Summer is finally here, which means that your daily routines are changing because the kids are home from school or back from college. What’s on your summer bucket list? Many families have a combination of fun activities and home improvement projects: road trip planning, preparing for outdoor parties, pool days, garage cleaning and organizing, landscaping, finding the best picnic areas near me, and more!
Whether you are loading up the car for a day trip to local picnic areas, planning a longer road trip, getting on an airplane, or dedicating your week to home improvement, organization is key to ensuring success. Consider starting your summer right by hiring an organizing consultant near me.
Organizing different parts of your life makes it easier to enjoy spur-of-the-moment activities and plan for bigger events. Being prepared will reduce stress and anxiety and save you time as well. Here are a few tips from a professional home organizer to implement in your home and to make your summer planning a breeze:
Planning Ahead to Visit Picnic Areas and Other Day Trips
A little bit of car organization and picnic preparation goes a long way to make it easy to step out the door for a fun family outing. Not only should you put together a packing for the beach list, but also think ahead about what you’ll want on hand when you are sharing a picnic on the beach with your family.
When you are spending time in the sun, have a grab-and-go bag that is pre-packed with everything you might need. Whether it’s a picnic on the beach or a hike in the mountains, you’ll need a few essentials to ensure you are prepared for the picnic areas you plan to visit. Here’s a list of some of the must-haves:
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Pool towels
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Floaties and water toys
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Swimsuits
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Coverups
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Beach shoes and flip flops
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Picnic table cover
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Hats
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Sunglasses
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Sunscreen
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Bug spray
Some of the items, such as sunglasses, hats, and sunscreen are perfect for all types of day trips, including the beach, amusement parks, and picnic spots near me. Other items are only for water activities. So, consider having two separate bags to take, depending on the type of activity.
Also, protect your family’s health by checking everything before packing these day bags. Professional home organizer services suggest looking at the expiration dates on sunscreen and bug spray to make sure the products are still safe to use. It’s also important to look for signs of mold on water toys – especially if they weren’t properly stored through the winter season. Pool storage for floats is a great investment to avoid these issues.
List for Packing for a Beach Vacation
Having a packing for a beach vacation list makes it easy to throw everything in a suitcase when you are heading to the coast. Not only will organization and prep help you design the perfect vacation packing list for the beach, but you can avoid the last-minute run to the store the night before you leave since you already have everything on your list.
Additionally, when you are evaluating your road trip planning, take time to organize the car trunk so you can find all the road trip essentials when you take a pit stop. Car trunk organization for long trips keeps you (and your family) from going insane. Check off your road trip packing list before you pull out of the driveway. Reduce stress by being organized and prepared for what’s ahead.

Assessing Your Summer Clothes Wardrobe
Make sure the whole family is outfitted with summer clothes for men, women, and children. Not only does everyone need summer shorts, shoes, and t-shirts, but it’s also important to have swimwear and coverups that fit. Children grow so quickly throughout the year, which is why many parents need to replace summer clothing at the beginning of the season.
Check your closets. If you took the advice from a professional organizer near me at the beginning of the year to clean out and organize those closets, then a quick refresh is all that you’ll need at the beginning of the summer. Staying organized and on top of the clutter will greatly reduce anxiety and make your summer planning less stressful and more enjoyable for all.
Preparation and Ideas for Outdoor Parties
Having everything on hand is the perfect, stress-free solution to host outdoor parties throughout the summer! When you are working on garage cleaning and organization, set aside a dedicated area for your outdoor party supplies. Having everything you need in one easy-to-find place will save you time and money.
Other important party planning items are a great investment, such as a tent for outdoor party hosting, games for outdoor party activities, a picnic table, folding chairs, serving platters, coolers, water jugs, and more. If you don’t have these items on hand already, think about borrowing from a neighbor or looking for these items at yard sales or thrift stores.
Free Consultation with a Professional Organizer in Northern Virginia
If you want personalized tips for garage cleaning and organization, car organization, or help organizing any other part of your home, then it’s time to talk to a professional organizer in Northern Virginia.
The Organizing Mentors is here to help with anything that you need. We offer a complimentary consultation for every client. Also, check out our Private Facebook Group for home organization tips and other ideas to keep your family on track this summer. We also have a variety of organizational products you can find in our LITL Shop. Are you ready to reclaim your space mentally and physically? Then call a professional home organizer for more information at (703) 832-4985.
The Organizing Mentors is locally owned and operated, serving the metropolitan Washington DC area, including Northern Virginia (McLean, Reston, Ashburn) and other surrounding communities in Maryland.