Six Steps To Prepare For A Sizzling Summer

Each year, we wait eagerly for it to begin. Summer, with it's promise of warm, hazy days, fun-filled lighter evenings and family time on vacation seems like the only thing we focus on when the winter days bite. Perhaps going all the way back to school summer holidays, the warmer months have always felt like a natural time to reinvent ourselves, experience new things and make some great memories. We all want to get the most out of our summer, and the best way to do that is with a little forward planning.


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Try To Balance Scheduling With Spontaneity

It's great to have plans, and without them, there's a danger that summer will drift by before you've really noticed it going. On the other hand, being too planned can mean that you don't get the chance for the spontaneous adventures that can provide some of the most memorable moments. Try to find a balance between filling in your planner and allowing some downtime and free days. Work around a couple of must-do experiences so that you have some plans in place, and leave the rest a bit free form.

Revisit Childhood Fun

If there was an activity you loved to do, or even a special place you visited as a child during the summer months, why not try to recreate that experience? From camping in the backyard to water fights or making homemade ice-cream, nostalgia can be great fun - especially if you can introduce your own children to what you love to do as well.

Sort Out Your Finances

Vacations, day trips, meals out, new clothes… Summer can come with a few expenses. Make sure you're all set by giving your finances a spring clean. From reviewing your bank account and cancelling off unused subscriptions, to comparing energy providers to find a cheaper deal and even using a site like cardguru to find the best credit deals, it could be a summer free from financial stress if you act now.

Learn A New Skill

Vacation time during the summer can be the ideal opportunity to develop a new skill you haven't had time to before. From trying a new sport like sailing or surfing, to finally establishing that vegetable patch you've always wanted in your garden or just taking the time to practise watercolor painting, self-growth is a valuable and inspiring goal for your summer.

Give Your Time

If you want to find local volunteering opportunities, you'll not only be enriching the lives of those around you, you'll be enriching your own. Even if you only have a couple of hours to spare a week, getting involved in a community project is hugely rewarding. From helping to build new houses to visiting at a retirement home, walking dogs for a local shelter or helping to cook at a homeless centre, you could meet new people, learn new things and set yourself up for the best summer of your life.

Invite Some Guests

If friends or family live far away, and you haven't seen them in a while, the more relaxed pace of summer is the perfect chance to reconnect. Makeover your guest bedroom and invite them to come and stay. Planning a fun visit will also let you rediscover some of the great attractions your local area has to offer that you may not normally have visited.