Review and do a daily item---
____ Jul 1 If you are hosting a July 4 get-together, do your shopping today to avoid the crowds on the 3rd. You'll be
happier and the selection is liable to be better too.
____ Jul 2 Help your home to stay cooler by using shades to cover south and west facing windows. This will prevent up to
45% of the sun's heat from entering your home.
____ Jul 3 Check your credit card limit. Many banks are still lowering limits, often without prior warning. Staying
informed will save you up to a $35 fee for inadvertently going over your limit.
____ Jul 4 Enjoy a safe and fun day with family and friends. Keep safe around the fireworks and enjoy the show.
____ Jul 5 Be safe in the sun! Be sure to use adequate sunscreen and re-apply every 2-4 hours when you are out in the
sun.
____ Jul 6 Raise your mower's blades 3" and leave it there through Labor Day. The longer grass will shade your soil and
slow down water loss, keeping your lawn green throughout the hot summer months.
____ Jul 7 Schedule an eye exam. Unless your doctor says otherwise you should have your eyes checked annually.
____ Jul 8 Do you have a child entering college in the fall? Many forms are due to be completed and returned by the end
of this month. Fill them out, gather up the required records and send in to the college.
____ Jul 9 Schedule physicals for elementary, junior and senior high students early to ensure you get this completed.
The closer you get to sports starting, the busier the doctors are and the harder it is to get in. Make sure
immunizations are up to date too.
____ Jul 10 Give your home an energy audit. Take an hour and walk around your home, making notes on what needs to be
repaired. One hour now can result in 20% energy savings when leaks are plugged.
____ Jul 11 Clean your patio furniture. Launder washable cushions. Use a soapy bleach solution to clean metal and
wood furniture. Rinse well and let air dry.
____ Jul 12 Check all of your door and window locks to ensure they are working properly.
____ Jul 13 Clean your dryer exhaust duct, damper and the space under the dryer. This prevents lint buildup and fires,
and extends the life of your dryer.
____ Jul 14 Are you considering going camping for the first time? Rent your camping gear rather than purchase. This way
if you decide you don't like camping, tent or otherwise, you are not out a huge investment. It's more cost effective to
rent than to purchase and store.
____ Jul 15 Visit a farmers' market for fresh seasonal fruit and bake a fresh fruit tart.
____ Jul 16 Start your Christmas planning. It's hard to want to think about Christmas in July, but by starting your
planning and buying now, you'll likely have a much lower stress holiday season when it arrives.
____ Jul 17 Spend a day doing some batch cooking to save time later. Buy family packs of ground beef, brown it all up
and freeze in meal sized packages. These can be used for tacos, pasta sauce, sloppy joes and so forth.
____ Jul 18 Do you live in an area where salt and chemicals are used on winter roads? Spend a day cleaning and resealing
your concrete garage floor. Apply a protective coat of epoxy now while temperatures are high enough to work with the
garage doors open and to allow the epoxy to dry.
____ Jul 19 Go through your makeup and toss out anything that is older than 3 months. Give your brushes a good
cleaning and allow them to dry thoroughly before putting them away.
____ Jul 20 Going grocery shopping? Take the family along and split the list. Give each family member a portion of the
list and make it a contest to see who can complete theirs first. Then reward everyone for their help with a side trip
for ice cream on your way home.
____ Jul 21 Take a day to spend at the beach with the family. Pack a cooler with plenty of water and snacks and
spend a relaxing day.
____ Jul 22 Now that summer is well underway, take time to sort through your summer clothes and donate items you
haven't worn.
____ Jul 23 While your sprinklers are running it's a good time to check and make sure your sprinkler heads are all
pointed in the right direction. It isn't good to be watering walkways instead of grass and plants.
____ Jul 24 Plant veggies now for fall and winter harvest.
____ Jul 25 If you compost, make sure you give it a little TLC during these hot months. When you find it getting a
little crusty, give it a shower.
____ Jul 26 Check water hoses on your washing machine, icemaker, and dishwasher for cracks. Replace any with
cracks.
____ Jul 27 Check you vinyl and/or aluminum siding for cracks and damage. Wind can catch seams and corners and tear
the lightweight siding off the walls. This can let water in, causing further damage.
____ Jul 28 If you have a gas fired water heater, check to make sure it is vented properly. To do this, light a match
next to the vent and wave (don't blow) it out. Check to see if the smoke is pulled into the vent. If it doesn't, have it
repaired.
____ Jul 29 Enjoy a concert in the park. Many towns have some kind of concert, or play in the parks during the
summer. It's a great way to spend some time relaxing.
____ Jul 30 Gather the family for a little bit of "pick it up and put it away". Set a timer to make it a bit more
challenging for all. Enjoy a board game together after everything is picked up and put away.
____ Jul 31 Make use of the test button on your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Replace any that fail the test.
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by Maria Gracia - Get Organized Now!
http://www.getorganizednow.com
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