Print off your July 2010 Home Organizing Checklist

____ 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 sun- screen 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.

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____ 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.

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____ 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.

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____ 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 FREE Idea-Pak and E-zine filled with tips, ideas, articles and more to help you organize your home, your office and your life at the Get Organized Now! Web site!