Organize for easy livin’
With a little bit of imagination and preparation, here are a few hacks to help take you back to that time when summer really was easy, and the only stress was getting to the ice cream truck on time. We can’t go back to 1934 when George Gershwin composed that iconic song for the opera Porgy and Bess, but we can simplify modern life to get a little taste of the good ol’ days. Planning ahead and lowering the bar are key to a simple, stress-free summer in 2017.
This blog is written with parents and kids in mind but these ideas can be adopted by anyone. The goal is to make the fun of summer be as effortless as possible. Lower stress. Less mess. More systems so you can be more free. (Yes I know that sounds paradoxical but it is true. Make as much as possible automatic and you will free your brain and your time!) Gain more pool time, more romance novels, and less time buying, looking for, or organizing all that summer gear.
Rule #1: Kids are on school vacation but that doesn’t mean a “Gone Fishing” sign gets put up on their bedroom door. Now more than ever, with slower mornings and lighter schedules, establish expectations and routines for chores and policies about screen time.
- Swimming Central: Don’t turn your home into a pool house. Give each family member a pool “bag” like their assigned school backpack. Stock it with sunscreen, goggles, shampoo, etc. in a large ziploc. Assign each family member 2 beach towels per week. Who wants to do laundry every day? Put hooks outside for wet suits and towels. Keep all your pool paraphernalia in one place – either in a big beach bag or a basket for grab n’ go. Stock up and keep extra sunscreen in a zip lock bag (be sure to use a Sharpie to put your name on) – and get everyone sunglass and goggle cases so they might just might last longer.
- Snack Station: What’s a pool day without a cooler full of snacks and drinks?! Again, the goal here is to make getting out the door a breeze! Designate a location in the house (preferably pantry but any closet or big cupboard will do). Stock it (then lock it!) with bottled water, healthy bars, dried fruit, and big bags of crackers/pretzels etc. that you can divide up into smaller snack-size portions. Let kids submit requests but keep it healthy if possible. Then the only thing you have to shop for regularly is fresh fruit & veggies. To promote independence and avoid sibling conflicts give each child their own insulated bag to pack.
- Summer Menu: MAKE IT SIMPLE!!! First of all, cook as little as possible, and when you do, grill outside. Pretend every day is a picnic. Buy a cute set of plastic ware – hand wash everything and re-use the next day. Adopt a vacation mentality. Only think of today. Organize ahead and then fire up the blender. Grill a steak, make a salad, buy a baguette and call it a day! The key is having the right food in the house. Line up your BBQ menu for 7 days – grill at least enough for 2 days – and make sure you have a great set of plastic or glass storage containers for your yummy leftovers. While you are stocking up on those, buy 2 sets of popsicle makers and let everybody decide what kinds of pops they want to make! Juice, green smoothies, sky’s the limit! Healthier, cheaper and way more options if you do it yourself.
- Say CHEESE! What about all those fabulous candids, selfies and happy family vacation photos? Commit to using a really easy program to upload and share photos — even make a book without breaking a sweat. If you have anyone in your house over the age of 10, assign this task to them Then just sit on the porch and watch the lazy, hazy days of summer float by.
These tips are designed with your home in mind – but take these ideas on vacation with you too! Simple vacation tips coming soon. Share your favorite summer time-savers with us!