But First—Whittle Down Your Excess

It’s a waste of your time, energy, and storage space to organize and stash things that you no longer use, need, or love. Take a hard look at your backyard, shed, decks/patios, garage, and other outdoor areas that have accumulated extra items. If your summer gear primarily lives in the garage, our garage decluttering blog post can help you think through the process of organizing that space. It’s hard for kids (and us!) to see past the clutter, so take the time to ditch those old bike helmets, the too-small roller blades, the broken tennis racket, the rusty lawn chair, and the stack of flattened cardboard boxes. Using our famous Power Purge can help you manage the whittling down process one step at a time.

General Principles

Everyone’s idea of an outdoor oasis is unique to their family, home, and climate. Rather than a detailed prescription of what you should do, we’ve described below a few principles that we use to guide our outdoor organization. Use the ideas that make the most sense for your situation and dismiss the rest!

• Make it easy—Time spent outdoors is good for everyone. Outdoor time deepens sleep, improves mood, increases muscle strength and the immune system, and reduces anxiety and depression! Our job is to knock down as many hurdles as we can for getting outside. Many of our ideas in the section below are designed to make it quicker and easier to jump into outdoor fun.
• Prioritize intentional play—Rather than leave every possible toy and activity out in the yard at all times, consider establishing the routine of rotating through activities. Take one or two activities out at a time, and then put them away before moving to the next activity. Having everything out at once can be really overwhelming for kids, so rotate those activities to keep them both manageable and exciting.
• Support autonomy—Store kid stuff low enough to reach and in easily accessible places. If you are using crates or bins, make sure they don’t get too heavy for little arms. If you are using a labeling system, your kiddo might do better with pictures instead of words. Or maybe use clear storage totes so the littlest kids can see what fun is hiding inside!
• Give everything a home—The key to success is giving every item a designated spot. When everything has a home, it’s easier to find what you need—and easier for kids to help with cleanup. Try creating specific zones, bins, or hooks for different types of toys so everything is visible, accessible, and simple to put away.

Our Favorite Ideas

We’ve compiled below a few of our go-to ideas for organizing summer fun. As you think about what works for you, prioritize those things that will reduce obstacles for your crew to get off their screens and get outside!

• Keep a well-stocked relief station—Use a small bin, shower caddy, or basket to build a portable relief station. Stock it with bug spray, sunscreen, bandaids, wet wipes, hand sanitizer, hair ties, and even a snack or two. Having an easy way for kids (and you!) to meet a few basic needs can extend your time outside.
• Put it on wheels—We love rolling carts for driveway and patio play. Swap in and out favorite activities and make clean-up afterwards a breeze. Even a garden wagon can be awesome for giving kids the boost they need to easily bring out and return their toys.
• Make it easy to grab and go—We’ve found storing some of our favorite activities in grab-and-go kits makes it simple to get the fun started! Think about containers for sidewalk chalk, bubbles, water balloons and blasters, plastic tea party dishes, and other toys that can survive the great outdoors. And don’t forget YOU! Think about making yourself a grab-and-go kit too. Perhaps it’s a few most-needed gardening tools so you can get some trimming or weeding done while your kiddo is occupied?
• Think about storage options—As always, we recommend trying to repurpose something you already have before running out and buying more stuff to organize your stuff with! What combination would work best for your family? A waterproof chest for the patio? A large garbage can with wheels for all of your many bats and balls? Stackable storage crates for your grab-and-go fun?
• Use a separate hamper—It’s so helpful to have a place to toss all of those swimsuits, sandy towels, chalky shorts, grass-stained socks, and clothes reeking of campfire smoke and bug spray. Keep all of these items from mixing with your regular laundry by having a separate basket or bin in your garage or laundry area this summer. Just make sure it’s both plastic and ventilated!

Summer should feel joyful, not chaotic—and a little organization can go a long way in making that possible. By taking the time to simplify your gear, create systems that work for your family, and make outdoor fun more accessible, you’ll set the stage for more laughter, more memories, and fewer meltdowns! And if you ever need help organizing your outdoor oasis, you know you can call in the Bees.