Getting Your Home Ready for Summer Vacation

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

21 May 2009 12:20 PM

It seems that summer is always ready before I am. I still haven't finished all of the spring cleaning before everyone gears up for the summer activities. Even though my oldest child will be in school for almost another month, there are already evening summer activities lined up, such as music concerts on the lawn and summer barbecue parties.

As the mom, I will be expected to host everything from backyard camp outs to worm gardens, all while smiling in my matching short set and carrying a cool pitcher of lemonade. Forget the fact that there is still insulating plastic stuck on some of the windows and winter sweaters piled in the closets and drawers.

I'm really trying not to panic.

The best way to get your home ready for summer is to simplify everything that you can. People will be running in and out of the house all day, so put away anything that might get dirtied, lost or broken. Our family room is the only room in the house with carpet, and mean mom that I am, I place it pretty much off limits during the day in the summer, despite the fact that it opens out to the screened porch. Replace the good towels in the downstairs bath with shabbier ones and load up on the plastic drink cups. Tuck an absorbent rug on the floor underneath your refrigerator's ice and water dispenser.

If your home tends to be the summer hang out house as mine us, make sure to establish an area that can be snack central. Load up on inexpensive but healthy snacks that is within kid reach. This will save you from having to stop everything to prepare something for the hungry kids. Your snack area can be a low cabinet filled with pretzels, raisins, crackers, etc., or a low drawer in the refrigerator loaded with chopped vegetables, fruit and cheese. Have the kids ask for permission to visit the snack area, of course.

How do you prepare your home for summer?

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog and caring for little ones in the Baby Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.

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Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

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