Today’s guest post is contributed by Liz Porter who is a Massachusetts mother of three, freelance writer, and self-proclaimed minimalist. When she’s not busy chasing after her three munchkins, she can be found getting ready for her next marathon! Thanks SO much for taking time out of your busy schedule to share your great ideas and mom-wisdom with all of our SaneSpaces.com fans, Liz!
With summer just around the corner, you probably have plenty to think about and many tasks to do to make sure your home is ready in time. With the kids finishing up school and vacations and parties up ahead, the last thing you want to think about is chores! So in the interest of getting your house ready for the summer while also having fun with it, here are some great ideas that will have your home looking seasonal and festive without too much effort!
Getting the House Ready
All of the seasons place certain stressors on a house, so with a new season approaching, you will need to switch gears from your spring mode to get the house set for summer. Think about how you can make your house more comfortable and more sustainable by preparing it for summer.
- Clean out the gutters if you live in an area with rainy summers and springs. Do it in advance to make it easier to transition into storm season.
- If you’ve been wanting to do any repainting, do it now before the weather gets too warm to spend lots of time outside in the sun!
- Consider investing in solar panels at the beginning of the season. It’s an upfront expense, but by installing them right at the beginning of the summer, you can maximize your savings right away. They may even get you an extra tax credit next year!
- Address any needed repairs for your sprinkler system and your AC. You don’t want to be caught in the summer heat with a broken AC unit, so repair it before you need it! When doing repairs to your sprinkler system, check for leaks, holes, old pipes, and worn-out hoses. Replace these to prevent any unnecessary water waste throughout the season.
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Low-Key Summer Decorating
Summer decorating is easy with plants that pop in container clusters!
No matter how much you love to redecorate your home for the seasons, no one wants to spend a lot of money every time a new season rolls around. Instead, plan your seasonal decorating around small changes you can make in your home that will make things look fresh without costing you a lot.
- Try ordering flowers regularly throughout the season. Having fresh, seasonal flowers will instantly make your house look more homey and festive. Order or buy flowers weekly for a different seasonal arrangement and keep a few seasonal accents in rotation to match the colors in your weekly flowers. Hang the old flowers to dry out. These will make a nice potpourri or perfume and will be a nice decoration while they are drying.
- Choose a few accent pieces and buy several in different summery colors. For example, select throw pillows and blankets, candles for the tabletop, kitchen towels, and table runners. Buy a few of each of these in different colors and switch them out throughout the season to complement your flowers. Mix and match with a few different colors for a more varied palette. Or buy several of each items in slightly different shades of the same color for a fun, off-beat look.
- Choose a few “staple” items for your summer decorating and make these the main feature of your summer setup. Ideas could include new wicker furniture (repair and reinvent items from thrift and antique stores to spend a bit less on new furniture), set up a hammock in the yard, hang a mirror and other interesting decorations in your porch area, etc.
Do Your Summer Gardening
Get your yard ready for summer by planting some heat-tolerant plants that do not require too much water. Get some festive annuals in bright summery colors, but also add in some new perennials that are a good fit for your geography. Don’t forget some essential yard tools! Plan your garden carefully so that you have all of your plants in the right locations. That is, you will want to make sure your plants are in good locations to get the right amount of sunlight and water throughout the year.
Take it Easy
It’s about to be summertime! Soon, the kids will be home from school, there will be picnics and BBQs to host and play dates to arrange. You’ll have plenty to keep you busy, so take care of your basic organizing and cleaning up now so you won’t have to worry about it later when you’d rather by having fun doing summery activities.
Your Sanity Assignment
Take a fifteen minute break today, sit down with a blank piece of paper and start your Getting Ready for Summer To Do List for the coming weekends. What will you accomplish that will get you ready for summer fun?
Thank you Liz for this helpful post!