Organizing for Real Life: 5 Systems Keeping Me Sane This Summer

If you've ever looked at social media or the put-together mom parked next to you and wondered if everyone else's summer is somehow more relaxed than yours, you're not alone.

Around here, summer is a whirlwind of work, baseball, activities, appointments, and the occasional unexpected curveball (pun intended). As a professional organizer, I don't believe organizing is about creating a perfect life. It's about creating systems that help real life run a little smoother.

These five simple systems aren't groundbreaking, but they're helping our family stay afloat this summer and I thought they might help yours, too.

Review Tomorrow's Schedule Today

During the school year, our routines are predictable enough that a weekly calendar review usually does the trick. Summer is a different story.

With ever-changing work and sports schedules and kids who aren't all driving yet, a quick five-minute family review each evening helps everyone know where they need to be the next day and how they're getting there. It's one of the simplest organizing habits we have, and it prevents a lot of last-minute scrambling.

Related: I’ve written here seasonal planning, which is another helpful tool in my Family Routine Toolbox. Also check out Sizzlin’ Summer Organization and Busy Season Survival Guide for more summer organizing tips!

Share the Driving Load

One of my favorite summer survival tools is the carpool. 

Several nearby families have kids on the same baseball teams and in the same activities, so we've created group texts to coordinate rides. My dream of a perfectly organized transportation system hasn't exactly happened, but the kids keep getting where they need to go, and that's what matters. 

Consider this your reminder to accept help when it's offered. Sometimes the best organizing solution isn't doing more yourself, it’s letting your village help and helping them in return. 

Simplify the Meal Plan

Summer is not the season when I try new recipes or plan variety into our diet.

We rotate through a handful of easy meals: hamburgers, hot dogs or brats, tacos, pulled pork or shredded chicken, and pizza. Lunches are equally predictable with things like pancakes, eggs, fruit, vegetables, crackers, and cheese.

Could we eat more creatively? I suppose we could, but I’ve chosen for that not to matter during this season, and my sanity is better off for it. Having fewer decisions to make frees up both shopping and cooking time and energy for everything else we have going on. Simplifying what’s for dinner is a quick win during a chaotic season.

Do the Laundry When You Can

My summer laundry strategy is simple: if I'm going to be home long enough to run a load, I do one. Start to finish, if possible. (I know, I know.) 

My kids handle most of their own laundry, but there are still towels, bedding, uniforms, and plenty of adult clothes to wash. Instead of waiting for the perfect time or a completely full basket, I do a load whenever the opportunity presents itself. An evening Minnesota Twins game is the perfect time to fold and I can put them away during commercials! 

It's not glamorous, but it keeps me from spending an entire evening catching up before a busy weekend.

Lower the Standard a Little

This one might be the most important.

We live here. During the summer, we're constantly coming and going, which means the house doesn't stay as tidy as it does during the school year. There are more shoes by the door, more water bottles on the counter, and plenty of evidence that people actually use this space.

An organized home doesn't have to look perfect every day (or ever, actually). Sometimes being organized just means being able to find what you need and function well in the middle of a busy season.

Summer has a way of exposing the systems that work and the ones that don't. If your house feels a little more chaotic than usual, that's okay.

Whether it's a five-minute calendar review, a standing carpool, or letting go of unrealistic expectations, small changes can make a big difference. Organizing is really just about creating a life that works for you and your family.

And if you're in the Jamestown area and feeling overwhelmed by clutter, decluttering, or household systems that aren't working anymore, I'd be happy to help.

I’m Ashley, and here at Good Help Organizing, I offer compassionate, judgement-free decluttering and organizing support.

If you are overwhelmed by clutter or outdated routines and systems that no longer work, I am here to help.

Click here or on the image to contact me.