5 Systems to Streamline Your Summer

Are you like me? Every year as school winds down I start daydreaming about the slower pace of summer. I picture lazy mornings, long poolside afternoons, barefoot dinners on the patio, and extra time with my kids. And then… summer actually starts.

And somehow, even after 17 years of motherhood, I still find myself surprised when summer feels more chaotic than calm. With kids home full-time, no school structure, and the pressure to make memories, it can quickly feel like too much.

I don’t have all the answers. Every stage of motherhood brings its own chaos, and every summer has its own learning curve. But I’ve found that systems (not schedules, not rules, not rigid routines) are what truly help me stay grounded.

Here are 5 systems to streamline your summer that I’ve developed over the years that help me enjoy summer without feeling like everything is spinning out of control.

How to Streamline Your Summer

1. Daily Expectations: Keep It Simple and Clear

Each day, my kids know what’s expected of them. No surprises. No debates. These daily tasks shift depending on their ages and seasons of life, but the purpose is the same: keep basic responsibilities in check so everyone can enjoy their day.

Right now, our daily expectations include:

• Practice proper hygiene (yes, we say it out loud 😉)

• Clean your room

• Do your daily chore (trash, dishes, feeding the dog, scooping poop, etc.)

• Read (bedtime reading counts for the next day!)

In past summers, we’ve added workbook pages or skill-building goals, but I’ve learned to scale based on our energy and what’s realistic.

Bottom line: Expectations create freedom, not rigidity. When kids know what’s expected, they can move on and enjoy their day. And you can too!

2. Weekly Reset: Family Home Maintenance

Once a week, we do a bigger reset as a family. Everyone gets a list of deeper chores and we tackle yardwork, tidy shared spaces, and often organize one area of the home. One week it’s the garage. Another, the storage room. Another, the kids’ closets.

We call it the “not done ‘til it’s done” system — and yes, it’s sometimes met with resistance, but the payoff is worth it. Not only is our home more manageable, but our kids feel ownership over the space they live in.

Tip: Let them spread it out over the week if they want to. As long as it’s done by Saturday, I’m happy.

3. Realistic Meal Planning

Let’s talk about food, the never-ending question. I used to try and create Pinterest-worthy summer menus, but now I focus on a simple, flexible meal framework that rotates throughout the week. It keeps grocery shopping easier and dinner stress low. Here’s our current summer rhythm:

• Taco Tuesday

• Wrap Wednesday

• Grill Night

• Salad Night

• Bowl Night (think rice bowls, quinoa bowls, build-your-own)

We keep things fresh, healthy, and delicious without overcomplicating anything. And if we eat outside? Even better. Fewer crumbs on the floor = mom win.

4. Summer Planning System

One of the most impactful systems for us is our visual summer plan. At the beginning of the season, we:

• Create a big family summer bucket list.

• Fill out a 3-month calendar with camps, trips, birthdays, and big events.

• Talk about what each kid wants to do, learn, or experience.

Each week, we review the calendar, talk through expectations, and make sure we’re aligned. It helps prevent decision fatigue, gets the kids excited, and allows me to stay one step ahead. I designed a 3 month calendar and Summer Bucket List combined that I share every year for FREE.

Pro tip: Post the calendar somewhere visible and refer back to it often. It’s a built-in sanity-saver and my kids (and their friends) refer to it all the time. It's definitely a a fun thing to color and engage with all summer long.

5. Sunday Reset For Your Soul

While our weekly reset is for the house, Sunday Reset is for the heart. Sunday is our designated day to reset emotionally and mentally as a family. Here’s what that looks like for us:

• Go to church.

• Plan meals and groceries for the week.

• Take a family hike or do something together outdoors.

• Eat a real, sit-down meal together.

• No friends, no outside plans, just us.

This system brings intentional pause in the middle of summer’s whirlwind. It helps us reconnect, recalibrate, and enter the new week with clarity instead of chaos.

Summer will always have its surprises. But with a few thoughtful systems in place — not rigid routines, just repeatable rhythms, you can create more space for joy and ease.

Whether your kids are toddlers or teens, the structure they (and you!) crave doesn’t have to be complicated. These 5 systems help us feel grounded, connected, and capable of actually enjoying the summer we’ve all been dreaming of.

Jen is the founder of Reset Your Nest, a Professional Home Organizing Business in Utah (servicing Salt Lake City, Park City, Ogden, Alpine, Highland, Mapleton, and St. George). She loves creating order and systems out of chaos and is known for bringing a beautiful aesthetic as well as easy to maintain function to any space. She shares her tips and tricks on Instagram @reset_your_nest.