(BPT) – As another school year ends, families everywhere are shifting gears to start preparing for their summer schedules. Between daily activities and playdates, summer classes, camp and family vacations, keeping tabs on your family’s to-do list over the summer can begin to feel as hectic as the school year. Fortunately, there are useful tools and strategies to help you remember important dates, deadlines and schedule changes that are part of every family’s summer plans.
Here are some tried-and-true strategies for keeping everyone in your household on track, from the end of this school year through getting ready for the next one.
1. Set action time each morning
Often feel like small tasks get pushed? When you know you have to schedule an appointment for a family member, do you say to yourself, “I’ll do it later” or “I’ll do it tomorrow,” but then tomorrow turns into a month from now?
No need to fret, set daily “Action Time” to keep you on track! In the morning, take 10 minutes to schedule those appointments and cross small tasks off the list. A little each day will help you to stay productive and maintain organization for the family and yourself.
2. Write. It. Down.
With so much happening every day, your brain is bound to get overloaded, which can cause you to forget things you intended to accomplish. All of a sudden, you’re standing in front of your freezer staring at frozen meat and have no idea why you opened the freezer in the first place.
When something pops up that you need to remember, whether you are on the go or at home, jot it down with Post-it^® 100% Recycled Paper Super Sticky Notes. They are convenient enough to keep on hand wherever you are — in the car, your pocketbook, bookbag, office desk, etc. and have 2X the sticking power to stick and re-stick to most surfaces. We especially love that they are made from 100% recycled paper so there is no guilt with use.
3. Use a family calendar
Having a centrally located, family wall calendar is one of the easiest ways to stay organized. Fill out your family calendar using Post-it^® Super Sticky Notes which will allow you to easily add or move things around when schedules change. Coordinate different colors for camps, appointments, vacations, family game nights or whatever — and read your calendar with ease whether rushing out the door or during your morning action time.
4. Coordinate by color
To help you stay ahead of the chaos, let each child choose a different color Post-it^® Note, so you’ll know which reminders or events relate to each child — and they’ll know how to find their own items on your family calendar. With so many colors to choose from, including collections like Wanderlust Pastels, Oasis and more, kids will find it fun to get involved in the process.
Kids can also use them to write notes to you, and you can use them to leave cheerful, encouraging messages while assigning weekly chores. They’ll last as long as you need, maintaining their sticking power throughout the summer and beyond.
5. Make it a family affair
Get kids involved by having them help manage their summer schedule. Encourage them to fill out their own notes so they can keep up with friends’ birthday parties and any other important dates. They’ll soon get in the habit of organizing themselves, while also helping you stay up to date with important happenings in their life.
Getting organized can be a challenging — and rewarding — task to complete. With the right tools and strategies that work for you and your family, getting organized may be the first thing you’re able to cross off your to-do list this summer. Find more tips on how to stay organized all year long at Post-it.com and follow @Postit on Instagram.