Summer is well and truly in full swing and if there is one month of the year that we really need to be organised, it’s July. School is nearly out for summer and that longed-for vacation or staycation is fast approaching. Plus, now is when you need to start thinking ahead so autumn doesn’t catch you out! Our guide of what to do to get organised in July covers everything from organising your travel documents and keeping your lawn lovely to getting yourself beach ready. It’s all in the planning!
What to do this month?
Organise & Update Your Travel Documents
If you have travel plans on the horizon there is no better time to double check you have all your documents up to date. First up, check all the passports in your house are in date for any booked trips. Remember many countries require you to have additional time on your passports before departing the UK - visit the government's foreign travel advice page to check. Once you have checked, photocopy your passport or photograph and file these in a secure place either in real life or digitally.
Check your other documents are in date including any UK Global Health Insurance Cards or travel insurance and make a copy as you did with your passport.
Tip tip: make a note of your mobile number Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. You will need this is to disable your phone should it be lost or stolen when travelling.
Get your skin and hair ready for action
You’ve been looking forward to your summer holiday for months and you want to look and feel fabulous! Whatever your holiday plans are this summer, a beach holiday, glamping or some R&R at a hotel, get your skin and hair fully prepped and pampered with our two week pre holiday beauty schedule. From getting a haircut and giving your feet some love and care to washing your makeup brushes so they are clean in your travel washbag and pre-packing your airport security makeup bag, this nifty planner is a beauty must-have for any trip away.
Adjust your meal plans or food delivery services
Summer brings carefree days, spontaneous get-togethers and last minute change of plans. All great fun, but they can mess up any carefully planned meal plans you have in place. If you subscribe to a recipe box delivery service amend the delivery options now so you don’t forget and a box arrives the day after you left for your holiday. Or reduce the number of meals you order to allow for spontaneous days. You may also want to add items to your usual weekly shopping list, such as ice-creams, bbq foods to have in the freezer for impromptu entertaining, plus plenty of healthy snacks to placate hungry children.
Last chance for grow your own
If you had plans for a vegetable patch in spring, but never got around to it, it’s not too late to roll up your sleeves and get your hands in the soil. Whether you’ve got space for a veggie patch or a window sill crying out for a herb planter, there is still time in July to sow and grow something wonderful. This is the last time you can sow green beans for a harvest before the weather gets chilly, together with carrots. It’s also the perfect time to sow chicory and fennel for some delicious autumn salads and to plant out leeks and brassicas for a winter supply.
Top garden tip: dry weather is the best time to hoe off weeds - if you do it in wet weather, the weeds are likely to re-root and spread!
Create a lawn watering schedule
July is often one of the hottest and driest months of the year. This can take a real toll on your lawn and garden, especially if you’re busy and forget to get out there with the hose. Take a few minutes to create a watering schedule and pop reminders on your phone or calendar so you don’t forget. It can actually be quite therapeutic at the end of a day to feel your feet on the grass and hear the water spray on the ground. The perfect way to de-stress and keep your lawn and garden looking green and healthy.
How about you? What’s on your to-do list in July? Join the conversation and leave a comment below.
