10 Home Organizing Projects Experts Say to Tackle This Summer

Don’t overlook your wardrobe, says professional organizer Marie Potter. She suggests taking an honest look at what fits, what you love wearing, and what can be donated.

“This helps ensure your wardrobe is working for your lifestyle, not the one you had years ago, and streamlining your closet will reduce decision fatigue so getting dressed is so much easier,” Potter says.

“Go through all the kids’ clothing and pull out sizes that no longer fit,” Greene advises. Additionally, she suggests starting a list of clothing they’ll need for cooler fall weather, since by mid-August, jeans, fleeces, and back-to-school sales start showing up. “It’s really helpful to get ahead of this game,” Greene says.

Backyard sheds collect clutter throughout the year. “Summer is the perfect time to empty the space, sweep out the dirt and cobwebs, and regroup items by category,” Potter says.

Her tip is to use buckets or bins to corral similar items like trowels, snippers, and gloves so you can easily find what you need. “It’s a great opportunity to organize what you need and recycle, donate, or discard what is broken or no longer being used,” Potter adds.

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Mudrooms are prime candidates for a summer refresh. “These spaces need to transition from cold to warm weather, but spring can be very busy for families so summer is a good time to catch up, especially before the season turns yet again to fall, creating an even bigger mess,” Cocchiaro says. She suggests storing cold-weather accessories further away and bringing summer staples like sun hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen front and center.

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Entry closets are typically due for an overhaul come summer. Potter recommends doing a seasonal swap and prioritizing the space for lightweight outerwear and quick-grab items for summer living, such as beach bags and picnic gear. “When everything is easy to access, leaving the house is a breeze,” Potter notes.

“Sometimes kids’ backpacks and end-of-year supply bags come home at the end of spring but get shoved in the corner for the summer months, creating an unpleasant task come fall,” Cocchiaro says. Take the pro’s advice and clean out kids’ backpacks in the summer, so the only task to worry about in the fall is buying new school supplies.

Winter may seem far away, but Greene recommends taking a glance at winter clothing. “Wash jackets, donate items that won’t fit in the next season, and you guessed it—make a list of what you’ll need to keep an eye out for come October,” she says. Greene’s pro tip: “I like to send myself an email with all the lists and then snooze the email until late-August or early-October.”