Create a Manual to Organize Your Family and You'll Have a Stress Free Summer

Summer is coming and you want to be ready. You will not have to dread this time of year anymore! You can put together a summer manual for the entire family and have ideas ready for those rainy days. The secret is to plan!

With just a little research and some supplies you can be ready for the entire summer. Don't forget a little creativity will also make lasting memories for everyone. Having this information all together will make the summer less stressful and give you a great scrapbook at the end and a reference for next summer.

It is time to gather the supplies. Get a three ring binder no smaller than the 1 inch size but the 2 inch will be useful in making it a summer scrapbook. Have tabbed dividers and use at least 8, it will work best. Get a three-hole punch, paper clips and some different colored highlighters. Other optional supplies are post its, sheet protectors and pocketed clear inserts that hold trading cards and photos. You may want to have at leave a package of each size at the ready.

Sections for the tabbed dividers can be Calendar, Event Details, Ideas, Party Planning, Recipes, Yard Sale/ Moving Plan, and Vacation. All of the information for your family summer of fun in one place. The only thing left is to put in some information and start planning.

The Calendar section will hold the months at a glance for quick and easy reference. Fill in as many events as possible and assign different color of highlighter to each member of the family. All of the details for those events, such as directions, lists, or tickets go into the Details section. Clip all the information together with a paper clip and use post it tabs for labeling.

The Ideas section is for things to do on rainy days or that the family may want to try out. These are for activities that require no reservations and minimal planning. Include in this section the hours for the local roller rink and a brochure for the craft store or pottery painting place down the street. The Recipes section will also have things to try but also include any recipes that are need for parties, cook outs, or the summer favorites.

Things that often occur over the summer months that require a little extra planning go into these next few sections. Party Planning will have all of the information together for throwing a fun summer party. Yard Sale/ Moving Plan go hand in hand this time of year. Whether doing both or not it will be easier to have check lists ready. The Vacation section will have any lists and detailed information for that family vacation that has been drawing closer.

Now that the manual for the family's summer of fun is set up, go make memories. Let go of the stress and enjoy the summer. Don't forget the camera! Put pictures and additional notes in the manual and it has now become a scrapbook. Refer back to it next year and see what worked and what else you would like to try.