Is there anything better than summer?
Between the fresh fruits and vegetables that abound at our local produce stands to the wonderfully long stretches of daylight, I am pretty sure there is nothing better than summer.
One of the things I also love about summer is the slower pace of life and the weather-induced desire to indulge a bit more than we might in the cooler and typically busier months.
I like to schedule my big tasks for the summer months and my slower work schedule combined with the increased access to Vitamin D makes those to dos a lot more achievable!
Whether you are looking for ideas to get your house organized or are looking for a reset button to make your summer season more enjoyable, here are a few of my tips to tackling your to-do lists!
• Tweak Your Schedule: As a teacher during the other nine months or so of the year, I love the summer for one big reason — I can go grocery shopping during the week, when the stores are way less busy compared to my usual weekend shopping time.
The stock is better, I enjoy a quiet store and the shopping experience is simply more enjoyable! I enjoy it so much that I am tweaking my schedule to make it a year-round part of my schedule.
No, I am not quitting my full-time job but I am shifting my schedule to make sure I can fit this during my weekday plans.
Is there something in your schedule that you would change if you could?
Use the summer season to try a new time slot and see how if it helps that task less tedious or if it simplifies your life.
It could be your designated grocery day, your cleaning schedule or even a planned self-care day.
A self-care day you ask? If you need to ask what one of those is,
I suggest you schedule one sooner rather than later! More about that in the next bullet.
• Schedule Self-Care: Earlier this year, I started seeing a therapist, I didn’t think I had the time or money to add this to my already overflowing schedule but now that I have a biweekly hour that I know is going to be about my own self-care.
I don’t know how I existed without it.
Self-care comes in many forms and whether you use the time to see a therapist, go to the gym or take a yoga class, the key here is finding something that helps you reset and recharge your batteries.
Since scheduling a biweekly visit with my incredible therapist, I have also found ways to add evening walks with my senior dog to my plate — and my mental state has improved exponentially ever since.
When I get back from my walk, I am motivated and energized.
So, my challenge to you is to find one thing that gives you joy and schedule it for once a week — at least to start.
You may just find that one hour a week turns into a more frequent occurrence on your calendar.
You may also see that it makes you much more productive in other areas of your life.
• Purge Mercilessly: Raise your hand if you own more stuff than you need. I don’t know about you but my house is in serious need of a purging of stuff we neither need or use anymore — and I joke, sometimes through gritted teeth, that our garage looks like an episode of “Hoarders.”
Take the summer season, and the longer evenings it brings to tackle the purging projects you have been avoiding all year.
Clean out the attic and garage, organize your closets and pantries and be downright merciless about it.
If you don’t use it, be like “Elsa,” and … Let … It … Go.
Call your local church charity or nonprofit thrift shops to see what donations they are taking.
Donating things you don’t need is a great way to take the sting out of getting rid of things that perhaps you had some nostalgia about and therefore held on to a little too long!
Consider hosting a yard sale if you have some excellent furniture or gently used items.
While they can be a lot of work, if you are already purging your spaces, it is a great way to make a little extra money to reap the rewards of all those busy evenings!
I promise you will reap the benefits of more simplified living space in the end!
(Editor’s Note: Kristine George is a freelance journalist who resides in Easton.)