swim organization

With Memorial weekend behind us, we've officially kicked off Summer. Are you ready for it? My next few blog post will focus on organizing around key summer activities so you can spend less time looking for things and more time enjoying Summer fun. Today, we'll focus on swim organization.

I've worked with many parents who tell me they struggle to get the kids ready for swim lessons or a day at the pool, which leaves her stressed out and overwhelmed. When I ask questions to learn how the swimming essentials currently live in the home, I usually learn they are scattered in bedrooms and storage closets across the home. Swimsuits are usually in the bedrooms, towels in the linen closet and toys in the basement or the garage. No wonder mom and dad are stressed out when getting the kids ready for the pool!

My general rule of thumb is to put all swimming essentials (suits, towels, beach bag) in one place. For larger swim toys, I recommend they are near the swimming essentials in the house, or together in the garage. Below shows swimming essentials for my family. We've been using this system for years and it works.

Having all of the swim essentials in one place is a huge help to stay organizing and enjoy fun in the summer, but the second item that needs to be organized to keep you on track is the swim bag. Let's break it down.

• First, a multi-purpose swim bag is an amazing investment. Find one you love. The one pictured here is great because it has a cooler at the bottom of it, so you can pack fresh fruit, beverages or other items you need to keep cool. With a mesh main compartment, you get air flow as well as the ability to see the items quickly. There is also a non mesh part to store phone or wallet.

• Second, it's helpful to have a summer toiletries bag filled up with most used items like sunscreen, shampoo and conditioner. Having it stocked up and inside the beach bag makes trips to the pool or the lake a breeze. Below is a picture of our essentials bag for inspiration. I get larger size toiletry holders for the summer bag so I don't need to refill that often, if at all.

• Finally, it's helpful to have some additional bags to hold goggles, toys and other small items so they don't get lost in the bag. There is no need to get extra fancy here. I love the clear plastic zipper bags from the container store because they are strong and clear, but there are many options available for you to find your favorite ones.

If you want to purchase any of the organizing products featured, click on the product pictures below to link:

Neat Little Nest, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. All opinions are of Neat Little Nest and not the affiliate.