How to Save Time this Summer

Summer is officially here!! The ACs are cranking, the grills are smoking and the fire flies take flight in the sky…

This time of year the days are longer, the kids are home from school and many of us try to take long weekends.  So of course, we want to get the most from our time for fun, love and relaxation …

To help you maximize your summertime hours, I pulled together a few tried and useful practical tips anyone can use whether you have one child, four like me or even for empty nesters…

Keep a pre-packed “pool bag” at all times. I like to keep mine in the garage. It’s kept in the same place year after year, this way the kids know exactly where to find it. By having a bag prepped at all times, heading out to the pool gets that much simpler! Things I like to keep in that bag:

• Sun block spray
• Sun block lotion
• Goggles
• Dive sticks
• Pool toys
• Towels
• Sun hat
• A few spare magazines

Keep a pre-packed “beach bag” at all times.  This habit was formed when the idea of going to the beach with the kids for the day seemed like such an overwhelming chore… But once I started keeping a specific bag set aside for just the occasion, it made things much easier to get out the door and on the road… Beach items can include:

• Sun block spray
• Sun block lotion
• Beach toys/ pails and shovels for everyone
• Towels
• Sun hat
• Beach Blanket
• A few spare magazines

To be even better prepared, in your garage or storage area have all other beach items such as chairs, umbrella, and my favorite “The Wonder Wheeler” kept all together. This is a simple tip for all in home organizing “keep like things with like things”.

By keeping your car stocked with summertime items, you can easily find fun and great quality family moments with your kids or even your sweetie… By having things on hand, an impromptu catch in the park is easy peasy. I have a bin in my trunk at all times that have such things as:

• At least 1 big Picnic/beach blanket
• Spare sun block
• Bug spray
• Baseball cap when you stuck at your kids baseball game baking in the sun
• A light sweater/sweatshirt for those unexpected cool nights
• A butterfly net
• A bucket/pail
• Bubbles
• A variety of balls for fun

When packing to go away for the night or even a few weeks, simplify things by remembering these techniques:

• “Roll” your clothes. It really does save so much space and helps keep clothes less wrinkled.
• Keep a pre-packed toiletry bag in your suitcase or weekender bag.
• Take a small trash bag for soiled dirty laundry so you never have to mix clean/dirty clothes on the way home.

Minimize cook prep! If you’re anything like me, you like simple summertime meals. Have you ever experienced those moments when its 6 o’clock and you have been enjoying yourself so much the idea of pulling together a meal becomes a daunting task? It needn’t be… This is a system we started in our home a couple years back that has proven to be invaluable!! Not only does it save on time… but cost as well!

• Buy meat/chicken in bulk
• Package in individual “meal size” portions.
• Pre-marinate each meal size package by adding a marinade to each individual bag
• Keep those packages in the refrigerator overnight so the marinade starts to work its magic
• The next day put those packages into the freezer
• You now have ready to grill multiple packs of meat/chicken etc.
• Keep lots of variations of fresh veggies on hand 

This literally makes getting dinner on the table so super simple…

Do you have any summertime tips that you would like to share? Please comment below!  Wishing you a fabulous, stress free Summer!

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