Howdy and welcome back to my blog! Today I’ll be sharing my back-to-school clean out & home improvement tips. Some of these are annual plans and I added a few fun DIY projects to spice it up this year.
#1. Clean and store all summer gear
This can seem so overwhelming admits the back-to-school excitement but I have found it is so much easier to clean and put away all the summer gears and beach toys now rather than later. This makes decorating for fall a breeze!
#2. Clean and organize the insides of cabinets, pantry, fridge(s), freezer(s) and go ahead and deep clean that dishwasher.
Back to school can sometimes = back to crazy! Busy schedules and lots of quick meals in the kitchen. Getting organized now can save you so much time and energy later. Get ready to go this school year by doing a good kitchen deep clean & organization.
#3. Clean the floors (and/or baseboards)
Summer activities generate a lot of traffic through our house. With traffic comes dirt, germs and stains. I’d recommend knocking this out on a weekend where you can rent a professional steam cleaner or floor polisher. You can rent professional equipment from Lowes (24 hour rentals for just $30!) This can transform the look and feel of your home but make it smell great as well!
#4. Clean out the Closets!
With growing boys, I realize how quickly they grow out of things. Setting a day or a weekend to go through clothes and try things on has saved me so much time and energy and turns into quite an entertaining runway show (if you will.)
#5. Organize those summer photos and videos
I don’t know about you, but when back to school comes around and I’m taking first day of school pictures I’ve completely forgotten about the thousands of summer pics I have stored, ready to be put in a book or album. So if that’s you too, here’s your friendly reminder to schedule some time to delete/sort/print your photos so they don’t get lost.
#6. Create a “family command center”
This can look different for every family but should have everything you need to grab and go in one area. This can have a whiteboard with your daily, weekly, or monthly schedules and hooks for backpacks. I like having a designated area for assignments I need to sign for the boys or extra school supplies if they need them as they’re running out the door. This can be so fun to DIY and come up with your own look that suits your needs.
#7. Clean and organize your garage
I don’t know what it is about summer but it seems like the garage somehow gets destroyed the worst! I always have to schedule time on my calendar to deep clean after all of our trips and vacations left little clutter behind each time.
#8. Pest control!
Whether this means getting your home inspected or having your home sprayed, it’s the perfect time to do so. It’s SO hot right now and all types of bugs are looking for a nice cool place to escape.
#9. Find your fall decor
Fall will be here before we know it and locating all your decor can make life easier. If you’re organized and know where it’s all at, ignore this step. But if you’re like me and have a little bit of everything everywhere… it might be a great time to do an inventory check. Although it sounds crazy, fall decor is on sale now – everywhere! If you need a new wreath or door mat, I’d suggest finding your favorite now before stores sell out.
#10. Enjoy the weather
One of my favorite times of year is this transition between summer and fall. The weather is SO unpredictable but it makes for such a diversity of activities. One weekend will be 105 and we can drive to the beach or enjoy a movie in the backyard the next week when it’s 75.
