To Do: Your July Home Decor Checklist
Well, here we are – we’ve arrived right smack in the middle of summer! Has your summer been filled with laid back lazy days doing whatever your heart desires? Or has it been filled with one activity after another and another and another? I can tell you right now, that this is turning out to be one of the busiest summers on record for me! Most of my days in July are packed with one thing or another. In spite of all that busy-ness, I want to make sure that I take care of a few things that will help me enjoy the rest of the season!
CLEAN AND REFRESH OUTDOOR SPACES
It’s been several weeks since I did the big post-winter and post-pollen outdoor space cleanup and things are starting to get a little dusty and grungy again. Now is a good time to give your porches, decks, patios and sidewalks a little cleaning and refreshing.
SCREENED-IN PORCH SUMMER REFRESH
JULY IS A GREAT MONTH TO BUY FURNITURE
The fourth quarter of the year is a very popular time for new furniture purchases. Many people want to get their homes looking their best before the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays and the retailers are well aware of this. They’ll start clearing their floors now to make way for new inventory to fill the stores in August. Research shows that you can expect to spend 10% – 50% less for furniture this month! Outdoor furniture is usually the most heavily discounted since the demand drops sharply once fall arrives.
SUMMER FARMHOUSE STYLE DINING ROOM
MAKE A FUN SUMMER CRAFT
Are the summer doldrums getting to you? Too hot to be outside for long? Come on in out of the heat and spend some time making a fun craft or two. We won’t make it anything too complicated though. Nobody needs complicated or fussy during the summer!
COPY CAT WHITE CLAY FLOWER POTS TUTORIAL
HOW TO MAKE A MOSS COVERED WREATH – SO EASY!
CLEAN THOSE PORCH LIGHTS
I know this isn’t considered decorating, but please clean those glass porch lights! If possible, remove the cover to get rid all the dead critters. While you’re at it, give the cover a good washing with soap and water. If it isn’t possible to remove the cover for washing, wipe it down with a damp cloth – be sure to turn the switch off first though. It’ll make your entry so much more welcoming.
THE “C” WORD
I cringe as I mention this, but now is a really good time to start thinking ahead to Christmas. If you’ve been out and about, you’ve probably noticed that many retailers started putting their Christmas decor out several weeks ago. July is a great time to begin the process of taking stock of what you own – what you want to keep and what you need to purge.
CHRISTMAS IN MY FARMHOUSE BREAKFAST NOOK
What’s on your to-do this month?
All of those are great tips. It is past time for me to clean my porch lights!!
Great tips – hard to believe Christmas in July!
Oh no don’t say Christmas all ready, LOL! I was at Hobby Lobby the other day and they have all the fall items displayed and ready for purchase. The world is in such a rush, time to slow down and enjoy where we are at the moment. Thanks for sharing, enjoy your day!
My plan for the upcoming week is to clean the siding on my front porch since it is under a large overhang and the rain doesn’t reach it to wash away the dirt. I also plan to repaint the two Adirondack chairs that sit on the porch. After reading your post I will definitely be cleaning the light fixtures as well.
Great tips! I love your outdoor lanterns. Can I ask where did you find them?
Hi Melanie. Here’s a direct link for where to purchase my outdoor sconces: http://fave.co/2tu04wi
Great ideas and tips. Thanks.
Great tips as always!!
I really cleaned the outside areas again before we had company last week. Great to have that done.
Hard to believe the days are getting shorter already and the year is half over. I’m planning to get down to the unfinished part of basement and do my yearly organize and kind of purge Christmas decorations I don’t plan to use. It is a good idea to think ahead. Won’t be too long before we start putting out all the wonderful holiday decorations:)
Need to refresh my porch too. I’ve been ill and haven’t been able to change my duvet cover to my summer set but am feeling a bit better and hope to do that too.
I have several projects going right now and my hubby says I need to finish one before I start another. But that is no FUN, I have to think ahead…like Christmas gifts!
Thanks for the reminder to clean our outdoor lights. I’m not ready for Christmas decorations, though…still have most of summer ahead! Lol! Enjoy your day! 😉
Great tips! I just cleaned my back patio/furniture yesterday! I just can’t do Christmas in July. I live in Florida and it’s much too hot to even attempt to think about Christmas!
I love how you appear to easily go from season to season by switching out a few accessories. The bright blue definitely says summer. Your skillful placement of the bright blue draws the eye back and forth. Well done!
My summer has mostly been the latter, busy with one thing or another. Thanks for the tip about buying furniture! Always good to know about sales!
Ugh! Thanks for reminding me to clean the porch lights!
We are eagerly awaiting work to begin on enlarging our front porch and installing our new farmhouse front door! Guess I could clean up the porch lights while I’m waiting…
We actually just repainted and now need to get new curtains
I really enjoy seeing how you are able to make simple changes to an area that completely gives it a whole new look
Thanks for the post, Suzy. I never knew about furniture being deeply discounted in July. Very helpful!
On my to-do list? I’m hoping to launch my blog this month! >.< Praying the Lord will work it out so things will go smoothly. (You have been an inspiration in more ways than one!… Thank you!)
I really appreciate your checklist. I definitely need to clean my screen porch again. I cleaned it and spruced it up in the Spring but since then it has gotten a bit grungy!
Love your bright blue accents! This really says summer to me. Been busy working on creating cozy on our back porch in our new house in our new state – New Mexico!
Love your blog! First visit!
You make some good points about a summer to-do list. Thanks for the tips! I love the shade of blue that you’re using in your summer dining room, too.
Carol (“Mimi”) from Home with Mimi
Oh my, did you have to put clean outside porch lights on your list? You made me look at them and boy do they ever need a good cleaning. I live in Texas, and I don’t think anywhere else on earth has bugs and dust like we do. Now that I’ve checked them out I can’t go back to overlooking them. It’s amazing how you can walk right past something every day and not see it. Time to get the ladder out and take care of business. By the way I love love love all the blue you have in your screened in porch.
Where we live is constant dust and wind, hope not where you live. There is no such thing as cleaning for the week as next day have to start again or let it go. Your home always looks so pretty and your porch, so comfy and relaxing while being lovely at same time.
Reminds me of our front porch on our KY house, I always miss it this time of year, had such a good time decorating, keeping it pretty, enjoying it. We have small front porch now but do what I can to keep it looking cozy and welcoming.
Whenever you show photos of your home I love to see what pretties you have and how you stage them. My head is so full of many ideas for decorating and making things after I go thru blogger posts.
Have wonderful rest of week
Love your style!
I am looking for exterior paint for my home. I already have a hrY farmhouse with navy shutters but wanted something a little different. Would you PLEASE share your your exterior paint colors? What color are your shutters too? May I ask what color is your front door? I have brick red right now. I would really appreciate this.
The brick and siding on the exterior of our home is painted Sherwin Williams Network Gray, mixed at 85% intensity. The front door is also painted with Network Gray, but at full intensity. The color of our shutters is Cyberspace, which is a dark gray. Hope this helps!