Tips to Keep You BeachReady

Expert advice from a beach-loving mom and professional organizer

BY AMY DUBE

Summer is finally here, which means sunny days and long afternoons at the beach. Let’s be realistic—the last thing you want to do when the stars align for a perfect beach day is find, clean and pack your family’s seaside gear, then play Tetris with it until everything fits in your trunk. Getting organized doesn’t sound like traditional fun, but it can be a fulfilling experience. Take it from me, a wife and mother who has made a career out of it. An organized home is a happy home.

So, before your next beach trip or staycation, consider practicing these organization techniques to make your summer as enjoyable and hassle-free as possible.

1

Make packing a breeze. If you’re like me, you want to be ready to head out the door at any moment without cutting into your beach time or winding up frazzled. Set up a slim table in your entryway or mudroom and align storage baskets at the top or on a bottom shelf to hold all your beach accessories. Popular low-cost but visually appealing materials include wicker, woven cotton, wire and rattan.

Store anything you need, especially if you’re meeting people who may not be as proactive as you. Ideas: Sunscreen, bug spray, hairbrushes, hair ties, baby powder, swim diapers, conditioner, disposable/reusable utensils, sunglasses, hats, lip balm, waterproof bags, goggles, a beach read.

2

Maximize trunk space.

As a mom and beach lover who’s always on the go, I keep a large rectangular storage bin in my trunk. Remember all those beach essentials I told you to store in your entryway or mudroom? You can quickly offload those into the trunk, so your things won’t slide all over the floor when you drive.

It’s common to go from the beach to the pool to a barbeque during the summer. Your trunk is also a prime location to store extra clothes, spare towels, flip-flops and more, so you’re minimizing the mess in your car and can be flexible with plans.

I’ve also become all too familiar with: “Mom, I forgot....”

Use a bin with a lid to hold extra frisbees, kickballs, water balls, sand toys or anything else your little ones might ask for to keep them entertained and active longer!

3

Tame your return home. Towels thrown on the floor, wetsuits in the hall, a trail of sand leading into the kitchen...sound familiar?

Being proactive with organization can also help minimize the messiness of returning from the beach or other outdoor activities. Your garage is a great place to set up empty bins you can utilize when you get home. Your patio, porch or mudroom will work, too.

Start by doing some rearranging in the space of your choice to clear an area. Set up some empty bins to make offloading your go-to beach items quick and easy. Trust me—your future self will thank you!

4

Stock up on essentials.

Last but not least, you might notice you’re running low on a few essentials when you get back from a day at the beach. Rather than making a store run, I recommend stocking up at the beginning of summer or when you find things on sale, then keeping the extras in an underutilized storage area like a guest bathroom or bedroom. This will make it super easy to restock when your beach bag or bins are running low.

Keep your stash organized. Roll towels and place them vertically in a basket or stacked on a shelf. Keep like items together and arrange them neatly in a closet or cabinet.

Organizing with intent will also help your kids get in the habit of knowing where to find things, which means fewer yells for “Mom!”

Nothing should hold you back from enjoying the summer months and time with your loved ones. Anything you can do to get organized will give you more time outdoors and spare you from future headaches.

Amy Dube is a professional home organizer and the owner of Organize & Style. She lives in Brielle with her husband and two daughters. Follow her on social media @ organizeandstyle.