Planning for Summer in the Winter

Planning for summer in the winter with these five tips is a great way to practice easy self-care, beat the dreary weather blues and get a jump start on warm weather fun!

I love rain and snow. Foothills and evergreens. Big trees and rushing rivers. But the same things that I absolutely love and adore about Pacific Northwest winter drive me stir crazy after months of darkness.

Summer Dreaming as Self Care

Everyone can benefit from having a little something to look forward to. And with Pacific Northwest winters I KNOW I certainly do.

Planning for summer in the winter helps me beat the darkness blues, puts me ahead of reservation-making crowds and gives me (and my family!) a head start on warm weather fun!

Carve out ‘me time’ while dreaming up your summer to do list in the winter.

I’m currently flipping through flower and garden books and snacking on raspberry lemonade noosa. It may be rainy, flooding and dark at 2 pm but I’m all about summertime and sunshine dreams.

Thank you noosa yoghurt for sponsoring this post. Pick up a tub of noosa mates for yourself at a location near you and get ready to experience yum in action.

And you guys, this new noosa flavor just screams summer.

Are you a noosa fan yet?

Noosa yoghurt combines sweet and tart taste with a thick, velvety texture. I have yet to find a noosa that I don’t love but I am a card carrying member of #TEAMcoconut. Okay, maybe there are no membership cards involved but it’s a well-known fact in my house that if there’s coconut noosa, you better keep your hands off until Mom has a chance to have her way with it. Seriously! They even sent me a huge box of coconut swag to acknowledge my love of coconut noosa.

Coconut is so good but so are all the unique and delicious flavors! Made from only wholesome ingredients in small batches on a family farm in Colorado. Simply all-natural whole milk from happy cows and fresh fruit purees – made using the ripest, juiciest fruits plus a touch of wildflower honey.

For the latest scoop on new noosa flavors and exclusive swag, join Cream of the Crop by clicking here.Then come back and let me know what flavor noosa is your favorite…. if you can choose just one 😉

5 Tips to Start Planning for Summer in the Winter

1. Brainstorm warm weather goals. Garden plans, new plantings and preservation experiments, home projects, hikes, parks, staycations, festivals, day trips and overnight excursions. Search for new ideas online on travel forums, websites and Instagram. Don’t forget about newspapers and magazines. But prevent paper clutter by taking pictures of inspiration and saving to Pinterest.
2. Ask your family what’s important to them. It’s not always easy for kids to tell you what they want but if you ask questions about favorite memories and activities from the previous summer it should give you a good idea of what they cherish and find important. And also what isn’t really worth the effort. Vacation rentals and theme parks are usually on the top of the list in my house.
3. Take care of indoor chores. Deep clean, organize, and de clutter your home now when the weather is nasty. Then when the sun finally shows there’s no guilt when you spend all day outdoors.
4. Look for warm weather sales in the off season. Start shopping for outdoor recreational equipment, bathing suits, sandals, shorts, and more before they’re only available at full price. Also, plan your garden and start shopping seed catalogs.
5. Reserve your spot now! Most campgrounds now accept reservations up to 1 year in advance. And there’s nothing more frustrating than finding a perfect hotel for your family to get a ‘unfortunately we have nothing available’ notice when booking. Look now before the majority of people to score the best reservations with ease!

5 Tips for Planning for Summer in the Winter

Beat the winter blues and get a jump start on dreaming about your warm weather goals when you start planning for summer in the winter as part of your self care routine!

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Author: Tristin Rieken

Instructions

• Brainstorm warm weather goals. Garden plans, new plantings and preservation experiments, home projects, hikes, parks, staycations, festivals, day trips and overnight excursions. Search for new ideas online on travel forums, websites and Instagram. Don’t forget about newspapers and magazines. But prevent paper clutter by taking pictures of inspiration and saving to Pinterest.
• Ask your family what’s important to them. It’s not always easy for kids to tell you what they want but if you ask questions about favorite memories and activities from the previous summer it should give you a good idea of what they cherish and find important. And also what isn’t really worth the effort. Vacation rentals and theme parks are usually on the top of the list in my house.
• Take care of indoor chores. Deep clean, organize, and de clutter your home now when the weather is nasty. Then when the sun finally shows there’s no guilt when you spend all day outdoors.
• Look for warm weather sales in the off season. Start shopping for outdoor recreational equipment, bathing suits, sandals, shorts, and more before they’re only available at full price. Also, plan your garden and start shopping seed catalogs.
• Reserve your spot now! Most campgrounds now accept reservations up to 1 year in advance. And there’s nothing more frustrating than finding a perfect hotel for your family to get a ‘unfortunately we have nothing available’ notice when booking. Look now before the majority of people to score the best reservations with ease!

Made this recipe? Please share!Mention @freshflavorful or tag #FreshFlavorfulLife

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.