Summertime

The Summer Solstice officially arrives next month on June 21st, but with all the hot weather we have been having lately here in Michigan it makes me feel that summer has already arrived. Memorial Day passed us by on Monday and the kids will be getting out of school soon.



Summertime is a great time of the year to get organized and get your children involved in the process. By involving the whole family, you can teach your kids the life skill of organizing. If you do not know where to start, a professional organizer or organizing consultant can help. I often work with entire families to help them get organized.

Here are a few areas that are great summertime organizing projects:

• Kids Artwork: Sit down with your children individually to pick out favorite works of art from the previous school year. The "keepers" can be stored in a decorative box.
• The Basement: On the hottest days, it's great to work in a cool basement. I recommend working on your own in blocks of 1 hour or less. You can work longer if you have the guidance of a professional organizer or organizing consultant.
• The Garage: Summer is the best time to organize the garage because it is warm and it is the time you are using tools stored here. This will make it easy to get rid of all those things that collecting dust unused. I will be teaching a new class with Ann Arbor Rec & Ed this summer called "Get the Garage in Order".

For more tips on summer organizing, please feel free to sign up on our website for Simply Organized Life's free e-newsletter sent out on the first of every month.

Cleaning Products

When helping clients organize their homes, I often find that homeowners have enough cleaning products to fill a toxic landfill. Due to disorganization (or perhaps warehouse club memberships) homeowners do not realize what they have on hand and end of buying more cleaning products that add clutter under every sink in the home.

In my own home, I try to limit the purchase and use of heavy duty chemical cleaners when possible. One great way to do this is to use good old fashioned vinegar and baking soda. The website DoItYourself.com has some great uses for these old standards.

To avoid cleaning product clutter, buy only what you need when you need it. Not only will you conquer the clutter, but you will save money too!