Raise your hand if you missed the spring-cleaning memo? Yep, me too.
Now that school’s out, I’m bracing myself for summer… getting things in order to keep the kids stimulated (in an organized manner).
Here are 6 easy DIY ways to get your house summer ready.
Store School Assignments
Invest in a big filing container and designate folders per grade. Pick the year’s favorite most noteworthy items you want to save- essays, awards, report cards and more. This orderly and convenient system easily stores in a garage or closet that you can utilize year after year.
Here are some good ones:
Create an Art Caddy
The rolling art caddy from the Container Store is for my fellow OCD mamas… it’s a great place to store art supplies for summer activities. The three tiers allow for easy organization- divide your caddy per kid, so they each have their “own space” and “own supplies.” Stock it with summer stimulation items- a small white board for kinder-aged kids to practice writing, and non-breakable crayons for little ones.
Summer Bucket List Folder
Are your kids complaining they’re bored yet? Join the club. Get a manila folder and post-its… Engage your children and have them come up with things they want to do throughout the summer, write them on each post-it, and place them in the folder. Think of unique ideas: baking cookies, learning a new hobby, going to the library, etc. Every time you’re faced with an “I’m bored” complaint, go to your folder and have them select something to do. Think of it as a compact and affordable idea board.
Get Stackable Drawers
Get obsessed with stackable drawers that keep small toys organized. Tape a picture of the drawer’s contents on the outside so young children can associate what goes where. (This encourages cleaning up as well!) The drawers are sturdy, yet lightweight, and can be carried room to room. This is a great solution for storing puzzles, toy trucks, and trinkets.
Utilize Creative Storage
Have you seen these 5x7 photo holders from the Container Store? According to my friends at The Home Project, this is their must-get item for storing very small stuff. While the piece is designed for safely preserving 5x7 photos, you can also use it for a first aid kit (ideal for road trips), hair accessories, phone plugs/cables, travel documents (passports), etc. The ideas are endless!
Create a Snack Caddy
This mobile “spinner” has dividers making for easy snack organization. Ideal for camp goers, you can pre-package dry items at the beginning of the week for ease in lunch packing. (It’s also good for on-the-go snacking considering most kids are ALWAYS hungry.) Fits in a cabinet, and lets you bid farewell to bulky cracker boxes taking over your pantry! (Consider it a divided Lazy Susan.)
*Contact The Home Project and mention this article for an exclusive special!
Nadine Bubeck is a TV personality, fashion designer, author, blogger, and Scottsdale-based blessed boy mom.