Basic philosophy in any situation and especially travel is – REDUCE STRESS. For me, one way I do that is to take dollar store items with me when I travel so if they get broken, lost or messed up I just don’t get mad. So, I always try to look for treasures when I’m at the dollar store. (You can probably order some of these items online if you do not have a local dollar store.)
Our family recently took a beach trip. With a little one, a flight and a week at the beach, there were a few items I knew were “must haves” and some extra that just made the week easier. Either way, these are my 24 suggestions for dollar store treasures to take on your next family beach trip. (I supposed the same list would work for a couples beach trip, I’ll let you decide if your husband needs the disposable placemats!)
Beach Trip Dollar Store Must Haves
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- Dirty clothes hamper – one for each room. This is the easiest way to keep everything where it’s supposed to be. And, if you are planning to do laundry during your trip, then it’s easy to find the hamper no matter if people are around or not when you need the clothes.
- Big clips – hold beach towels on chairs for when the wind blows, because one day at the beach is always stormy. Also, this keeps your towel on the chair and not in the sand. There is nothing worse, at the beach than running into the water to cool off and coming back to a sandy, gritty towel to lay on. We saw this on our couples trip to the beach and now, I’ve never traveled without them. Throw them away and walk away. Plus if you leave them, you aren’t upset. Go ahead and get 2 sets per person.
- Wet bag – especially with kids or if you plan to walk to lunch or shopping, you will probably want to ditch the wet clothes that will rub and make you grumpy, while you switch into something dry. But, you will have wet clothes you need to do something with. Yes, a grocery store sack could work, but a wet back and be zipped closed and nothing else gets wet.
- Beach bag – even if you have to have more than one already at home – the “recycle” type bags that are decorative and mad of the plastic material is great to put flat in your luggage and pull out to just hold beach items.
- Beach toys – starting around graduation and Mother’s Day, everything switches to summer and all the water toys and summer fun toys show up. Water guns, beach balls, floaties, goggles, dive toys. They are all there.
- multiplug or extension cord – maybe it’s just with littles but it always seems like there are so many things to plug in. Sound machines, humidifiers, diffusers, cell phone chargers, etc, etc, etc. Having an extra cord in your bag makes it easy to keep everything plugged in. We had to sacrifice the cable and TV in our bedroom on this last trip so we could have the sound machine and diffuser. Those are essentials for sleep so they were worth the sacrifice!
- Baby powder – you and your kids will get tired of sand in all your crevices. Non-talc or perfume based body powder is the best. Gold Bond may work for other powder needs, but here you need a simple, cornstarch-based product that you can dust on legs and wipe off with the sand. It’s a weird science thing that makes it work…just know it works.
- Trendy sunglasses – look your best in fun shades. Get something you wouldn’t normally buy or that your kids would be impressed by. You gotta be selfie-ready! Plus who wants to take their fancy shades to the beach when a kid is going to hit them or you toss them in your bag and someone throws a beach toy in there or better yet steps on your bag. You won’t pull money out of their college fund to replace dollar store glasses.
- Road trip or airplane snacks and candy – this is a good time that dollar store candy and treats come in small packages. You can get multiple things for each kids bag or backpack, or stuff and hide in your own suitcase for later in the week. Get more than you think you will need and non-melting stuff so you know it’s still there when you are spending your day at the beach. Or you may have to fill up a wet back in the cooler with candy.
- Small toys – these are great for traveling with littles. Balls, cars, dinosaurs, coloring pads, sticky notes, dolls, and even plush dog toys all make easy things to grab and stuff in your carry on or take and bring out something new each day so it keeps their attention and entertained throughout the trip – just remember you may plan to bring it all home. Or leave it behind since…its from the dollar store!
- Glow bracelets and necklaces – these are so fun to pull out for a family walk on the beach. After you come back from dinner, pass them out for everyone and have a break party before you go out for a walk on the beach with all your “bling” on. Your kids will love it. Who knows maybe you could introduce them to some awesome 80s music and have a family dance party.
- Smaller sized laundry detergent, cleaners, dishwasher liquid, cleaning wipes, etc. If you are driving to your destination, you may want to take these things with you instead of having to purchase them when you get there. Often the dollar stores will offer a smaller size of your favorite products and its perfect for traveling for a week or two at a time.
- Disposable placemats – these are the same ones you use and take to restaurants back home, but stock up and take an extra set with you for vacation spots. Many are a little grimier and hole-in-the-wall type places. So, you will want the table a little extra protected and if your kid is like mine if he can do the independent feeding thing everyone enjoys dinner a little more.
- Chip clips – you will need these for all the things. Yes, chips, but there are random things you will need to hold together and that may be towels and swimsuits drying on a porch or pinning up your hair or holding any number of random things. They can just be helpful.
- Headbands and hair accessories – whatever you take will get lost and broken. Just be prepared.
- Umbrella – while it’s not a big one sometimes having your own shade is nice. And, if you are traveling with kids, its often hard to get them to stay in the shade, so you can take the shade to them.
- Bathtime fun – the last few times I’ve been to my local dollar store, I’ve seen bath bombs, bath toys, and bathtub finger paint for kids. What a fun way to make evenings extra fun.
- Sidewalk chalk – it can be a fun “non-beach” entertainment. Have it in a ziploc bag to store later.
- Flip flops – many stores will have little pairs and shoes for adults.
- Beach hat – ball caps or wide-rimmed straw hats are a must. Keep yourself protected from the sun every way you can
- Ice packs – you will need a lot of these to keep drinks cool and food or snacks you take down to the beach with you. You will want a cooler with you at the beach. It gets hot in the sun.
- Cups to take to the beach – a cooler is always helpful for the beach, but having cups in the cooler so you don’t keep making more trash is always helpful too. A pitcher of kool-aid and ice and cups could be a great way to keep everyone cool and not have a bunch of water bottles or cans laying around.
- Character cups for the house – kids! They will find anything to fight over so if everyone has an assigned character, then they know where their cup is and you know who has left their dishes laying around. This applies to mom and dad too!
- Wash rags or extra hand towels – whether its for the bathroom, kitchen, or porch it seems like you always need extra towels or rags and who wants to do laundry every day just for those? Take a few extra from the dollar store and leave them behind.
Another way I’ve seen some families keep themselves organized and reduce stress on trips is to assign everyone a color. So, if you see something laying around you know who it belongs to or if a color is missing, you know who to look for. I think it’s a great tip to take the stress out of traveling for parents and so much of the fighting over who’s is who’s. If they know their color, they know which one is theirs. And, as a parent, you don’t have to get the silent treatment when you ask who the wet towel belongs to.
My #1 secret for families to not be annoyed on a family beach vacation
Don’t skimp on:
- Sunscreen – cream and spray to take to the beach with you to reapply
- Bug spray
- Quality towels
- Soap – the beach is one of those places where you are always dirty. Sand seems to multiply and get in all your crevices. You will want a shower each day to wash yourself head to toe and smell fresh and clean.
- lotion – I usually keep a “vacation lotion” that I like to use at the beach and then when I get home and smell it over the rest of the summer, the scent takes me back to the beach.
- First Aid items – Advil, Tylenol (baby and grown-up), bandaids, anti-itch cream, antibiotic ointment, even peroxide could all be good things to have with you (or on your grocery order when you get to town).
