Day 2 of our decluttering challenge has us thinking about the beach. This is not entirely out of line because it was 80 degrees here in LA on Christmas. Still, the chilly downpours of the last few days inspired a desire to take inventory of our beach gear for the balmier days ahead.
Going Vertical with the Beach Towels
We had a fair number of beach towels that we rarely used. In some cases, nostalgia prompted us to keep them. In other cases, we forgot that they were stuffed into the back of the linen closet. Today was the day to go through everything and decide what to keep for the beach or the boat.
Once I had pulled out the extras, I still had a handful of towels. Our linen closet doesn’t have a lot of shelf space, and I didn’t want to store them in our clothing closets, where shelf space is also at a premium. I decided to go vertical!
After my most recent clothing clean-out, I found myself with a couple of extra pants hangers designed to hold multiple pairs of jeans, skirts, etc. I was quickly able to loop the towels we were keeping on it. Then, I popped the hanger up on the clothing bar in the front hall closet. We can easily grab them on the way out the door, but they aren’t taking up any valuable real estate. Win!
Do You Still Love Your Swimsuits?
We recently did a cull on our bathing suit stash, so this took zero time for us today. But if you do have a drawer full of old suits, now is the time to review them; that way, they are ready to go when you are. Make sure they aren’t sporting any holes that can’t be easily repaired. Do they fit? Do you still love them, or have you always just settled for them? These are all things to consider as you go through your swimsuits.
Investigate the Sunblock
I need sunblock here in LA all year, so we keep on top of that supply. However, if you have a bin filled with old sunscreen, it’s time to pitch it. Take inventory of what you need and grab that next time there is a sale at your favorite supplier. You don’t want to be heading out the door and realize that you won’t be covered.
Check the Gear Box
Do you have gear like swim fins, swim masks, etc.? Are they in good condition still? If you have kids, are the beach toys still in good repair? If not, it’s time to toss the broken gear rather than store it for another season. If there is a way to repair your equipment, do that now. This is an excellent time of year to make the repairs – you’ll often find supplies at an off-season discount. But really do that now, rather than just storing it in the closet where you will never get around to it.
My Decluttering Challenge Inspiration
My inspiration came not just from necessity. I’ve long seen design magazines featuring extra plush blankets placed over the rungs of upcycled ladders in bedrooms and living rooms. In fact, I’m a little tempted to try that in our bedroom so that we can easily store or grab the additional throw blankets we use during the winter. But before buying a ladder or trying to repurpose an old one of ours, I spotted the extra hanger. I love using what we already have rather than buying new.
That’s it! That’s Day 2 of our 30-day decluttering challenge. Our towels are sorted, culled, and hung up. And we have much-needed room in our linen closet and bins.
How about you? Do you have a lot of beach/boat gear that needs to be sorted and organized? The 30-day decluttering challenge is a great time to do it!
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