May

11

Five Helpful Tips To Get Ready For Summer

While it may feel like spring just started, summer is around the corner! Time to look forward to longer days and warmer temperatures…along with bored kids and more yard work. Here are 5 simple tips to help ease your family through the transition from the hustle and bustle of the school year to the long days of summer.

1: GET ORGANIZED FOR THE LAST WEEK OF SCHOOL

If you give end-of-year teacher gifts, plan ahead. Gift cards, classroom supplies and heartfelt thank you letters are all good bets.

Keep a detailed calendar of field trips, school ceremonies, dance recitals and baseball games. The last few weeks of school are typically action-packed.

Don’t forget to bring a camera on the last day of school. One fun idea is to have your kids wear the same outfit they wore on the first day of school to showcase how much they’ve grown.

2: CHECK OUT THE SUMMER TOYS

Pull out the kiddie pool, slip ‘n slide and sprinklers to make sure everything is in good working order. You don’t want to tell your little one the sprinkler isn’t working when he or she is standing there in a swimsuit ready to go!

Put air in the bike tires and raise the seats if needed.

Stock up on sidewalk chalk and bubbles, and check the air pressure on basketballs and soccer balls.

3: THINK ABOUT MEAL PREP –  SPENDING LONG DAYS AT THE PARK OR SWIMMING POOL CAN MAKE PREPARING DINNER A CHALLENGE

Crock pot and grilling recipes are perfect for summer. Find simple recipes online and stock up on ingredients to prepare throughout the week.

Make sure the fridge is loaded with bread, peanut butter, jelly, and lunchmeat. Picnics are a summer staple and an easy way to feed the kids without making a mess of your kitchen.

Buy or make popsicles – kids and grown-ups agree, nothing says “summer” like a popsicle!

4: GIVE YOUR WARDROBE ITS ANNUAL OVERHAUL

Now is a great time to take stock of your wardrobe. Donate anything that’s too big, too small, too worn or too dated.

If you’re short on closet space, pack away those heavy sweaters and pull out the shorts and t-shirts.

If you have kids, odds are they’ve outgrown their sandals (and possibly everything else in their closet, sigh). Do a summer fashion show to find out what needs replacing.

Speaking of sandals, are last year’s plastic sandals or flip-flops looking a little… grungy?  Grab an S.O.S pad! The soap is built right in, so all you need to do is wet the pad, scrub, and rinse. Mud, dirt, and grime will be gone in no time!

5: GET THE YARD READY

If you’re a dog owner who’s let yard clean-up get pushed to the back burner during the winter (who can see the mess under the snow, anyway?), now’s the time to make it a priority.

Get the grill ready. Check your propane tank or charcoal supply to ensure you’re ready for that first summer bbq. Scrub grill grates with an S.O.S Pad to remove any grease, rust or caked-on debris.

Prep the garden. Prepare your soil, choose what you’re going to plant and shop for seeds or plants. This is a great job for kids to get involved!

Now’s the time to clean the patio furniture. S.O.S Steel Wool Soap Pads are the perfect tool for plastic or metal patio furniture – just wet the pad, scrub away the grime, and rinse with a garden hosee.  More delicate patio furniture, such as teak, can be cleaned with a soft scrub brush using water and a mild oil-based soap.

How do you prepare for summer? Let us know in the comments below or on the S.O.S Facebook page. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram, too!