Decluttering tips to prep your home before summer arrives

IT doesn’t take long to get your home organised and ready for summer.

Think clean, crisp lines, bright white décor, calm surroundings and light interiors, then set aside a few evenings or weekends to declutter, reorganise and refresh.

By the time you’ve finished, you’ll be able to sit back, relax, and enjoy summer at home.

Make a list

Are there lots of odd jobs or big tasks you’d like to see done by the end of the summer?

Walk around your home and garden and list everything you’d like to repair, alter, improve and restore. You’re not necessarily going to get it all done, but having a list will focus your mind.

With September as your end goal and a list in hand, you can prioritise what you really want to achieve and make arrangements to do just that, based on your time, holiday plans, budget and family’s help.

Tidy your outside space

After the long winter, your garden may be a little untidy and overgrown, but you can easily fix this with a quick declutter.

Mow the lawn, cut back any overgrown hedges and branches, and tidy away stray pots and other garden items.

Straighten up any garden ornaments or plants that have fallen over, then wash down your patio or decking area and outdoor furniture.

Refresh your interior

With more sunlight flooding in, it’s time to brighten up your interior to match.

The ultimate way to do so is to clear out unnecessary items. Donate and recycle things you don’t need or use any more to create an uncluttered, open living space for the fresh air to flow in.

Create sanctuary

Now’s the time to swap your winter clothes for summer ones, so why not declutter your wardrobe at the same time?

Before you pack away your jumpers, check every piece of winter clothing to see whether you’ve used it over the last few months and if you still want it.

Only keep the winter clothes you’re definitely going to wear again.

Don’t forget your bedding, too. Replace your heavy winter duvet with a lighter summer one, and check your bed linen to see if you’re completely happy with everything. Are there pieces missing? Does it look tired?

Do you need to replace your old bedding?

A tidy, organised wardrobe and crisp, clean sheets will help transform your bedroom into a relaxing summer haven.

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bedroom

Anticipate the end of the school year

With the arrival of summer comes the end of the school year and an influx of paperwork.

From projects and artworks to report cards, kids arrive home on the last day of school laden with all the work they’ve done during the year.

Plan ahead and allocate storage boxes, drawers or box files to neatly store it all away

Sort through the end-of-year paperwork early and dispose of anything unwanted, so neither you nor your children have to look at it again for the next two or three months.

Sort out your summer kit Gather up all the accessories you and your family will need over the summer, such as hats, sunglasses, lightweight jackets, swimming costumes, armbands, insect repellent and suntan lotion – and don’t forget an umbrella.

Store these items near an easily accessible area, such as the hallway or by the back door.

They’ll be easy to grab on the way out and it will encourage everyone to use them.

Wrap up winter hobbies

Clean up and repair sports and outdoor gear that was used over the winter, ready for autumn.

Clean grubby hiking boots, wellies, helmets and gloves, then store them away over the summer.

Don’t forget to repair items such as torn school uniforms, too.

Get stuck in

Thanks to the longer days, the summer is a good time to tackle some of the bigger jobs around the house and garden.

Outdoor areas such as the garage and shed are ideal places to tidy up during the warmer weather.

And with the kids on holiday, it’s also a good time to employ their help in sorting out their bedrooms one weekend.

Children often love getting their rooms redecorated, so maybe a bit of initial decluttering is in order before you get out the paintbrush.