Just about every family goes to the beach during the summer. But what’s the largest complaint? “Uh oh….you forgot…..” You usually end up forgetting. Try our tips to pack the ultimate beach bag and you’ll always stay organized while having fun in the sun!
Be certain your bag for the beach is big enough. Most Moms will have the “big” challenge of choosing a good looking beach bad that won’t be big enough for their carrying needs. Don’t forget to keep a head count of your kids and don’t forget that your kids often bring friends so keep track of them too whether you are at the pool or the beach. You’re going to need that extra room in a big beach bag!
Towels, towels and more towels! All of the family members need 2 towels: One for laying on the sand and one to dry off after getting out of the water or showering at the end. That’s a lot of towels. Keep your towels organized by adding clothing labels to each towel so your towels come home with you. Pick color coordinated towels so they are easy to find on the beach lying together.
Sandwich bags aren’t just for sandwiches. Here’s an easy trick to keep suntan or sunblock lotion from spilling all over the inside of your beach bag: keep it inside a sandwich bag with a tight seal! This will save lots of time and frustration. Add a label to the outside of your suntan or sunblock so other families know this is your sunblock and not theirs.
Clear plastic labels are every Mom’s dream for beach trips when it comes to packing the ultimate beach bag. How many times have you come home from the beach…only to discover you are missing a sand pail and shovel? Add clear plastic labels with your child’s name or family name to keep everything organized for this summer.
Keep your lunch chilled and dry by placing it near the bottom of your beach bag. Many of the items you pack in the beach bag won’t be heavy such as your swimming suit and dry towels. The heaviest thing you will probably pack is your lunch – so you’ll want to keep it cool and dry by packing it in the bottom of your beach bag. Create a shady place under your umbrella for your lunch with your chair and your towel hung over the side.
Many Moms love to bring a good book (okay a romance novel!) to the beach while the kids play. Make sure your romance novel comes home with you by adding a cheap sticker inside the book with your information. The beach is a busy place and there are lots of other Moms with books, best to keep yours organized and with you at all times
by Lawrence Reaves
Posted by admin | Posted in Auto Organization | Posted on 10-07-2009
With the high cost of flying, many families are turning to the old-fashioned road trip for their summer vacation plans. But don’t just get in the car and go! You’ve got to plan and organize to truly have the perfect road trip – it’s well within your reach.
Begin by getting directions from Google Maps, Mapquest or your favorite website. Use your GPS for step-by-step directions as you go. Tip: ask the person you are visiting for directions as sometimes there are unique landmarks you can keep an eye out for as you get close to their home.
To pack the trunk, first clean the trunk. Clear the trunk of all excess clutter before taking a road trip. Remember both kids and adults will likely bring back souvenirs from your summer vacation – and you are probably toting lots of luggage.
Always travel safe for your peace of mind. Pack a first aid kit and a car emergency kit. Make sure you’ve got an extra tire in case you need to change a tire. Add bottled water to your trunk for hydration in case you get stuck somewhere for awhile.
Stay organized to avoid sibling arguments and adult confusion. Clothing labels make vacation laundry much easier, as you may be adding a load in with another family’s. Clothing labels also ensure a hotel, motel or family friend will recognize your left-behind clothing just in case you do!
Create fun travel packs for each child to enjoy on the road. Include books or board books, soft toys or other fun games. Don’t count on your in-car TV to entertain them the entire way through. Label toys to make sure toys come back home with you after your vacation.
Summertime is a peak time for label use. Families are more active than ever. With most families taking vacations, it is easy to see why families would need labels to identify things that they need. Let’s talk about the top summertime uses for labels.
1. Gardening. Many people enjoy gardening in the summer. Labeling the stakes in the ground, baby plants or your supplies helps you grow a beautiful garden.
2. Beach or Pool. Most families spend lots of time at their local beach or pool during summertime. This is an ideal time to use labels. Use labels to identify your beach/pool chairs, umbrella, label your bathing suit and swimming cover-ups. Labels can also be useful with some water toys for kids.
3. Summer Camp. Many children attend a day or sleep-away camp during the summer. Smart mothers have learned that labeling their belongings means that more of their belongings will come back with them at the end of camp!
4. Family Vacation/Staycation. Every family can use labels during their vacation/staycation. You’ll want to label everyone’s suitcases as you travel. You’ll add labels to everyone’s clothing. Adding labels to other items you use like a packed lunch as you travel, car care supplies or labeling everyone’s drinks just keeps you better organized.
5. Summer Barbeque/Party. Using labels can help you identify the mustard from the ketchup. It can also help you identify people’s drinks from one another. Using “Hello” labels at a party can be a great icebreaker as people get to know one another.
Labels simply get you through the summer. With a little organization and preparation, summer flies by – our favorite season. It’s always more fun during summertime! Waterproof labels will be a part of any good label kit for summer.
There’s something about Spring that just makes us want to get organized and start new projects. The birds singing and warmer air make everyone have a “spring” in their step and more energy to tackle all of those projects they’ve been putting off. So enjoy Spring and try these great ways to use labels to get organized and make life run a bit smoother.
Canning or making jams/jellies. Spring and summer are the perfect time to can fruits and vegetables or to make jam and jellies. You’ll certainly want large, clear labels that tell you exactly what’s in these jars so when winter comes and you reach for a jar – you aren’t opening a mystery!
Garage sale. This is one of the best times to hold a garage sale. Spring is a great time to clean out your closets and go through the kids’ toys to see exactly what they just aren’t using anymore. Garage sale shoppers always seem to linger more when a sale is well organized and they certainly appreciate prices that are clear. Using label stickers will mean everyone can read prices quickly – even if they do try to haggle you down a bit!
Preparing for summer camp. Now is the ideal time to get the kids’ gear ready for summer camp. Don’t wait for the last minute to find the sunscreen, bathing suit and their sandals or extra pair of sneakers. Get everything ready and put it into the trunk so it is ready to go. You’ll want to use labels to label the trunk and then labels inside every piece of clothing.
Organize your gardening supplies. Spring is when we see those lovely crocuses and tulips coming out in bloom. But every gardener knows to get those beautiful flowers takes a lot of hard work and effort. Organize your gardening supplies and use labels so you know where everything goes and to identify your supplies.
Get the beach gear ready. If your family lives at the beach in warmer weather, then now is the best time to get your beach gear prepared. Look for your bathing suits, aqua shoes, beach towels, sunscreen and beach toys. Use labels to designate everyone’s beach bag and organize your summer fun gear.
