Memorial Day Kickoff - 3 Ways to Get Ready for Summer

Memorial Day weekend is upon us! For many, this signals the official start of summer when families eagerly dust off their patio furniture, light up their grills, and dig their summer whites out of the back of the closet.

For others, Memorial Day means working on a whole new to-do list specifically for summer, like cleaning outdoor equipment and figuring out what to do with the kids while they’re on summer break.

To help you kick off summer, we’ve compiled a quick guide on how to kick off your summer to-do list with some awesome tips!

Clean Your Patio Furniture

If you haven’t already cleaned all the pollen off your patio or porch furniture, now is the time to do so. If you have cast aluminum furniture, hose everything down and wash from top to bottom with an all-purpose cleaner using a soft cloth.

To wash your cushions, you can either take off the covers and run them through the gentle cycle on your washing machine or use a sponge with a solution of a quart of warm water, 1 tbsp borax, and 1 tsp dishwasher detergent to wipe off the cushions. Once they’re completely dry, spray all sides with a fabric guard to protect against the elements and spills.

For wicker furniture, use a brush to knock all the pollen and bugs from the crevices. You can also use a vacuum cleaner.

Gear Up for Summer Break

If you have your kids around for part or all the summer, you’ll need to keep them entertained or else hear “Mooommmm, I’m boreddddd” all the time.

The first thing we recommend is establishing a routine for you and your kids that you can reasonably stick to. This will help you with the general flow of the day and helps keep your kids a bit calmer. Have them get up at a similar time as when they go to school, feed them breakfast, then start in on 1 or 2 activities they can do while you’re getting ready for work or doing other tasks around the house. That time in the morning is a great way to get them to knock out any summer reading they need to do.

Also, compile a list of babysitters in your area who you can call on at a moment’s notice. Summer means there will be many high school and college students around looking for a way to earn a little extra cash.

Ready the Summer Gear

Since it’s Memorial Day Weekend, you’re hopefully readying your grill for a BBQ. Now’s the time to do a deep clean of your grill. Give the grill racks a good clean in warm soapy water, clean any connectors or exhaust mechanisms if you have a gas grill, and clean the exterior of the grill.

Do remember to give it a light clean after each use.

Many families pull out their bikes at this time of year as well. Give your bikes a good wipe down with a damp soft cloth and use a hose to get any built-up dirt out of the tires. Depending on where you purchased your bike, you might be entitled to an annual tune up where a bike specialist checks your tire pressure, gears, and brake cables.

House Tune-Ups

Hopefully, by Memorial Day your heater has been off for some time. Summer is the best time to have HVAC specialist come in to inspect your heating system and furnace and make any recommendations or replacements.

Speaking of HVAC, you should change your air filters at the beginning of each season, so Memorial Day weekend is a perfect benchmark to remember to do this. You’ll especially want to do this after all the pollen has stopped to get a fresh start with clean filters.

What did you think of our summer kickoff list? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment box below!