Ahhh, those summer days when you can kick back and relax. You may want to lay around, take long weekend trips, and stay out late at night. The heck with organizing, right? Wait just a minute. You can be productive and overcome procrastination in the summer. Clutter doesn't stop accumulating.
Jump to:
- Address your avoidance.
- Schedule 15 minutes each night to do a clean sweep of the house.
- Pick the time of day you least like to stay outside.
- Start with the most important project.
- Create mini-goals.
- Just do seasonal decluttering.
- Clear the floors and tables.
- Make systems for these frequently used areas.
- Organize on Rainy Days.
- Ask for help.
- Say positive affirmations to motivate yourself.
- Schedule Fun Events AND Decluttering Tasks.
If you think stopping your organizing projects over the summer is a good idea, I created a list of results that can happen because you stopped decluttering, reorganizing, and giving in to procrastination.
- You will need to remember where you left off. Some organizing projects need to be completed quickly because they are more complicated and need more of your attention. By setting it aside for several months, you may have to start over from the beginning.
- You will get overwhelmed with the organizing project. This will happen particularly with projects you meant to start and never did. Then, the months pass by, and the piles get bigger, and the stuff gets more hidden.
- You may not get back to it. If you have several projects in progress and the fall comes with its own other tasks, like getting kids ready for back to school, you may forget to return to the other projects you didn't finish before the summer.
These are just three of the many results that can happen if you give into procrastination this summer. If these results scare you enough, check out these tips below that will help you move beyond your procrastination this summer.
Quick Tips to Overcome Procrastination this Summer and Stay Organized
Address your avoidance.
The trigger statement to act is when you hear yourself saying, "I will do it later." Instead of putting it off, move forward. This phrase should be an indication that you need to start it now. Instead, take a few steps to move the project along. Just writing down the steps that need completing will work wonders.
Schedule 15 minutes each night to do a clean sweep of the house.
This is where you put all the small items that were left out away. Trash goes in the trash can; plates go in the dishwasher. I call this the Tidy Up Fast Method. Learn about it in my post.
Pick the time of day you least like to stay outside.
The heat and humidity can be your reminder to take action indoors. If you don't like the heat and want to stay inside from 3:00 to 4:00 pm or 12:00 noon to 1:00 pm, use this time to do your tasks. If you feel that you prefer Friday afternoons into the evening, schedule time to do tasks then.
Visit our post that talks about 5 areas to organize when it is hot outside.
Start with the most important project.
Prioritizing your projects will help you determine what needs to be done first. Start with the project you want to do first to get you motivated to continue with the projects you dislike.
Create mini-goals.
Another way to overcome procrastination is to create mini-goals. The goals you want to do in the summer don't have to be huge. Mini goals are tasks that are short and achievable. Check out our many 15-minute decluttering/organizing task challenges for motivation to start.
15 MINUTE DECLUTTERING TASKS CHALLENGE - DECLUTTER YOUR HOME IN 31 DAYS
31 DAYS 15 MINUTE ORGANIZING LIST
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Just do seasonal decluttering.
Instead of putting all the entire yearly tasks in the summer, try seasonal decluttering. This is when you only declutter certain areas depending on the season. Feel free to check out my post for more information. DECLUTTERING TASKS BY SEASON TO KEEP YOUR HOME MESS-FREE
Clear the floors and tables.
Clear the floors and tables that are frequently used, like stairs, hallways, and kitchen surfaces. Creating a Foyer or Entryway drop zone will eliminate the build-up of cluttered areas. By doing this, it will make your home look less cluttered. Below are posts that will help you create a well-organized entryway area.
BEFORE AND AFTER: FOYER ORGANIZING KID'S BACKPACKS AND ACTIVITY SUPPLIES
MAKE A SMALL BOOT TRAY DIY PROJECT
WHAT TO KEEP IN YOUR ORGANIZED ENTRYWAY LANDING ZONE
Make systems for these frequently used areas.
After you clear a frequently used area, make a system that will help you keep it organized. Here are some examples: Add a table with a bin for mail. Add baskets to the stairs for small items that go upstairs or downstairs. Hang a key ring holder for all the frequently used keys. Below are some other posts that will help you make systems for other frequently used areas.
HOW TO USE CATCH-ALL BINS IN ORGANIZING
HOW TO USE A COLOR CODING SYSTEM TO ORGANIZE YOUR HOME OR OFFICE
DIY KITCHEN PAPER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
HOW TO MAKE A CUSTOM WOOD SCARF HOLDER
DIY SMALL GARAGE ORGANIZATION PROJECT
Organize on Rainy Days.
Another option to combat procrastination in the summer is to take advantage of the rainy days. Check the weather and see when it will rain, and plan what you want to do on that day.
Ask for help.
Don't be afraid to ask for help. Remember, this will help you speed up the decluttering and organizing process, and you can get on with your next adventure. Find a person that won't judge you through the process.
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Schedule time over the weekend to invite people over to help you declutter. Visit our HOW TO HOST A DECLUTTER PARTY {STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS} post to help set one up.
Say positive affirmations to motivate yourself.
Motivate yourself to do the project by telling yourself you CAN DO IT AND GET IT DONE. Reward yourself for doing an organizing project. Determine the reward before you do the project. And don't forget to give yourself the award after you finish. Read our post about Overcoming Negative Talk to Clear the Clutter for more tips.
Visit our affirmations posts to help you stay positive.
61 POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS TO START YOUR DAY
10 AFFIRMATION QUOTES TO CHANGE YOUR YEAR FOR THE BETTER
18 POSITIVE SAYINGS TO KEEP YOU ON THE DECLUTTERING PATH
Schedule Fun Events AND Decluttering Tasks.
Scheduling time for fun will motivate you to get your not-so-fun projects completed. We all love a reward after finishing something we don't like to do. Scheduling the fun time first, then adding the decluttering actionable tasks in time blocks before the fun activity will make the decluttering more bearable.
Hopefully, this summer, you will have lots of motivation to get your home organized. I hope this helps you make the most of your summer.
Below are some posts that will help you get your organizing projects done this summer. The capital titles are from this blog.
5 AREAS TO ORGANIZE WHEN IT IS HOT OUTSIDE
How to Stay Organized During the Summer!
6 Easy Ways to Beat Summertime Procrastination and Stay on Task, According to Experts
Peter Walsh's 3 Rules for Getting Organized This Summer
Visit our other declutter advice.
Please note these are affiliate links through Amazon, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn affiliate fees if you decide to make a purchase.
Janet Schiesl
You give people a lot of options for the style that works for them, which is great. Organize on a rainy day or a time of day you don't like being outside, do quicker projects, etc. All great advice. It's possible to have a fun summer and not fall behind on organizing projects.
Julie Bestry
Great ways to combat that procrastination, and I especially like the idea of picking the time you'd least like to be outside. (Personally, I avoid the out-of-doors at almost all times in the summer, as I hate the heat, the humidity, and the insects, so this should get me excited about even more organizing projects!)
Your summer decluttering task list is a great guideline for people who aren't even sure what things to organize during the summer.
Seana Turner
The worst is when you start a project, like a garage, and then stop in the middle. We all know it gets worse before it gets better, so you are getting stuck in "worse"... no fun! Great tips here. I love #4, it really can give you a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction.
Linda Samuels
It's funny, but I find that many people LOVE organizing especially during the summer. They seem to have more time and don't feel as rushed and stressed as they do during the year. Even so, you've come up with a great list for ANY time of year because procrastination can happen in all seasons. One plus about continuing to organize over the summer is that if you're around the home more, you will probably enjoy it more having less clutter and more order. As you also pointed out, organizing doesn't have to take up ALL of your time. A lot can be accomplished in a 15-minute session. String a bunch of those together and you'll see some major progress.
Sabrina Quairoli
Great point, Linda. Thanks for sharing.
Andi Willis
I love the idea of using your least favorite outdoor time to work on inside projects. We just put in a pool and I am finding it hard to be productive because of its siren call. I'll have to do this! Thanks, Sabrina!
Autumn Leopold
All we have been having is rainy days! However, I know I'll regret saying that when the 100 degree temps hit and I'm wishing for a rainy day! Those are great days to get caught up on paperwork and household projects.
Sarah Soboleski
Great list, Sabrina! I especially love the check the weather tip. Inclement days are always worthy of an organizing project!
Jill Robson
Good point about when your favourite time of day it is to be outside. It is always hard to want to do things inside when the sun is shining.
Ericka Samuels
Thanks Sabrina, the sun is shining the birds are chirping and all I want to do is get in a chair in the backyard!