50 Things You Need To Get Done Before Summer Gallery
50 Things You Need to Get Done Before Summer Gallery
You may be in the middle of an attack of spring allergies, but summer is just around the corner. Once the sun's out and the temps are up you'll want to have everything ready to go for pool time with the kids, backyard grilling and drinks, lounging on the beach, or even just relaxing in front of your AC.
The Daily Meal has compiled the perfect checklist for you of everything you need to get done before June 21, the first official day of summer. They range from mundane activities like sorting your winter blankets back into your linen closet and power-washing your deck to more exciting tasks like scheduling that perfect summer hair chop and making the perfect summer playlist.
Summer may be coming soon, but we have no doubts that you can get through this list before the temperature consistently breaks 75 degrees. Stock up on sunscreen, fake tan, pool noodles, and beach towels before your summer vacation! You don't want to be caught unaware in Bermuda with a bikini that doesn't fit! Check out this list of the 50 things you need to get done before summer and start checking things off. H.A.G.S.!
Get Your AC Checked and Serviced
You'll want to make sure everything about your air conditioning is in tip-top shape before summer weather hits 80 degrees. That means scheduling maintenance ahead of time to fix any faulty or malfunctioning parts will save you and your family hours of tossing and turning in sweaty sheets.
Schedule Car Maintenance
Whether you're planning a road trip or not, it's important to make sure that your car didn't sustain any serious damage from harsh winter weather. Roll in for a tune up! Or at the very least, get a car wash.
Get Bubbles and Sidewalk Chalk
If you have children or kids coming over, it's best to be prepared with fun activities like bubbles and sidewalk chalk for them to play with. Plus, you can typically purchase these items at dollar stores, making them a frugal summer purchase!
Stock Up on Wine and Beer
Rosé all day without going to the store! Don't feel like you have to run out to appease any summer house guests. Make sure you have summer wine and beers in the cooler for anyone who swings by.
Clean Out Your Cooler
Clean out all the grass, leaves, germs, and freeze-pop juice of last year from the nooks and crannies of your cooler. Your beachside picnic foods should always be kept somewhere cool and clean.
Cut Your Hair
Some people spend their winters looking forward to their perfect summer chop! Whether you're buzzing your head or just shearing off a couple inches, cutting your hair for summer will keep you cooler, keep your neck from sweating, and help you look effortless and fresh during the summer months.
Plank for 3 Minutes a Day
First of all, all bodies in summer are "summer bodies." But if you want to challenge yourself or strengthen your core, try planking! Planking for one minute, three times a day, will engage your muscles and make you break a sweat.
Throw Away Expired Makeup Products
Did you know mascara only has a shelf-life of about three months? It's time to throw away whatever you've been using since January 2018 and buy some new makeup. You know, for the sake of hygiene.
Grab Those Summer Makeup Colors
Your winter shadow and lip palettes will wash you out in the sun. Be sure to browse Sephora, CVS, Walgreen's , and even Ulta for new bright colors that will add a dose of summer color to your face.
Buy New Beach Towels
Last year's beach towels are all bleached out and scratchy feeling. Plus, none of them even match! Repurpose your old towels as cleaning rags and buy yourself (and your family) new soft towels for the beach.
Buy New Pool Noodles
Weather, mold, and pets can destroy pool noodles if they're not stored properly. Replace them if they're too squishy, chewed up, or changing colors.
Make Sure You Can See Through Your Goggles
Travel and chlorine can add wear and tear to goggles. The whole point of this contraption is to enable you to see underwater, so if you can't see out of them even when you're on land, replace them!
Score a New Bathing Suit
Nothing says "Summer is coming!!!" quite like the barrage of swimsuits on display everywhere from department stores to Target. Remember: All bodies are summer bodies, all bodies are bikini bodies, and all bodies regardless of shape and size deserve to be at the pool or the beach or the waterpark.
Donate Old Bathing Suits
If you have a suit that no longer fits or has fabric that pills or just isn't your vibe this year, donate it! There is definitely someone out there looking for one exactly like it.
Clean Off Outdoor Furniture
Leaves fell on it, snow melted on it, birds pooped on it, and now it's time to clean it off so you can sit on it.
Power-Wash the Deck
The fastest and easiest way to clean off a backyard deck is to power-wash it. Power-washing will deep-clean the most-used area of your home this summer.
Buy Beach Chairs
Level up your beach game this year by purchasing beach chairs so you don't have to sit on a towel in the sand. They're way more comfortable and offer back support.
Join a Pool Club
Don't have a pool in your backyard? Join a neighborhood pool club where you and your family can cool off this summer. It's best to sign up early before they fill up spaces!
Clean the Grill
Make it a summer goal to grill more outside. Prep by dusting off any leaves and cleaning the grime and grease off of your grill from last year's cookout attempts.
Check Your Propane Level
Make sure that you have enough propane to grill with! Nothing would be worse than running out mid-char.
Clean Your Grilling Tools
Food hygiene is super important. Make sure you are using clean tongs, spatulas, and sauce brushes before you grill. Be sure to never do these 9 things while grilling!
Book a Keratin Blowout
Banish summer frizz by getting any of the tens of kinds of keratin blowouts out there. Summer goes hand in hand with humidity and you can keep frizz, fuzz, and fly-aways at bay with a keratin treatment by a professional stylist.
Buy a Waxing Membership or Package
Your body hair is totally your business and there is no right or wrong way to have it. But if you are wax-inclined, you may want to purchase a package or a membership to salons that offer waxing deals. That way you aren't spending tons of cash on à la carte items and instead can stay bare (or not) all summer long for a fraction of the price.
Schedule Dinner at a Favorite Seasonal Spot
Summer is patio season, and if you don't have a reservation for a spot outside, those babies can fill up fast. Be sure to call ahead and schedule an outside seat in the sun hopefully with a great view. Be sure to mark it on your calendar! If you're feeling ambitious, secure a spot at one of the 10 coolest restaurant patios in America!
Schedule a Doggy Haircut
Your dog gets hot during summer too! Be sure to schedule a haircut for your pooch so they can be cool and comfortable, even in the heat.
Organize a Road Trip
The perfect mini-summer vacation is a road trip. Grab a group of friends, your family, or set aside time if you plan to go solo and map out exactly which of the most beautiful towns in America you plan to drive to, what clothes, cameras, and snacks you need to bring, and where you're going to stay — and then count down the days until the drive!
Organize Big Trip
Many travel destinations are at their most beautiful in summer. Take stock of your vacation days, your financial situation, as well as flight, hotel, and cruise line prices before requesting time off. Check out 50 affordable family-friendly summer trips here.
Check Passport Expiration If You’re Flying Out of Country
Ensure that you won't have any trouble getting in or out of a new country on that big trip by checking the expiration date on your passport. If it's expired, get it renewed!
Put Air in Your Bike Tires
Whether it's been deflating in your garage or deflating because you've been riding it so frequently, pump some air into your bike tires now so you're prepared to take it out on a brilliant summer day.
Join a Fresh Produce Service
Make sure your fridge is filled with fresh fruits and veggies all summer long by signing up for a seasonal fresh produce service, such as Imperfect, a company that delivers fresh produce to your door that may be slightly misshapen, scarred, or different in size from what is considered normal.
Stock Up on Seasonal Ingredients
Joining a produce service can help, but the next time you're meandering through a farmers market be sure to ask about what produce and herbs are in season. They will taste fresher and brighter in your meals! Here are 50 salads for all seasons to use as a guide.
Scope Out Local Farmers Markets
Summer is farmers market season and you definitely need to hit up all of the ones in your neighborhood to keep track of the tastiest local cheese, the most in-season strawberries, and often the best food trucks! These are the 101 best farmers markets in America.
Buy Metal Straws
Reusable metal straws have become all the rage, and many countries have even begun banning plastic straws to cut down on the environmental impact. You can replace your plastic with packs of metal straws easily through Amazon.
Buy Cute Ice Cube Trays
Spice up your summer drinks with ice cube trays in fun shapes. There are hundreds on Amazon.
Check Out Summer Drink Recipes
If you're looking to fill your carafe with fun summer beverages, be ready with some cool new summer beverage recipes from The Daily Meal.
Locate All the Parts to Your Blender
When the mood for a margarita strikes, there's no time to dig around in drawers for all those pesky blender parts. While it's still cold enough to wear a light jacket, locate all of its parts and store them in a drawer together. Your summer self will thank you.
Stock Up on Sunscreen
You can never have too much sunscreen, especially if you're part of a family. Tubes are always getting lost, someone only wants to use the spray-on kind, you run out when you re-apply — it's always a good idea to buy a bunch of bottles of sunscreen at once so people have options and access.
Research Fake Tanner
Save yourself from being orange and streaky by spending some time online learning about fake tanners. You know laying in the sun to get that bronze can fry your skin or lead to skin cancer. Get that summer glow with a fake tan instead!
Buy Lighter Moisturizers
In the winter months, you saturate your skin with heavy moisturizers to combat dryness. In summer, you need to lighten it up. Skin gets oilier faster in summer, but it still needs hydration. Opt for a daytime moisturizer with a good SPF rating!
Budget for More Pedicures
Forego your winter indulgence for a summer one. We anticipate your toes being exposed all summer long, which can mean dry heels, peeling, blisters, and broken nails, oh my! A bi-weekly or even monthly pedicure will keep those toes in check all summer long.
Dust Off Your Camping Tent and Gear
If you're one of the many people who love to camp during summer, it's time to make sure that your camping gear is clean and together for the next time you want to use it. Hopefully you're planning to camp out at one of the world's 30 most glamorous camping destinations for food.
Get Cute Summer Running Gear
Turn heads this summer not just with how fast you run but with cute new running gear. You'll feel ready to take on the world in the right running shoes, shorts, or tops that provide ventilation and sweat resistance.
Buy Reusable Water Bottles
Don't accumulate plastic this summer! Instead of buying a Costco-size pack of plastic water bottles, invest in a good reusable water bottle (preferably with a straw). Not only will you be saving the planet, but many water bottles can keep your water cold for a lot longer.
Make a Good Summer Playlist
Make a fun summer playlist to accompany afternoons laying by the pool, prepping for a party, or taking a walk on the beach.
Give Away Old Summer Clothing That Doesn’t Fit
Chances are, you probably have a pair of shorts from two summers ago tucked away in a drawer somewhere, and a whole host of Camp Oconomowoc T-shirts from when you were a kid. Free up space in your dresser and your closet by giving away old summer clothing to charity! There are definitely people out there who need it.
Buy a Caftan for the Pool
Drape yourself in a caftan all summer long if you must. This lightweight, floaty garment is perfect for throwing on over a swimsuit or for just wearing solo.
Buy New Sunglasses
Your $7 sunglasses from the boardwalk are covered in scratches. Plus, you could barely ever see out of them anyway! Time to buy some new ones in an updated style.
Sign Up for Summer Camps
Don't forget to sign the kiddos up for summer activities like camp! It's a great way to keep kids active and engaged all summer long whether you opt for sleep-away or day camp.
Buy a Reusable Produce Bag
They're usually in the checkout line of all major supermarkets, but just in case you've yet to see one, you can find cute reusable produce bags online as well.
Make Room in Your Closet for Winter Blankets
Those big cozy blankets you busted out for winter are about to need to go back into your closet. Make sure you have room to put them away again and haven't been using that extra space for bath towels! Now that you're all ready to go, have fun on that affordable summer family trip you booked in advance!