Hey there!

Summer is upon us. Kids are home and out of school now and it’s time for some family fun! If this part stresses you out, here are SIX things you can do to make the summer with your family a little less stressful!

1. Set A Schedule

With daily routines changing, it’s important to be on top of your calendar game! Setting up and reviewing your calendar for the summer is huge! When are you going on vacation? When is summer camp happening? Are there any parties/holidays/events for the summer that you have to attend?

Included with a schedule, should also be a daily routine chart (especially for your kids) and even an expectations list! Setting up routines are so important for adults and children! For example, you could make a timeline of the day for the kids and what activities will be happening (tv time, electronics time, reading time, etc.) An expectations list could contain a list of “chores” or daily things they can do to help around the house that need to get done for the day (fill/empty dishwasher, put your laundry away, make your bed) WHATEVER you want your kids to do!

Post this calendar or list in your Command Center or somewhere else where everyone can see it and refer to.

2. Get Your Backyard Organized

If you have been following along with me for the past month, I have been writing about How to Get Your Backyard Ready For The Summer. This includes how to get your yard prepped and decorated, and even how to organize the toys and different zones of the yard. Getting your backyard organized will make things easier for you, your kids, and even for the neighborhood kids that come over! Plus, having an organized and decorated backyard makes Hosting Parties that much more enjoyable!

3. Make Meal Time Easier On Yourself

Now, I will admit, I am definitely not an expert when it comes to meal planning and cooking. But, I am ALL FOR making things easier for myself. I personally use My Own Meal Planner when planning out my meals for the week. I have also been trying to cook multiple meals at once so it’s less cooking and clean up throughout the week!

When it gets really hot outside, I just do NOT feel like using the oven and warming up the house. Making freezer meals ahead of time that you can pop into the crock pot are always a great idea.

Another great invention - - have you heard of this thing called the Instant Pot!? Ha. I’m sure you have. I think I am the only person I know who has not jumped on the bandwagon yet with this. All of my friends tell me that I need one of these things and trust me, I’m starting to realize I do. I will be getting one of these for myself in the next couple of weeks!

Then, of course, there is always the grill. There’s nothing like a nice meal on the grill on a summer evening. You can grill everything on there for one meal - - meat, veggies, potatoes, etc. At least that is what I eat, so I can’t speak to other diets or anything, but I’m sure there is a way!

4. Have A Yard Sale

Summertime seems like the time for yard sales. If you have been looking at items in your house all winter and said to yourself, “I just need to get rid of it”, well, I’m giving you permission RIGHT NOW! Gather all of those items and have your very own tag sale! You’d be surprised how much you will be able to get rid of. I will be creating another post later on this month about how to do this specifically and set everything up to make it less stressful for you.

5. Organize Your Car

Cleaning your car is one thing, but organizing it is another. One of the main products you could buy that would instantly get your car organized is a Trunk Organizer. It has different compartments that you could use to store different items in. I have one in my car. I use one compartment for my emergency kit, another compartment for every day cleaning items in the car, and then I personally use another section of the organizer for bulky items that I need when I go to a client’s house to work.

You can put whatever you want in your organizer. If you have kids, keeping bottles of water, paper towels for any spills, or whatever other essentials you may need to keep on you in there could be helpful for you.

If you are in the car a lot, I would also suggest getting a mini garbage bag for your car. I have personally bought This Bag From this Etsy Seller. It hangs on the back of the headrest and I can put any little wrappers or whatever small trash in there so it doesn’t land all over the place in my car!

6. Create a “To-Go” Basket

Summer time may mean longer car rides and road trips. Having a “to-go” basket already packed with items to keep your kids busy on those long, spontaneous car rides will be a huge time saver! And may even prevent the “Are we there yet?” questions! You could pack things in there like coloring books, crayons/markers, trivia card games, Mad-libs (do they still make these?), electronics, books, even snacks! Any type of activity that would keep your child occupied! Keep this basket in your garage, or a place that is easy and quick to grab on your way out!

Tell Me:

What are YOUR go-to summer hacks to keep you and your family organized?!

6 Ways To Get Your Family Organized This Summer!