Items to Discard Before Children Arrive for Their Extended Summer Vacation
Rediscover the Delight of a Clutter-Free Summer
Summer's warm embrace is almost here, and with it comes the opportunity to enjoy quality time with family, savoring delicious meals together and creating lasting memories. However, the house can quickly become a storm of chaos, especially when the distractions of school vanish. To ensure your summer is filled with fun and cherished moments, it's essential to declutter and create a home that feels light, organized, and inviting.
Rachel Rosenthal, an Organizational Expert and Post-it Brand Ambassador, shares her insights on what items to focus on during a kids' room cleanout, helping you create a clutter-free environment that fosters connection and relaxation.
Preparing for a Calmer Summer
A household overwhelmed with clutter not only saps energy but also affects the overall mood. With every drawer stuffed and every surface cluttered, even the simplest of tasks can become exhausting. To help make the most of your summer, Rosenthal advises focusing on minimizing clutter, as a clutter-free home sets the tone for a more tranquil and enjoyable season.
Which Items to Ditch First
Rosenthal suggests giving priority to the following categories when planning your clean-out:
- Old School Papers: Bid farewell to last year's math tests, science lab notes, and social studies quizzes, keeping only a few special mementos like a Kindergarten family portrait or a favorite creative writing assignment.
- Outgrown Books: Make room for new summer reads by donating books your child no longer enjoys or has outgrown. Consider giving back to your school by donating these pre-loved books in good condition.
- Stale Art Supplies: Remove dried-up markers, cracked crayons, and items taking up unnecessary space. This will create more room for fresh, all-new art supplies perfect for the summer season.
- Unplayed With Toys: If a toy hasn't been touched in months, it's likely time for a new home. Apply a case-by-case approach when decluttering toys.
- Ill-Fitting Clothes: Look for clothes that are too small, stained, or worn out and part with them to make space for garments your child will actually wear during this summer.
- Lost Socks: If a sock has gone unmatched for more than a week, it's highly unlikely the pair will reunite. Repurpose these single socks as dust rags.
- Random Knickknacks: It's time to reclaim your kids' drawers from trinkets, stickers, and plastic toys. Prepare a container to store any new items that inevitably materialize in the future.
By decluttering these items, you'll be able to embrace a more organized and intentional summer, filled with joy and relaxation.
- To prepare for a calmer summer, focus on minimizing clutter in your home, as a clutter-free home creates a more tranquil and enjoyable environment.
- When planning your spring cleaning, give priority to old school papers, outgrown books, stale art supplies, unplayed with toys, ill-fitting clothes, lost socks, and random knickknacks.
- Consider donating last year's math tests, social studies quizzes, and science lab notes, keeping only a few special mementos like a Kindergarten family portrait or a favorite creative writing assignment.
- Make room for new summer reads by donating books your child no longer enjoys or has outgrown, and consider giving back to your school by donating these pre-loved books in good condition.
- Remove dried-up markers, cracked crayons, and items taking up unnecessary space to create more room for fresh, all-new art supplies perfect for the summer season.
- By decluttering these items, you'll be able to emphasis on what truly matters this summer, such as spending quality time with family, home organization, fashion-and-beauty, food-and-drink, and travel experiences, making lasting memories together.
