There’s a lot to love about June, and a lot to get organised. Officially the month that kicks off summer with the summer solstice, it’s also the time of year with the most amount of daylight hours, which means more time for fun and more to be done! This month our handy guide of what to do to get organised in June includes lots of handy tips to help you be prepared for the summer ahead. Whether that’s planning activities or getting your outdoor games and equipment in order for some fun in the sun, we’ve got your back.
What to do this month
1. Go strawberry picking
June is when the delicious British strawberry is at its juiciest and strawberry picking is not only a fun day out for all family, but a great way to be more organised in the busy summer months.
With all the lovely ripe strawberries you pick make a batch of yummy, and healthy, strawberry frozen lollies to have stored in the freezer, ready to whip out on a hot sunny day. Children and adults alike will be grateful for the refreshing treat and it saves money by not having to buy them. You can also try your hand at jam making. It’s super easy to make and will store in a sterilised glass jar for six months.
Top tip: According to advice from the Good Housekeeping Cookery team, strawberries have less pectin - the magic that makes jam set - than other fruits and berries. If your jam isn't setting, add a little lemon juice, which is a natural source of pectin.
To find your nearest pick-your-own farm visit pickyourownfarms.org.uk and for making strawberry lollies and jam, the BBC Good Food website is a fantastic resource for recipes.
2. Check your outdoor games equipment
We usually get a few days of scorching weather in June and whether you love the heat or it makes you all hot and bothered now is the time to pull out your paddling pool, inflatables and other outdoor games to check for any punctures or breakages. With paddling pools and inflatables, check for holes and repair with a puncture kit. Now, fixing holes is easy, finding them is another matter. A great hack is to inflate it and soap your hands in quality soap. Once you have a good lather, rub this all over the inflated pool - when you hit a hole the air coming out will blow bubbles in the soap making it easy to find.
3. Get Wimbledon Ready
Tennis fans will be eagerly await the famous championship on 3rd July. Once, the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) has dispensed with the public ballot and the outdoor queuing system and tickets will be available on a first-come, first-served basis via an online ticketing platform. The exact dates for when tickets will go on sale are yet to be confirmed, but it is expected to be around mid-June. If you fancy a day out at Wimbledon, pop a reminder in your diary now to check the AELTC website for updates.
4. Prepare your summer skincare routine
During the summer months, warm weather and a more outdoor lifestyle mean we have to work a little bit harder to prevent skin breakouts and minimise sun damage. Heat and humidity can make the skin oily, sweaty, whilst the sun will dry out our skin if not looked after properly.
Now is the time to switch up your skincare regime to enjoy your best summer skin. Just as you ditch your winter coat in summer, you should lighten up your skincare routine. For cleansers, think about swapping to a gentler, foaming cleanser as opposed to a cream or oil cleanser best used in the winter. When it comes to moisturisers, switch to a lightweight moisturiser with a minimum SPF 30. You may also want to up your exfoliation days in your skincare routine, especially if you’re prone to oily skin. Alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) pads are a great way to help unblock pores and remove oils, plus they feel refreshing on the skin.
The secret to perfect summer skin lies not only in switching up your routine but also in having the right type of wash bag. Having a place to keep everything you need in one place, whenever you need it, ensures you don’t end up slapping on whatever product you can find when you’re in a hurry. One of our lovely customers recently called us to say her Emma Hanging wash bag was the reason her skin was looking so great. By using the large wash bag she could keep all her skincare essentials in one place and carry the bag around the house so she could cleanse and moisturise wherever she was and whatever she was doing. Read our blog Want to know the secret to perfect skin - clue, it’s all about your wash bag to find out more about how our wash bags and hanging wash bags could help you get better-looking skin.
5. Make the most of the longest day of the year
We all talk about there never being enough time in the day, well, 21st June marks the summer solstice when the longest day of the year is celebrated. Considered the official start of summer, whilst the day still has 24 hours, just like any other, it has the most hours of daylight of any other time in the year, meaning more time to get things done! Use the time wisely and organise your day to make the most of the daylight hours.
- Get up early and go for a morning run or join an online sunrise yoga class.
- Call a friend you’ve been meaning to catch up with for ages but can never find the time.
- Pick a half-finished job around the house (we all have them!) and actually complete it.
- Use the extra time to get-on with a job you keep putting off, such as cleaning your make-up brushes. See our blog The Best Way To Deep Clean Your Makeup Brushes for tips of how to do this properly.
- Take an hour or two for yourself to do something you feel you never have time to do, whether that’s painting your nails, writing in a journal, spending longer in the bath or simply having a cup of tea and reading a book.
- Invite friends over for an outdoor supper and make the most of the light evening.
Do you have any tips for how you stay organised? Do let us know by commenting below, and sign up for our newsletter for some great advice to keep you organised and relaxed.