School May Be in Session, But Summer Isn’t Over

This week, schools throughout the country are welcoming students back for another year. A few kids may not be ready to let the carefree, lazy days of the seasonal break go, of course, and may complain loudly that “summer’s over.”

#Summer is far from over, though, especially for anyone who isn’t in school. The start of school may be a harbinger of cooler climes to come, but there’s still a month to go before the vernal equinox — and plenty of warm weather left to enjoy.

Now’s the time to kick that summer fun into high gear! Have you gotten in any of your favorite outdoor activities, such as camping, fishing, boating, kayaking or swimming? Have you taken the opportunity to picnic in a park or cook out?

Maybe you’re more indoorsy — or a temporary heat “dome” is encouraging you to stay inside. Beat the heat at an indoor matinee. Or take on a household project such as #decluttering your wardrobe or #redecorating a room, Apartment Therapy suggests.

There’s still time to schedule an end-of-summer trip, too. September and October are beautiful months to visit many northern climates and see the leaves change color, and it’s still hot enough in the south and the tropics to swim and sunbathe.

If you opt to #organize and #declutter, there’s still time to schedule and stage a #garage sale. Set aside your castoff clothing and household goods and tag them. Pick a weekend and post signage directing shoppers to your door; you’ll have extra pocket money in no time.

If that sounds like too much work for your precious summer days, you can always schedule a free #donation #pickup at ClothingDonations.org to effortlessly relieve yourself of that #extra #stuff while supporting valuable #veterans programs.

Whatever you choose, there’s a lot of summer left to do it. Even the Labor Day holiday isn’t the limit — and if you have kids, they’ll be at school, leaving you much of the day to concentrate on personal and professional needs. Start planning what’s left of summer now!

Use Labor Day Weekend to Organize

Bittersweet as it may be, #summer is drawing to a close. While The Organizing Blog encourages you to do little that qualifies as “work” on Labor Day weekend, one thing that can enhance your overall mood and prepare you for #fall is #decluttering. Start #organizing and putting away those summer supplies, says Simplify Experts, tossing anything that’s too worn to justify keeping for another year. That includes grilling tools, camping supplies, pool toys, gardening equipment and even old bottles of sunblock. If there’s anything that you didn’t use but might still be of use to someone else, you can donate it to ClothingDonations.org. #LaborDay

Dedicate Labor Day to Relaxation

If you want to take it easy on Labor Day, don’t go out of your way to do anything even remotely related to work. Take a leisurely bike ride or go for a swim, do a little #thrift-store shopping, and stop by a local bar/grill or order in instead of cooking dinner, says Country Living. Read a book or watch a movie, meditate, let the kids play in the sprinkler or set up a lawn chair at the nearest parade, but don’t do any household #chores or hard labor unless that’s something you find relaxing. Whatever you choose, make sure that a day of rest is your primary goal; you’ve worked hard all year and you can afford to give yourself a break. #LaborDay

The Easiest Labor Day Cookout Ever

Whether you’re having a Labor Day cookout or just contributing a dish, what better way is there to observe the #holiday than by avoiding hard labor in the kitchen? Choose an easy, surefire recipe that people like, and your friends and family will wonder why they thought spending hours over a hot grill was a good idea. Taste of Home has collected 100 recipes that are perfect for a summer-ending party or picnic, promising that none will take more than 15 minutes’ prep time. Featuring everything from cucumber salad to bacon dip to grilled bananas, these recipes prove that the summertime living is easy. #LaborDay

Avoid Work to Celebrate Labor Day

Labor Day was created to celebrate the social and economic contributions workers have made to America’s strength, prosperity and well-being. The unofficial end of #summer, Many Americans opt to celebrate Labor Day with parades, picnics and cookouts. But Love to Know suggests that you shouldn’t feel bad about celebrating Labor Day by doing no labor whatsoever. “The diligent American people of the past made Labor Day something to celebrate. Honor them by taking the day off from all back-breaking work. Do zero chores, order dinner in so no one has to cook or clean up, and feel free to lie around in your pajamas all day long.” #LaborDay