Organize Your Summer Like a Pro: Tips for Busy Parents with Kids

Now that Maycember is behind us, and the kids are spending more time than usual at home, having an organized home is more critical than ever. Here I will share five tips I implement at my house to set our summer up for success.

1. Assess all your school supplies.

Backpacks, lunch boxes, water bottles... see what can be reused and which need to be replaced. Having this on your radar now will allow you to keep an eye out for deals, and allow you to spread out the spending, so you are not stuck purchasing everything right before school starts. While you’re at it, launder backpacks and lunch boxes well, so that they don’t smell/mold etc. if not being used for the next few months.

2. Come up with a list of activities for the summer and display it prominently.

When a free day presents itself, this makes it easy to pick something fun for everyone to do. Include the kids in the process, so that they get excited about all the summer fun! I like to include any planned trips on our list, so that we know for sure when we will be crossing some things off the list. I also like to look through all the gift cards and discount passes we have accumulated throughout the year as prizes, gifts and in auction baskets. These are easy to forget about, but if you take a quick look at what you have, you can likely have a lot of fun at a discount or even free!

3. Create a summer morning checklist.

Most kids prefer some structure (whether they realize it or not), so I create a morning checklist specifically for summer. I also have a different one for them during the school year, which helps us get out the door without me having to remind them about every little thing. My summer list includes simple things like getting dressed, eating breakfast and brushing their teeth, but it also includes 20 minutes of schoolwork. Leading up to the summer I buy a couple workbooks that will improve some areas that could use improvement but still make the learning fun. I also include some basic chores like putting away laundry, feeding the dog, straightening their rooms and making their beds. Overall, this doesn’t either of them more than an hour, and with my early risers that means we are ready to start the day with a clean slate well before 9 am.

4. Sign up for the library summer reading program!

We LOVE the St. Louis County Library system, but all libraries likely have something similar. For our library, the activities included are more than just reading and include activities that can be completed at home, at parks or at local destinations, and when you complete the challenges, you win prizes that include a free book, tickets or discounts to fun activities, and raffle entries for larger prizes.

5. Create a summer “go-bag”.

For me this is a bag with a change of clothes, swimsuit, towel and sunscreen for both me and both my kids, so that we are ready for anything when on the go! It may also be worthwhile to store those gift certificates you uncovered earlier in the glove box, so that they are ready to use when the time comes. I also always have water, snacks, wet wipes and Clorox wipes in my car year-round. Depending on your climate or activity preferences your list may be different than mine, but I like being able to say “yes” on the fly, especially in the summer!

What other tips and tricks have worked for you? I would love to hear from you!

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