Seasonal shake-up: How to handle your home’s holiday hangover

Life Works: Karen Francis, left, and Alison Wildon (Image: Archant)

If you don’t know where to start, Karen Francis and Alison Wildon, of St Albans lifestyle management company Life Works, are here to help…

Sun creams

Any unopened packages can be stored for next year. However, if bottles have been started make sure you write the date they were opened on them as the level of SPF protection will decrease by next year. This applies to SPF make up too, so check your use date.

Some of us need more help than others on the home front (Image: Getty Images)

Summer clothes

Some clothes can easily cross over the seasons, during a warm autumn or later with a layer underneath.

Then there are the ‘definitely summer holiday clothes’ - you know the ones, the shorts you wouldn’t wear at home, the beach cover ups and the sparkly skinny vests - these can be stored for next year, under the bed or shrink-packed in the loft.

You will probably have re-washed everything on return from holiday so it can be put away clean, but it is worth having a look for suncream stains on whites and see-through, bobbly bottoms on swimming costumes along with other signs of over-use. Clear these items out now rather than next year… after all, we all deserve something new for the hols! In the case of children’s clothes, it’s worth thinking about:

Will they still fit next year? Can they be stored for a sibling? Have they served their time?!

Don’t keep what you don’t need, donate to charity.

Garden furniture and toys

Paddling pools, buckets and spades, new bikes and camping chairs can easily accumulate over the summer.

Some of these may not be able to stand the winter months - have you got sufficient storage, or covers for the large things which will stay outside?

It is worth considering too, if you really need that bucket without the handle or whether you will fix the puncture in the (too small!) rubber ring.

Suitcases and holdalls

Check for anything forgotten in a pocket or pouch, then give a quick squirt with an air freshener or add a bar of soap, before storing. To save space, place bags inside bags, and bags inside cases. And don’t forget to shake out all the sand!

The autumn months have in recent years still been quite warm, so this is a great time for a sort through of the garage or loft.

Throughout the year so many things can really accumulate, especially with all the holiday and summer things you are putting away for storage, so before it is too cold to be in there, take the time to reorganise the contents - there may even be time to catch a late car boot sale if necessary!

For more ideas or help getting started, Life Works offer a free one-hour consultation. See www.lifeworks.space or www.facebook.com/thoughtfulreorganisation for more information.