Sometime about now in the middle of summer we begin asking ourselves, “Why do things seem to be out of hand? I planned on getting organized; my photos, painting that cute dresser I picked up at the garage sale last fall, and waking up without having alarm clock on Fridays. None of it has happened!”
This scenario is actually too common – and yet there is certainly good news. It’s never too late to get and stay organized for the remainder of the summer.
People tend to get busy with outdoor activities and become distracted by vacations, plus household schedules and routines tend to be different than during the school year. The most common areas that appear to get out of hand are:
Summer clutter
Project procrastination
Sleep routines
Listed here are our suggestions for getting and staying organized through the summer
Summer clutterWe’re trained to create traditions and rituals. We buy new patio furniture and decorations for our backyard barbecue, and bring family and friends together for camping trips chock full of new-fangled gadgets and equipment. We have family reunions and summer vacations.
We’re accustomed to buying, creating, and preparing for events – yet we don’t actually have a technique or system to deal with the aftermath.
It may be time for you to say goodbye to the stuff we buy “on the fly,” like walkie talkies for playful banter on road trips, floaties for the swimming pool, collapsible picnic tables for the beach, croquet sets for the backyard, and rain ponchos for the fast-moving and sudden rainstorm.
We suggest two steps to handle summer clutter:
Collect all the summer clutter. Empty the souvenir bags, toiletry kits, suitcases, and backpacks. Get it all in one place.
Review it. we will do this by using a value-based point system. Rate each item on a scale of 0 to 5. Zero means you have no real use for it in the future and don’t like it whatsoever. Five means you really love the item and can make use of it, or it brings you great joy to keep it.
Project procrastination
Often we feel more disorganized or confused about our perceived “free time” during the summer months. This can happen because we spend the initial 50 % of the year postponing projects until summer vacation.
Each year we stack the projects-in-waiting for summer, and each year we manage to forget that we would really rather enjoy some time off in nature, traveling, or getting together with friends.
If you want to decrease the pressure for yourself, release yourself from too many good intentions, like repainting the powder room; reading the stack of books you’ve collected; and that wishful photo-organizing project.
Instead, pick just one single project and focus on it. By making one project the priority, you’re able to do little bits of it every once in awhile. So, instead of putting off the project and feeling badly that it isn’t getting done, break your priority project down into doing one small step each day.
Sample summer project
Want to paint that dresser? Allow yourself 13 “moments” to complete the project and do not miss a bit of summer fun. Take advantage of this project breakdown to make any project fit in around your unpredictable summer schedule.
Painting a dresser bought at a yard sale
Take a “before” picture: A few seconds
Make a list of supplies needed: 5 minutes
Buy paint and supplies: 1 hour
Stage the area where you intend to paint: Fifteen minutes
Pull the drawers out of the dresser: 3 minutes
Remove the knobs from the drawers: 10 minutes
Sand the dresser and drawers: 35 minutes
Wipe down the dresser and drawers: Ten minutes
Paint just a drawer or two (repeat): Thirty minutes
Paint the frame of the dresser: 1 hour
Re-attach knobs: 20 minutes
Move dresser to preferred location: Twenty minutes
Take picture and post for friends to see: Three minutes
Sleep routines
The majority of us realize instinctively that sleep is important.
“You know that babies and children need sleep to grow,” says Val Sgro, a professional organizer and author. “You know that an injured body heals itself faster with good sleep. You are aware that when you don’t get enough sleep, you become sluggish and cranky, and you will have trouble thinking straight. That old saying, ‘I’ll sleep on it,’ originates from the realization that the solution to a problem often has a tendency to reveal itself after a good night’s sleep.
“Contrary to common belief, your brain does not rest when you sleep,” she continues. “It is often more active than when you’re awake. It’s busy – busy making sure it stays organized.”
And therein lies the true secret to getting and staying organized in the summer months. Though our sleep routines will probably be off kilter, it’s worth wanting to know, “How will I be capable of getting seven or eight hours rest tonight? How can I fit it in?”
Maybe you need to grab a mid-day nap or put yourself (not only the kids) to sleep an hour earlier. Acquiring more sleep will help you make smarter decisions after you pack (and therefore have fewer items to “buy on the fly” while on a trip).
More sleep means being more alert driving on trips; consuming less sugar or caffeine to get a mid-day boost; and showing up with an overall better outlook for the day. As well as in the middle of summer travel or hosting guests that happen to be visiting for a week, that couldn’t be a more welcome benefit.