July Honors

“We have not to fear anything, except fear itself.” So, says Julius Caesar.

Did you know that the month of July honors the Julian calendar which honors Julius Caesar? So, in the spirit of honoring here we go with our July organizing list and the theme this month is all about honoring.

We all know that July is a time in the United States where we honor the founding of America. Did you know there are a few other little holidays that would be so fun to honor as well?

July 1

We can get our good vibes going by honoring and celebrating International Joke Day. If you have a good joke to tell write to me and I’ll post it on my blog.

July 8

We honor one of the healthiest fruits a body could eat, the blueberry, which is at its peak this month. Here is a great recipe to help in the celebrating.

July 16

It is Global Hug Your Kids Day. What kid wouldn’t want to be appreciated with a big ol’ bear hug from their favorite person?

July 22

It is National Hammock Day. In keeping with the summertime theme of kick back and relax, why not do it on your very own hammock?

To finish off the month how about a final July celebration on the 30th with International Day of Friendship. Take time to honor all those non-family members that you got to pick to be your friend or how about making new friends today? There is always room for a new friend.

“Simple, genuine goodness is the best capital to found the business of this life upon. It lasts when fame and money fail and is the only riches we can take out of this world with us.” ― Louisa May Alcott, Little Men

In the spirit of all this honoring let’s see what the organizer in you can do to honor your time and your home with these 5 ideas for July:

Since the kitchen is the heart of the home, counter space is crucial for all the entertaining and celebrating we will be doing this summer. In my house I have a long working counter top that does triple duty as my work space, my buffet space and eating space when the kids need to eat a quick meal. It is so important to me to give the illusion of clear usable space when the counter is not in use. I feel like when nothing is happening the clear space provides breathing room and anticipation for what will be happening next in the kitchen. Click here for more ideas.

The 2nd idea for organizing space in July is to honor your body and skin by going through prescriptions medications, lotions, body sprays, make-up, toothpaste, etc. (did you know toothpaste has an expiration date?). According to Chelsea Traber Burns of Real Simple Magazine, your skin needs protection from all kinds of light. Here is what she has to tell us, “Although ultraviolet rays are the main cause of aging, there are other offender too, like light bulbs in your office or living room. Visible light can worsen brown spots. Guard against all types of light by using an SPF with iron oxides.” Click here for more information about choosing the best sunscreen.

Third on our organizing list this month is to organize your furniture and accessories to help reduce ambient noise. With summer in full swing it is so relaxing and therapeutic to listen to the crickets at night and wake up naturally to the birds singing in the morning. During the late evening I find it almost spiritual to lay on a blanket on a clear summer night and watch the night sky with all the daytime noise done for now. The night holds its own magic with the bullfrogs and the crickets and the breeze blowing through the trees. Listening through an open window is peaceful and rejuvenating. Click here to learn more about how you can create the quiet your body needs to relax and honor the summertime sounds.

Fourth item is a real chore. I have a love/hate relationship with my air conditioner. When it is brutally hot outside I am so, so grateful to have the luxury of this cooling machine but most of the time I would rather keep my windows open all over the house because the thought of possibly going through an entire year of brutal cold and then exhausting heat that keep the windows closed all year long is just too much to take. However, what happens when the windows are open so often? DDDDDust! I HATE dust. See, I’m so hard to please. Who knew there was so much to dust besides surface tops. How about walls, air duct vents, ceiling and fan blades, tops of curtains and blinds slats, TV screens, light bulbs, printers, etc. Honoring family, friends and yourself by keeping clean air circulating requires some elbow work on our part by keeping the dust to a minimum. Did you know there a technique to dusting? Yup. Click here if you really want to the know how to do it as right as possible.

Finally, item #5 is simple and kind of fun to do. As the 4th of July gets closer, hopefully the weather will be spectacular where you are, and you will be living it up celebrating America and your backyard. Mosquitoes are always a concern around my house and I found that some great outdoor, natural decorating comes by way of plants that not only look pretty but serve as accents to drinks like using mint leaves, as well as help to keep mosquitoes at bay by decorating with potted plants like lavender. Give this list a try and enjoy decorating while protecting and honoring your guests and your space.

“Courage. Kindness. Friendship. Character. These are the qualities that define us as human beings, and propel us, on occasion, to greatness.” ― R.J. Palacio, Wonder

Call to Action

What/Who do you honor this month?

In what ways do you celebrate the 4th of July?

What kinds of foods do you look forward to eating in July?

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