With summer almost here and camp just around the corner, there’s a lot to do – and not a lot of time to do it. Enter the ultimate guide to getting ready. Remove the guesswork, eliminate the anxiety, and find that packing list. Here’s to a fun summer of Saturday night socials and sunny beach parties – and to a stress-free month of preparing for it all!

This month, here are some tips on how to be a champ at organizing for camp.

Camp Knows Best. Read over all of the handouts that the camp sends you. They really provide invaluable information about what to bring and what to expect – whether it’s your child’s first year, or their eighth. There’s no need to bring five towels when the camp recommends that you only bring two.

 

Pack and Roll. Prevent wrinkles – and save space – by rolling your child’s clothes. Show your kids how to do it too, so that they will have an easier time repacking their stuff for the trip home.

Label, Label, Label.    Grab a permanent marker or buy a bunch of adhesive labels and get to work! Kids are bound to have the same – or similar – clothing. Make sure that your child comes back with everything he or she brings in the first place, by writing his or her name on everything – from linens to clothing to toiletries. This is a great way to get the kids involved in the pre-camp prep work. Enlist them in the labeling process, and it will take half the time.

        

Plastic Baggies = No Spills. The last thing you want is for your child to open up their suitcase to find shampoo spilled all over their belongings. Err on the side of caution, and double bag each toiletry item that’s prone to leaks.

Make Letter Writing a Breeze. Worried that your child won’t write you this summer? Make it easy for them. Stamp each envelope and write the return address on each one before they leave. You can also buy fill-in-the-blank stationary made specifically for campers. Or if you want to be more creative, create your own questionnaire with the questions you want answered.

Bonus tip: Save extra space in your child’s bags for things that they accumulate over the summer – at day trips, final ceremonies, etc. If you want to cheat the system a bit, invest in a few vacuum storage bags to help flatten bulky items like towels and sweatshirts.

Happy Organizing!

Jordana

Founder, live ORGANIZED

Jordana Jaffe is a professional organizer based in Manhattan. She loves helping moms organize their homes, offices, and schedules so that they can lead more fulfilling and functional lives.

To contact Jordana, or to schedule an initial consultation with her, please write her at jordana@liveorganized.com. For more information, visit www.liveorganized.com.

Previous columns:

The Master List

Decluttering the kids

 

 

 

 

 

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