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10 Smart Ways to Deal With Summer Gear
Start fall with a clean slate by organizing, repairing and storing summertime essentials the right way
Houzz Contributor. You can also find me on Lolalina (http://www.lolalina.com/), my blog devoted to all of the things that make a house a home - decorating from the heart, living with intention, and savoring life's simple pleasures.
Houzz Contributor. You can also find me on Lolalina (http://www.lolalina.com/),... More »
When the first chilly nip in the air arrives, it's the perfect time to spend a weekend putting summer gear in order. The end of summer always feels bittersweet, and I find that the time I take going through all of those soggy towels, seashell collections and vacation photos signals a clear end to the season, allowing me to then welcome the pleasures of fall. As schedules become more full and vacations end, it also feels good knowing that I'm starting with a clean slate, ready for whatever comes next.
From sorting, cleaning and repairing to organizing and storing for another year, these 10 tasks will help you get the job done.
From sorting, cleaning and repairing to organizing and storing for another year, these 10 tasks will help you get the job done.
1. Toss damaged pool toys and beach gear. Inner tubes and other inflatables don't last forever, so be sure to check for holes or other damage before storing them. Give items that have been at the beach a thorough scrubbing and toss anything that is cracked or broken and cannot be repaired.
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2. Take advantage of end-of-season sales to fill gaps in your gear. Once you know what you need (a new umbrella to replace the one that blew away?), consider stocking up now rather than waiting until next year.
Not only will you get the lowest price now, but you can avoid that last-minute shopping frenzy on the way to the beach next year.
Not only will you get the lowest price now, but you can avoid that last-minute shopping frenzy on the way to the beach next year.
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| 3. Edit your beach treasures and store them safely. Beachcombing is a wonderful summer pastime, and the treasures you collect can become meaningful mementos of your travels. When you are done displaying your shells, beach glass and driftwood, give everything a once-over to remove broken bits and pieces, then store it all in a hard container with a lid to protect the delicate contents from breakage. If your collection has gotten too large, consider giving a bundle of treasures to a friend who you know would appreciate it. |
4. Sift through vacation photos. With digital photography, it is all too easy to dump photos onto the computer and forget about them.
I recommend making a seasonal date with your hard drive to edit photos. It keeps the task (relatively) manageable, and you could easily order a photo book online to contain all of the summer's memories.
Choose a few to print as well and rotate your favorites in simple frames.
Organize Photos in a Flash
I recommend making a seasonal date with your hard drive to edit photos. It keeps the task (relatively) manageable, and you could easily order a photo book online to contain all of the summer's memories.
Choose a few to print as well and rotate your favorites in simple frames.
Organize Photos in a Flash
5. Sort board games and check for missing pieces. After a summer's worth of game nights and play dates, the board game situation in any family home is sure to be a sorry state.
Enlist the kids to help sort Monopoly money and Scrabble tiles, then treat yourselves to ice cream cones.
Enlist the kids to help sort Monopoly money and Scrabble tiles, then treat yourselves to ice cream cones.
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| 6. Clean the grill before barbecue season ends. It's true, there is still some prime grilling weather ahead of us, but that barbecue probably got a lot of use this summer, and it's time for a little deep cleaning. We all know how to clean the top of the grate with a wire brush, but Lifehacker has a great video tutorial showing how to clean all the parts of a grill. |
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| 7. Inspect outdoor and sports equipment for damage before storing. Outdoor adventures like camping, fishing and hiking rely on your gear's staying in good shape. Carefully look over each item and fix minor problems as you come across them. Clean out coolers, air out tents and sleeping bags, and sort sports gear before neatly packing it away. |
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8. Say goodbye to summer accessories that have seen better days. Sun, sand and salt water are hard on fabrics. Instead of keeping things past their prime, take a moment to sort through your shoes, bags, hats and sunglasses, and give those old, crusty flip-flops and worn out beach bags the heave-ho.
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| 9. Switch up summer bedding (and clothes). When you feel the first chill in the air on a crisp morning, that is a good sign it's time to swap light blankets for thicker quilts and duvets. Launder your lightweight coverlets before storing them in an out-of-the-way spot. While you're at it, pull those summer clothes out of rotation to make room for the cozy sweaters and boots of autumn. |
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10. Thoroughly clean sandy towels and swimsuits. Sand can wreak havoc on washing machines, so allow beach towels to dry outdoors and shake them well to remove sand before bringing them in for a wash. I like to pack my beach towels and swimsuits inside a beach bag, so everything stays together and will be easy to locate come next summer.
Ideabook published on Sept. 5, 2012.
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