a parent is a little more challenging. Parents have a lot on their plates with constantly shifting schedules, hectic social calendars, sleepovers, camps, and the days when the children are home in between, and life isn’t always simple.
So, what should a parent do when the schools close and reality sets in?
The key is to plan ahead and get organized. A little additional preparation now at the start of the season will help you have a less stressful summer overall, and more sanity left by the time back to school time rolls around.
Organize a Family Calendar
Summer is the perfect time for families to hang out, bond and create lasting memories. However, managing a multitude of activities and schedules can quickly become overwhelming. A summer family calendar is a helpful solution to keep track of events such as camps, playdates, and vacations.
Creating a summer family calendar starts with gathering all the necessary information about the activities and events you and your children will participate in. Make a list of dates, times, and locations for each activity – those you already know about anyway -to ensure nothing gets overlooked. Once you have all the details, it’s time to choose a calendar format that suits your family’s needs.
Wall Calendar for Younger Children
For families with younger children, a visual and interactive wall calendar is an excellent option. This type of calendar allows children to engage in the planning process and understand what’s coming up, even if they’re not yet proficient readers.
To make the calendar more engaging and accessible, try using recognizable symbols or stickers to represent different activities – a tent for camping trips, a swing for playdates, or a suitcase for vacations.
There are lots wall calendars available on the market, so select one that is visually appealing and offers ample space for adding extra symbols and text entries for all those extra activities that will be added as the summer goes on.
Digital Calendar for Older Children and Tech-Savvy Families
For families with older children or those who prefer a more tech-savvy approach, a combination of a wall calendar and a digital app-based calendar is ideal. This option allows everyone to sync their schedules on their smartphones, ensuring that everyone stays informed and up-to-date on summer plans.
Cozi is a user-friendly app available for both iOS and Android devices that provides a wide array of features to help families stay organized. In addition to a shared calendar, Cozi offers shared shopping and to-do lists, in-app messaging, and customizable reminders. I do suggest still keeping a wall calendar as well too though, for those times when people don’t have their phones (if there are any!)
Posting and Sharing Your Family Calendar
Once the summer family calendar is complete, place it in a central location where everyone can easily view and access it. This will help keep the entire family informed about upcoming events and ensure that everyone is on the same page.
For digital calendars, ensure that all family members have access to the app and that notifications are enabled to keep everyone up-to-date on any changes or additions to the calendar.
Plan Some Memorable Dates
Plan activities and days to get together with friends and family, including your children’s good pals, on those free days and weekends. Ensure to schedule dates around summer activities like days at the pool, relaxing BBQs outside, running through sprinklers, and catching fireflies in mason jars. From your own experience, you almost certainly know these simple activities make for great memories.
Maintain Organized Routines
Although unstructured days are fun, it’s wise to stick to some routines over the summer to make life easier (especially when returning to school in September!). Children thrive on routine and structure, so if their summer activities will vary from week to week, incorporate them into the family schedule so they can know what they’ll be doing and when. This will make them feel more in charge and that they are a part of the process.
Be Prepared for Boredom
No parent wants to hear “I’m bored” for hours on end, so start stacking the deck now. Identify some enjoyable activities kids can do alone, as a family, or on the go, write them down on index cards, and put them next to the family calendar. That way, when the inevitable “I’m bored” moments occur (and they will, right? ), you’ll already have a list of things to do.
So that younger kids keep learning throughout the summer, try to include educational, yet still fun, activities on those lists. Planting a garden is often a favorite because you can plant the seeds together when school lets out, task your children with watering them every day and then reap the benefits and have a fun cooking project come August when the plants are fully grown.
Organize Summer Supplies
You will inevitably need lots of ‘stuff’ and supplies throughout the summer, some of which are unique to the season and some that will need to be increased in volume while the kids are home all day. Now is the time to start organizing these. Here are some points to keep in mind as you do.
Organize Summer Clothing
Use this time to check your children’s summer clothing, such as sandals, sun-protective clothing, bathing suits, and caps, to see whether they still fit so you know what to buy as the weather warms up. When a “try on” session is required, make it into a fun “fashion show” if any reluctant participants are present.
As you go through these clothes and supplies make sure that any that have seen better days are discarded (not shoved back in a closet), and that winter clothing is safely stored away for the season – except perhaps for a few light jackets or hoodies for cooler mornings or evenings – and that anything that does not fit the child it belongs to is either handed down or donated if still in good shape or thrown away if it isn’t.
Summer Snack Organization
With no school meals supplementing your groceries, and kids who will be looking for snacks all summer long at home, organizing and planning a summer snack plan now will help you save time, and money and help ensure that if and when kids do reach for snacks what they eat is healthy. My post on organized family meal planning can be helpful here, as can these healthy summer snack ideas from Food Network.
Restock Craft Reserves
The home supply closet is often depleted after the long school year, so stock up on paper, crayons, craft items, and anything else that your children love to use when they are at home. As you shop, keep your eye out for inexpensive craft kits that will offer your children a new crafty summer challenge that makes use of typically seasonal supplies like seashells found on a beach trip, summer flowers from your garden, or interesting rocks discovered on walks and hikes.
Organize Outdoor Supplies
Bikes, kiddie pools, scooters, and other outside things will be in high demand as the weather warms up, so get them out now and inspect them. This is also an excellent time to store winter toys and equipment in an attic, shed, or another storage area so that warm-weather items are readily available. Also, make sure that helmets and other safety equipment are still in good working order.
Get Help If You Need It
A bustling summer home filled with laughter, play, and endless activities is a joy to experience. However, it can also lead to clutter and mess if not properly managed. With a well-thought-out plan, you can avoid spending your precious September days cleaning up the aftermath of your children’s summer adventures.
Instead of waiting for clutter to accumulate, take a proactive approach by consulting with Just Organized by Taya’s expert organizers. Our team will assess your home and lifestyle to develop a customized organizational plan that meets your family’s unique needs. By putting these strategies into action early, you can enjoy a stress-free, clutter-free summer with your loved ones.
Don’t let the joys of summer turn into a messy nightmare. Experience the benefits of a well-organized home by scheduling a consultation with Just Organized by Taya’s professional organizers today. Our dedicated team is eager to help you create an organized, serene living space that allows you and your family to fully enjoy the summer months.
Working with Taya and her team is easy. You can book an appointment easily on her website, or contact her directly at 832-271-7608
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