One of the fantasies that we have often have is the summer will provide a nice long break from the school routine and provide more than enough time for rest, relaxation and recharging. The reality is that the summer schedule is often more packed than the school year and school busses will be running before you know it.
The Family Finish team recommends planning your summer in chapters so that you can get the most out of it. This provides a way to give your summer some forward momentum and structure similar to reading a book. If you follow this pattern, you will feel a sense of accomplishment and give your family a way to approach the summer that will provide a respite and relief when school starts again because of all you have accomplished.
Chapter 1: Declutter
“Clutter is an overabundance of possessions that collectively create chaotic and disorderly living spaces,” said Joseph Ferrari, a professor of psychology at DePaul University.
Many of the families we know collect a great number of papers, assignments, tests and items throughout the year. Needless to say once the summer begins the last thing you want to do is deal with the papers, supplies, and projects that take over your kitchen table. However, avoiding the end-of-school declutter projects can derail your before-school start-up. Here are our top 5 ways to clear the clutter and have a less stressed summer.
1. Set the tone. This declutter project is a family affair, not a mom thing. Make sure your kids are free and able to help with this effort otherwise they’ll miss this important lesson of reflection, organization, and prioritization.
2. Set a reasonable goal. Remember the late, great Stephen Covey’s mantra in the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, begin with the end in in mind? It’s crucial to help your kids (and yourself!) think about what you want out of this project. Examples of reasonable goals include, an organized start to the new school year or completing an inventory of what the family needs in the fall.
3. Set time goals for each session. Expecting your kids to declutter for hours on end isn’t going to work (I tried, don’t do it!) Most folks have laser focus for 45-60 minute blocks. Set a timer and go for it! Remove any distractions (no phone) and add some music to improve your flow.
4. Discuss needs versus wants. When it comes to decluttering any area of our lives, it’s easy to allow sentimentality to rule. However, it’s crucial that we teach our kids to look at what they have, reflect on the meaning, and then make a decision. The reality is that we can’t keep everything so it’s important to help them discern what’s important to them and what they can live without.
5. Set a family reward. It’s one thing to get the job done but what incentives can you put in place to make achieving the goal sweeter? After you complete step 2 above, set a minimum goal, a threshold goal, and a stretch goal. For example, if you meet the minimum goal, the kids can stay up until 11 PM on the weekend. If they meet the threshold goal, they can go to their favorite frozen yogurt spot. If they crush their goal, have them set the reward up to a certain amount (stick to your budget). Let’s be clear. The goal is not to reward them for cleaning out their back packs rather, you’re rewarding the process that they go through to achieve a goal. This process requires planning, sacrifice, collaboration, decision making, and teamwork. Priceless, soft skills of you ask us!
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