How to pick your summer beach bag for less fuss and more beach time
It’s the season of summer holidays and as they get closer, I begin to wonder about the items I will choose to accompany me on this very important and much needed vacation.
Expectations can be high once you have reached your holiday destination, so you really need to know that you have made all the right choices with your packing.
But are we really thinking it through before we jet off to enjoy our fun time in the sun? What about your beach bag for instance? I can’t help thinking about how many times I forget an essential item and how many I have stuffed something in that I think will do. Or how many times I have ended up stuck with it all holiday. The beach bag is the bag that will need to support you for the entire holiday so why is it often such an afterthought? If you give a little extra attention to your beach bag choice before you leave, it will help make your beach time seem hassle free.
To help you get started, I have compiled a list of the top 6 essential and basic requirements for any beach bag:
The basic requirements of a summer beach bag
Once again, expectations can be high when you have reached your chosen holiday destination and why not? You have spent your hard earned cash on booking some quality downtime which you want to be filled with more fun than hassle and you want it to go extremely smoothly, so it’s important to do a little beach bag ‘thinking ahead’ before you leave.
Here are some key essential components for any holiday beach bag. Taking a minute to look at these now will save you from bad choices and forgotten items whilst you are away. To make sure your time in the sun is hassle free and all you dreamed of, let’s take a quick look at what it is that we expect from our hard working beach bag on our annual summer vacation?
6 Basic needs for your summer beach bag
1. Strong – able to hold everything
If I know myself well in any way, I would say that strength is always a key factor for my beach bag. I need to know that it is going to hold up on holiday and take any heavy stuff like my 10 litre bottle of sun screen.
2. Good handles – no time for breakages
Yes! That’s right I want to be too busy enjoying myself to think about whether my beach bag’s handles are going to last the holiday or not.
3. Compartments
There is absolutely no time for rummaging in my beach bag. I want to be able to find what I need really quick and get back to enjoying my beach time.
4. The right size
My beach bag has definitely got to be adaptable and it has to fit everything I need for the beach, like my beach towel that is big enough for 3 people, and I want room to spare.
5. Easy to keep clean
Beaches are messy and let’s face it there is sand everywhere, so being able to keep everything inside 100% sand free and clean is a non-negotiable for sure.
6. How does it look
Does it has a good summer vibe? The last thing any girl wants is shame on the beach. My beach bag had to be beach ready too. No shame in my beach game.
Size is definitely important
There is probably nothing worse when it comes to beach bags, than hauling around an overstuffed bag and sitting it right there in the sand, like a sack of potatoes. If it will not close then there is a good chance that some sand will find its way in, and there is rarely a safe clean space to empty your overstuffed beach bag if you need to go looking for something hiding at the bottom.
In my experience there is a good chance that everything is going to get covered in sand and you may even lose something important right there on the beach in the midst of repacking for the millionth time.
My advice is to take a good look at all the items you think you will need for the beach and pick a bag that will easily accommodate these from the start. Be honest with yourself about what you need and you will find it much easier to pick the right bag. I like to do a dry run at home and see if everything actually fits.
Style versus practicality
Picking a good bag can be difficult, but there are always two key factors and I always have a 50/50 split between these two:
- Yes I want my beach bag to look good but wait,
- I need it to be super practical too.
I know that some beach items (like towels for instance) can be big and cumbersome. One beach towel alone can fill any unsuspecting beach bag right to the top and who wants a tiny tea-towel sized beach towel to sit on all day? So, honestly it’s best to keep towels out of your beach bag altogether. They are usually wet or covered in sand anyway so it makes perfect sense to keep it separate. I have always found it easier and cleaner to throw my wet towel over my shoulder, but if you really want to put it in a bag then check out my handy tip below for sorting this right out:
Remember, whether you go for practicality or for style, or you want some of both, there is an ideal beach bag out there waiting for you.
Your essential items – know what they all are
Knowing and packing your essential items is going to ensure that your day on the beach runs like a dream. You do not want to be walking around in the hot sun looking for a shop to buy more sun cream and being faced with beach front prices because you have no other option. And you do not want to be getting burnt whilst you wander around trying to find some. To save on forgetting things I try to have a list of essential items that I need and would be a little bit stuck without them. Here are my top 5 essential items that I never go without:
Unique key items
When the sun is up you want to be out there making the most of it. Constantly unpacking and repacking your beach bag and searching for things, when all you want to do is enjoy the beach can be frustrating. So don’t forget your unique key items too. We all have different and personal needs that are unique to us. These are the things that you personally cannot do without during your time on the beach.
Here is my unique list:
- Beach dress or shirt – to cover up if it gets a bit too hot or for when I am walking about
- Hat – in case my head starts gets a bit too hot and to protect my scalp from the sun
- Waterproof phone case – in case I need to take it into the sea
Beach bag hacks
For those that like to be that extra bit organised, these are my extra beach bag hacks.
Plastic bag
First I use this to keep my clothes together and clean and dry, and then I switch it out at the end of the day and use it for any rubbish I might have or my wet costume.
Shoe bag
For my towel (wet or dry) so I never have to squeeze it into my beach bag or put a wet and sandy towel in with my dry clothes or other things. It means that I can choose a smaller beach bag too.
Tissues
Tissues can be an optional item, but I always remind myself that sometimes things get spilled or covered in stuff on the beach. So, a little handbag-sized pack is really good to have on standby. If you spill something in the sand it’s usually okay, but if you spill it on yourself, you are probably going to appreciate having a tissue in your bag. Let’s not forget the ice creams and soft drinks throughout the day. These are definitely sticky and messy in the sun. So, a small pack of tissues is going to save you from sun baked stickiness every time.
I regularly amend and upgrade my lists with new ideas and items, but these are my essentially and unique skeleton lists that I adapt to wherever I am going and whatever type of trip I am on. They have never failed me yet.
To save wasting time I also store them on my phone so I can do a quick check before I head out to the beach. Now I am free to relax in the sun because I know I have it all covered.
