It's almost warm enough to start enjoying the beach, and everyone is getting ready by buying bathing suits, new towels, sunscreen, and sunglasses, but are you prepared to take on the beach? There are so many little things you can do to make your trip to the beach a little easier or a little less sandier this summer.
1. Plastic bags! Plastic bags! Plastic bags!
I cannot stress enough how handy Ziplock bags became during my beach days. They can be used to hold you phone while in the sand or near water, store seashells so your whole beach bag isn't wet or smells like fish, keep things like money or your keys dry, and so much more.
2. Baby Powder!
Don't you hate laying down in the sand and getting up to feel like half the beach is stuck to your body? After applying sunblock, wait for it to dry and then dust baby powder anywhere you feel sand sticks to your skin. By adding baby powder to your sun skin care routine, you will find less of the beach coming home with you at the end of the day.
3. Mesh bags.
Sand! Sand! Sand! It's everywhere! Isn't it annoying when you shake out every towel, beach toy, flip-flop, and t-shirt and somehow find sand clinging to all of your stuff? Well there is no way to completely rid of the sand, but using a mesh bag or thin, netted material type bag has proven to carry less sand. A bag that has less weight and fabric, has less space to hold all of that excess sand. These bags also have the advantage of ridding of excess sand while moving around on your long walk to the car.
4. Freeze your drinks.
Ice packs are taking up too much space! I can't tell you how many times I've opened my cooler and noticed that there were more ice packs than cool drinks. An easy space saver idea is to freeze all or most of the drinks you plan on packing so that they become the ice packs. Of course, they will slowly melt throughout the day, but they'll stay cool and keep the rest of your drinks and food at a cool temperature as they defrost.
5. Fitted Sheets.
Did you ever look down at the blanket you were sitting on and think, where the hell did all this sand come from, I was so careful?! This happens to everyone and it is extremely annoying. From what I have seen other people do online, a fitted sheet is a way to go. A fitted sheet placed the opposite way, will stand up by placing heavy or supported items in each of the four corners. I have seen people use their coolers, heavy beach bags, or anything that will support the fitted sheet from caving in and letting the sand in. This keeps your area fairly sand-free and isolated for smaller children or the people who like to tan in peace without any disturbances.
6. Disguise your valuables.
Can you watch my phone, keys, and money? Don't you hate having to worry if you could leave your valuables alone while going in the water or taking a walk? Disguise it! Using ordinary objects like a water jug or an empty sunscreen bottle is a great place to stow away any of these valuables in places no one would think to steal.
I hope these simple life hacks and tips make your beach days a little easier and hopefully a little less sandy.