One of the best decisions I made was to spend a good chunk of time before summer started to get us totally organized. When we got organized, things just ran smoother. The kids have all their things. I don’t feel rushed. And our house is just happier.

So to get your house organized for summer, I am breaking down five ways you can get organized for summer so you don’t feel the stress of organizing all the things, and you can enjoy time to relax!

Tip 1

Start by creating a summer schedule. I know, I know, you feel like you can’t even make a school schedule happen. How can I expect you to set a summer schedule? You can do it because you don’t need a complicated schedule. In fact, a few years ago, I created a summer schedule that was just based on days. It was super simple, and it helped me keep my sanity.

I also created a summer schedule for us this year. If you get my emails, you already got this. If you don’t get my emails, you can get the schedule here. I hope this schedule will also give us some sanity–and also remind me what day it is!

Tip 2

My kids are freaking gremlins all day every day. They just want to eat all. the. foods. So I created a snack station for the kids. This snack station is just one location where the kids can get their fix of food without me having to worry about finding food for them.

We have a drawer in the kitchen that has kids snacks that they can get. If you don’t want to do that, I would recommend setting up a snack station. I use reusable bags to pre-portion carrot sticks, grapes, whatever you want to give them. Keep them in a container, even on the door so they can grab them and you can watch what they’re eating. Read more about how I set up a snack station for my kids here.

Tip 3

Keep a ton of towels on hand and store them in a giant laundry basket.

Last summer, I created a video on how to store beach towels. I roll them all up and put them in a giant laundry basket. I can fit 8 beach towels. That way, when your kids have an impromptu run through the sprinklers, you can just run and grab a towel from the basket.

It really helps you get organized for the summer. They’re within your site, and you know exactly where they are.

Tip 4

If you have dresser drawers, this is the time we swap out the pants drawer for shorts, long sleeve shirts for t-shirts, etc. Before summer starts, swap out that winter gear for summer clothing.

I like to make it accessible for the kids so that they can change on their own. Get rid of what doesn’t fit and make sure your kids know where to find things. If you want more tips on organizing clothing in drawers like a pro, get it here.  It makes mornings easier, and it makes life easier when they want to change into their swimsuit really quickly.

Tip 5

Have all your outside toys stored and easily accessible. By keeping the outside toys organized, you are going to be so much happier when you need to find something!

A lot of my clients used to just throw all the toys into one bin like a laundry basket, but then you forget what’s in it. Your kids will pile all the toys in, and the bin just becomes a mess.

Instead, I use smaller bins from the dollar store with holes in the bottom (great because sand and dirt just fall right out the bottom) to get the toys organized for summer. If they’re organized by types (just like they are inside), it’s a lot easier for the kids to find toys and to put them away. Learn more about organizing outside toys here.

More Summer Organizing Tips You Will Love

5 Simple Steps To Get Ridiculously Organized For A Stress-Free Summer

10 Ways To Stay Organized In The Summer

How To Create A Stress-Free Summer Schedule For Kids