Preparing for a season transition can be stressful, especially if you have school aged children wrapping up their school year and end of year performances. While May is a busy month, I have created a list of things to do before summer is in full swing. The key to summer is to have a plan. 
- Budget
Summer days feel carefree and wide open. Your budget, however, may not be. Take some time to think about your summer budget. Summer time brings extra childcare and camp expenses. You may also be working a reduced schedule. Sticking to a budget can make your summer less stressful and more accomplished. No one wants to end the summer in debt and stressed out.
- Schedule
A change in schedule for the family will bring new challenges. Plan ahead for summer activities and childcare. For you, schedule time for self care and exercise. If you are good about getting to the gym during the school year, you will want to schedule similar exercise time in the summer. It’s easy to put other family member’s schedules before yours in the summer. Your local library and school are great resources for scheduling activities for your children. - Travel
Its time to plan your travel routes and lodging for summer travel. Choose your destination, and schedule and research the best flights, routes and lodging. If you have your travel plans nailed down, its time to get into the details. Research the best local cuisine, fun day excursions, the best parks in the area, and free things to do with kids. It is also a good idea to gather all important travel documents, and know where the local medical clinics are and drug stores for necessities while traveling. For the weekends you are local, research your city’s summer bucket list for fun local explorations.
- Lazy Days
Plan plenty of lazy days for you and your family. Allow yourself some time to read a book, nap in the hammock or putts in the garden. Kids love exploring in the backyard, creating fairy gardens, collecting bugs and camping in the backyard. These creative activities are tough to accomplish with an overscheduled summer.
- Self Care
Do a few things for yourself in advance of summer time. Schedule a hair appointment for a fresh cut and color. Pay attention to your feet by starting the sandal season with a fresh pedicure. Stock up on sunscreen for both your body and your face. Declutter your makeup, toss the old items and add a fresh lip color to your collection. This is also a great time to clean out your medicine cabinet. Dispose of expired or unneeded medications, and ensure your first aid kit is stocked.
- Your Wardrobe
If you have not yet transitioned your wardrobe, do it now. Purge the fall, winter and spring items that don’t suit you, instead of packing them away. If you didn’t like them this year, you won’t like them next year (even if you lose the ten pounds you are working on). For your summer wardrobe, get all items from storage. Carefully select the items you want to wear, purge the rest. Make a list of items you need to complete your wardrobe and carefully purchase only those items.
- Kids Wardrobe
This purge is very similar to what you would do for your own wardrobe. The good news is that it is easier to work through someone else’s clothes than your own. Remove the fall, winter and spring items that are worn, stained and will not fit your children next year. If you are saving clothing for a younger child, only save the items that you truly love and are in good condition. There is no reason to handle stained or worn clothes more than one time. Neatly pack away the clothes you are saving. Make sure they are clean and neatly folded, and placed in clear plastic bins that are labeled so you know right where to find them. Make a list of the items your children need for the summer season, so you can once again shop with meaning. Keep in mind summer camp and extended trips when inventorying kids clothes.
- Purge Toys
With the kids spending more time outdoors, it is a great time to get into the playroom and basement, and purge the toys they don’t receive joy from. Consider the plastic toy sets they received for their birthday that are now missing parts and have broken pieces, the toys they scatter around unproductively, the nostalgic toy your mother-in-law picked up at a rummage sale last summer, and the toys they have simply outgrown. Keep the basic toys that allow for creative play such as Legos, Magna tiles, dolls and a few Nerf guns.
- House
Prepare your house for a fresh start to the summer. Taking care of a few things inside and out gives you a neat and clean feel for the summer. Inside the house a good deep clean and purge will free up some space. Clean the windows for a clear view, and clean the oven now that roasting season is over. Have your air conditioning system inspected and serviced. Moving to the outside, give your grill a good scrub down. You’ll be amazed how great a clean grill can feel. Wash down patio furniture and the cushions for meals on the porch. Tackle the weeds in the garden now while the soil is moist and soft, and weeds are small. Apply a pre-emergent to your gardens as well to prevent new weeds from appearing. Seed the areas of your lawn that are thin. Add some fresh annual flowers to the front flower beds for some curb appeal. Clean the walkway, driveway and garage floor. Prepare your lawn mower by servicing the engine and sharpening the blades. Inflate the bicycle tires and grease the chains for summer bike rides.
At Top Shelf Home Organizing, we love to help people get stuff done. See if Top Shelf Home Organizing can help you get ready for summer. Contact Jayme to schedule a consult or chat about organizing.