The days are getting shorter, kids are returning to school and evening temperatures are starting to cool somewhat. And you still haven’t been to the beach? No worries, Travel & Leisure says — there are options from sea to shining sea. Southern California offers sandy beaches throughout the year, though water temperatures can get cold in the winter months. The Atlantic Coast offers beaches from Maine to Florida, and the Gulf Coast offers more beaches and sport fishing. Further inland, there’s the Great Lakes, New York’s Finger Lakes and thousands of smaller lakes just waiting for you to pull up with a lounge chair and a good book. Plan your last #summer trip now, though, so you don’t miss out on the rest and relaxation or wind up paying more to #travel. #LastMinuteSummerTravel
Tag: summer beach time
Practice Summertime Water Safety
Swimming, boating and water sports are popular summertime activities, but be aware of the threat of unintentional drowning, which causes thousands of deaths every year. “We encourage families to build confidence in the water by learning to be safe, making good choices, learning to swim and how to handle emergencies,” the Red Cross says. Swim in a supervised, lifeguarded areas, it recommends, and designate a “water watcher” to keep an eye on people in and around the water. Learning advanced swimming techniques and CPR are good ideas at every age. #SummerSafetyTips
Stay Organized All Summer Long
Everyone wants to make the most of their summer leisure time, but the added burden of managing all of that extra summertime stuff can be overwhelming. Let’s say you love going to the beach, for example. Do you really need two coolers, several inflatables and a ladder golf set to have fun?
That junk takes up space in your car and home, and you’ll have to find an out-of-the-way place to put it when summer is over. That’s why you should keep your summer stuff organized and at the ready for when you need it, while also storing only the essentials in the off season.
By this point in the season, you should have already disposed of any summer clothing you haven’t worn this year and/or didn’t wear last year by bagging it up and #donating it to ClothingDonations.org. That stuff has #cluttered your closets for months, tempting you with thoughts of summer fun — and guess what? It hasn’t delivered.
When it comes to a summer outing, try to keep the things you have to bring (and later find a place for) at a minimum. If you’re headed to the beach, pack a bag of the essentials — sunblock, towels, (deflated) inflatables and sunglasses — and keep it at the ready so the day doesn’t become all loading the car and no fun.
To keep from gathering too much stuff, the Krazy Coupon Lady says, borrow instead of buying. Public libraries are a great source of books, movies and even power tools, and when you’re done using them, you can simply return them. Another suggestion? Read digital books and magazines to keep from having to shelve your summer reading long-term. And always borrow or rent a kayak, canoe or personal watercraft unless you know you’ll use it every week.
To keep summer-only stuff from creating #clutter throughout the home, establish “drop zones,” Simplify 101 says. “A hook or shelf by the main entrance/exit of your home makes a terrific drop zone. As an added bonus, this area can also serve as a launch pad when you’re ready to head out on your next summer outing.”
Summer is all about relaxation. To maximize your R&R, make it simple for yourself, your family and friends to get out and enjoy the weather without making packing, organization and storage a burdensome chore before and long after the outing. You’ll never miss that extra stuff.
Make the Most of the Rest of Your Summer
Symbolically, at least, July 4th marks the middle of summer. If your local schools let out before Memorial Day, that’s pretty accurate — you’ve already spent about six weeks of the season, and there are probably about six more to go before school starts again.
Even if your schedule is no longer dictated by a school calendar, you may feel like the clock is ticking on your summer fun. The warm weather is likely to stick around until September and October even in the Northern climes, but the pressure is on.
The answer? Get organized and make the most of what’s left of your summer!
Grab a calendar — a paper one, if possible. Is there a trip you’ve been meaning to take? Book your airline tickets or get the oil changed ahead of that road trip. Are there friends you’ve been meaning to invite over for a cookout? Text them or send an electronic invite, and pencil them in.
On a tight budget? And Then We Saved offers 23 ways to make the most of your summer, including finding a swimming hole, going camping or volunteering. Tackling your to-do list and joining a team are other suggestions, alongside just kicking back in a hammock.
If you want to improve your home while it’s nice enough to keep the windows open, consider taking a summer day to do a good decluttering. There’s no time like the present to sell, donate or trash the extra stuff that’s been spilling out of your closets since last summer.
Lifehack suggests a range of thrifty summer activities such as being a tourist in your own hometown and going for a nature walk. And while you’re at it, the site says, take lots of pictures so you can create fond memories of summer 2018.
It isn’t your imagination: The clock is ticking — just as it always is. But summer has that added connotation of “fun in the sun” and “vacation” that makes you want to pack all of the fun activities you can into a few short months.
Make a list of the summery things you want to do, and start checking them off, one by one. Don’t waste another minute if you want to make the second half of your summer even more magical than the first!
Ready for the beach!
Going to the beach or the pool is a timeless summer tradition. When you’re trying to get kids ready for a trek to the city pool, though, it can be difficult. In order to make getting ready easier, keep all your beach towels, sunscreen, swimsuits, hats, and other pool-time accessories in one place. This will get your relaxing beach or pool time off to a great start!