The End-of-Summer Reset: 7 Things You Can Start Organizing Now

Summer has a way of spreading itself throughout the house.

The camping gear that never quite made it back to its spot. Pool bags and coolers sitting by the door. Bikes taking over the garage. Patio supplies everywhere. Closets somehow holding clothes for three different seasons at once.

By the end of summer, all those little things start to add up.

The good news? You don’t have to wait for the first cold weekend to start getting organized.

An end-of-summer reset is the perfect opportunity to tackle the spaces that worked overtime all season, put things back where they belong, and make the transition into fall a whole lot easier.

Here are seven places you can start now.

1. The Garage

If there’s one space that deserves some attention after a busy summer, it’s probably the garage.

Between bikes, camping supplies, sports equipment, gardening tools, coolers, folding chairs, and everything else that comes along with summer, garages can quickly turn into a giant holding zone.

Before fall adds another layer of gear, take an afternoon to reset it.

Start by grouping similar items together:

• Camping and hiking gear
• Bikes and sports equipment
• Lawn and garden supplies
• Tools
• Car supplies
• Seasonal decorations

Then decide what still needs to be easily accessible and what can be moved elsewhere.

If bulky seasonal items are making it difficult to actually use your garage, self storage can create extra breathing room without requiring you to get rid of things you’ll want again next year.

2. Camping and Outdoor Adventure Gear

Colorado summers tend to be hard on the gear closet.

Tents, sleeping bags, camp stoves, hiking packs, paddleboards, fishing equipment, climbing gear, and all the other supplies that make weekend adventures possible can become a disorganized pile after months of use.

Before putting everything away, give your gear a proper reset.

Clean and thoroughly dry anything that got wet or dirty before storing it. Proper end-of-season cleaning and storage can help protect outdoor gear and extend its lifespan. Check equipment for damage, return smaller accessories to labeled bins or bags, and make a note of anything that needs to be replaced before your next trip.

Most importantly, organize everything by activity. If your camping, hiking, and outdoor equipment could use a little more attention, check out our guide to keeping summer adventure gear organized and ready to go for more tips on creating a system that makes packing up for your next trip easier.

When next summer rolls around, “camping gear” stored together is much easier to grab than a tent in the basement, sleeping bags in the garage, and camp chairs somewhere behind the holiday decorations.

3. Patio and Outdoor Living Spaces

Your patio probably got plenty of use this summer, but it may also be holding more stuff than it did in May.

Take inventory of outdoor cushions, umbrellas, planters, grilling accessories, outdoor games, extra chairs, décor, and other patio supplies.

You don’t necessarily need to put everything away yet. There are still plenty of beautiful Colorado days ahead.

Instead, use this time to figure out what you’re actually using.

Keep the items you’ll continue enjoying through early fall accessible, and start cleaning and organizing the things that have already finished their season. When colder weather eventually arrives, you’ll have far less to tackle at once.

4. Summer Sports Equipment

From baseball and soccer to golf, biking, paddleboarding, and backyard games, summer sports equipment has a habit of ending up everywhere.

Gather it all into one place and take inventory.

Are there balls that need air? Bikes that need maintenance? Equipment the kids have outgrown? Gear you know you won’t use again until next year?

Creating one designated area for seasonal sports equipment keeps it from slowly migrating into closets, mudrooms, garages, and car trunks.

For larger collections of seasonal gear, a storage unit can also function as an extension of your garage, giving you a dedicated place for the things you want to keep without sacrificing everyday space at home.

5. Your Entryway or Mudroom

Remember when your entryway had a floor?

Summer tends to fill these hardworking spaces with sandals, hats, backpacks, water bottles, sports bags, sunscreen, dog gear, and whatever else gets dropped on the way through the door.

An end-of-summer reset is a good opportunity to reclaim that space before fall brings jackets, boots, school bags, and eventually winter gear into the mix.

Clear out anything that no longer needs to live by the door and create designated spots for the items you use every day.

The goal isn’t a picture-perfect entryway. It’s simply making it easier to get in and out of the house without stepping over half of your summer.

6. Closets and Seasonal Clothing

Late summer in Colorado can make closets particularly confusing.

It might be 90 degrees one afternoon and cool enough for a sweatshirt the next morning, which means you probably don’t want to completely swap your wardrobe just yet.

But you can start preparing.

Pull out summer clothes you know you’re finished wearing, especially vacation-specific pieces, swimwear, or items the kids have already outgrown. At the same time, move lightweight jackets and transitional clothing somewhere easier to reach.

This gradual approach to seasonal clothing organization prevents the dreaded moment when you suddenly need a coat and discover it buried behind six months’ worth of stuff.

7. The Summer “Drop Zones”

Every home has one.

Maybe it’s a corner of the basement. A shelf in the garage. The guest room. A basket by the stairs. That one chair that stopped being a chair sometime around June.

These unofficial drop zones are where things land when no one knows where else to put them.

Instead of trying to organize the entire house, pick one of these spaces and work through it.

Ask yourself:

Do I need this regularly? Keep it accessible.

Will I use it again next summer? Clean it, label it, and store it with similar seasonal items.

Do I want to keep it, but don’t need it taking up space at home? Consider moving it into self storage.

Did I forget I even owned it? It may be time to donate, recycle, or let it go.

Sometimes organizing one small problem area makes a bigger difference than attempting an entire-home overhaul.

Don’t Wait for Fall to Get Organized

The end of summer doesn’t have to mean packing everything away overnight.

In fact, starting early makes seasonal organization much easier.

Clean the camping gear now. Reclaim part of the garage this weekend. Sort through the patio supplies while you can still comfortably stand outside. Start transitioning your closets before the first truly cold Denver morning catches you by surprise.

A little organization now means fewer giant projects later.

And if the real problem isn’t organization but simply not having enough room for every season of your life at the same time, that’s where self storage can help.

Greenbox Self Storage offers convenient storage options in Denver and Centennial, including climate-controlled units and flexible month-to-month rentals, so you can keep seasonal belongings without letting them take over your everyday space.

Start your end-of-summer reset today and find a Greenbox Self Storage location near you.