Top 3 Tips For Staying Organized With Kids This Summer
Are you looking forward to summer or dreading it?
Does summer feel insanely busy and disorganized for you, or does it run smoothly while time is spent focusing on family + fun?
Confession: For me, it can go either way! Maintaining my kids’ summer activities while running a small business can be a LOT - but I also love the flexibility of fewer clients in the summer (it get’s a bit hot here in AZ) and more time to relax with my family.
As a former teacher and current professional organizer, I know how important it is to plan, plan, and plan some more. When it comes to enjoying things and reducing stress, a great plan can help soooo much! Although there’s always room for flexibility - hello summer trips out of town - I follow the three tips below to help make summer with my kids go as smoothly as possible.
1) Have a Daily Plan
It’s essential to have a daily plan to follow, to help kids stay in some routine. Kids and adults love routine because it relieves stress and helps us know what’s to come. It’s also great for prepping and planning!
During summer, I like to keep a scheduled wake-up time as well as mealtime. Although it doesn’t have to be exact, these pillars help my family know what to expect each day. In addition, keeping a scheduled bedtime and consistent bedtime routine helps to ensure better sleep and waking up refreshed, regardless of how hectic each day can get.
This structure helps kids know what to expect, and clear expectations are a great form of communication to be practicing in your family!
Pro tip: Schedule daily clean-up times! I like to (try) and do this while my kids are still awake. It models positive behaviors and helps me avoid spending all my ‘off’ time picking up and cleaning. In addition, this daily clean-up helps us avoid huge, overwhelming messes and disorganization.
2) Follow A Weekly Schedule
Similar to creating a daily schedule, I like to follow a weekly plan. From being a teacher to being a mom, maintaining structure has always been a huge part of keeping my life organized. This plan can include daily activities that repeat weekly or bi-weekly, depending on your schedule. Kids LOVE to know they are going to swim lessons on Tuesdays and the library on Fridays - it gives them some control over their schedule and decreases feelings of stress or worry over what the plan is each day. It also gives them something to look forward to if they are feeling bored or having a down day.
Want to take your weekly plan to the next level? Try setting up a few go-to meals - on Mondays, we get takeout, on Thursdays, we eat breakfast for dinner, etc!
Creating and displaying this weekly and daily schedule for your family is key to staying organized and decreasing stress over the summer. Download our free printable to customize your own summer schedule!
3) Create a To-Go Station For Summer Essentials
Stock up on summer essentials and get them organized now, so you can save time and get places faster-later! I like to have a zipper bag or to-go caddy setup for pool time, the park, and a rainy day. These can be stored in a drop-zone area so you and your family can have an easier time getting out the door each day.
Make sure to label each one so you know what to grab and take a monthly inventory to replace any used up or missing items.
Want our full summer survival guide to saying organized, including what we would keep in each to-go bag? Click the button below to download & print!
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