Are the “dog days” of summer making you feel unmotivated right now? It may feel like a real challenge to break out of lazy summer mode to start getting organized for the busy fall season, and that’s why I have gathered the following tips to help you get prepared.
Here in the South, there are still several weeks of bathing suit weather left even though vacation time is drawing to a close and school is starting back. This is a good time to get rid of any summer clothes, bathing suits, or travel gear that didn’t get used or aren’t in great shape. You may consider donating any items that are still usable. You can donate clothes, jackets, school supplies, etc to your school, or have a garage sale since August 13th is National Garage Sale Day.
Have tons of photos from your last vacation? Now is the time to go through them and decide which to keep and which to clear from your computer or camera memory card. Consider making a scrapbook, getting your favorites framed, or create photo books through Shutterfly or Wal-Mart to capture the great memories. These are great to give as Christmas or birthday gifts as well.
If you have children starting back to school, you will want to help make the process go smoothly for you and your family. Here is the link to a handy checklist of back-to-school tasks to take care of. Find some great recipes for the crock pot when creating your weekly meal calendar. Get the camera or your Smart Phone out to spend time with each child to plan out their clothes for the first week – this is always fun (more for the girls than the guys). Buy a little photo album at the dollar store for a buck, take some photos of different outfits, then print and put in the photo book with the day labeled. Then in the morning each child will open their “styling book” so they will know what to put on. Really this is a fun idea!
Make sure to schedule physicals, eye doctor and dentist appointments early and order any special gear or uniforms that they may need. Designate a work space fully stocked with everything they need for doing homework.
Next, start evaluating your office or work organization system. Is your process working, or do you spend far too much time trying to remember where everything is?
- Start by going through your physical work space and evaluate what can be thrown out.
- Consider investing in drawer bins and dividers, and an organizer for your desk surface for storing any items you plan to keep.
- File important papers in color-coded and labeled folders
- Investing in a planner is great way to stay on top of daily and weekly tasks. Writing down your schedule helps un-clutter your brain, and keeps you from forgetting important appointments.
- Clear out your virtual space by creating folders on your desktop for storing files, photos, etc., and doing the same for your inbox. Read, delete or save emails in folders you have designated.
- Personalize your work area with furniture, décor, containers and organizers that make you enjoy being in the space and boosts your productivity.
These tips should help point you in the right direction for end-of-summer organization. Some of us may be dreading the idea that the lazy days of summer will soon be drawing to a close, but with a little planning and preparation, the transition into fall can be smooth and stress-free as well as fun.
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Image courtesy of Iris/Flickr.com