those of you that frequent the pool

[luvmyfam444]

tell me how you get all your stuff together....we've just moved to a place where we've started using their pool & so far it's taken FOREVER to get everything together (soap, shampoo, etc) & the kiddos ready - for those of you that are "old Pros" what are your tips to make it go smoothly?

 

[mickeyboat]

When we were doing swimming lessons, I just kept a bag in the closet packed with swimming stuff. I just got the suits and towels and away we went.

Denae

 

[dizagain]

During the summer, I keep a big tote bag packed with the essentials. No one is allowed to remove anything from it. We keep the beach towels in a basket in the laundry room. This way we're always ready to go!

 

[r3ngels]

When we were doing swimming lessons, I just kept a bag in the closet packed with swimming stuff. I just got the suits and towels and away we went.

Denae

This is what we do... anything we may need is in the bag just grab the towels, suits and the girls.

 

[froglady]

Same here. During the summer, I have my beach bag packed with sunscreen, shampoo, etc. I found that hotel size items work best, just put them in a gallon zip-loc bag. After I wash the towels, I put them right back in the bag.

 

[Cindy's Mom]

Same here. During the summer, I have my beach bag packed with sunscreen, shampoo, etc. I found that hotel size items work best, just put them in a gallon zip-loc bag. After I wash the towels, I put them right back in the bag.

Same here. NO ONE is allowed to remove ANYTHING from the pool bag when its in the closet - I don't care if you can't find a brush anywhere else in the house, go buy one, because the pool bag is not to be disturbed, its the prima donna of bags

 

[diznygirl]

Yup - pool bag in the truck at all times. It comes into the house after the pool, we wash the bathing suits, put them back in and then the bag gets put back into the truck. Pool towels are kept in a cabinet in the garage along with additional pool toys.

 

[golfgal]

We just take sunscreen and towels. We don't shower there, we do that at home, so no need for shampoo, etc.

 

[daisyduck123]

DD11 & DS7 are both on year-round competitive swim teams....so although I work full-time (teacher) I do have a part-time job - sitting at the pool 6 days a week.

Each child has his/her own swim bag with goggles, cap, etc.

Each swim bag is kept on a bench right by the kitchen where we keep the school backpacks.

Each night when we return from swimming, the swim bags go right back on the bench. We just remove the wet towels & swimsuits & replace with dry ones.

It took us a little while to finally get our system down just right.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Well--our pool is in our backyard. But when we do swim lessons or go to the beach--those essentials take minutes.

We have a beach bag in the garage--perhaps something similar already pre-packed with googles, sunscreen and stuff like that.

Pre-load it with towels so you can grab and go. Replenish with fresh towels when you get back.

 

[lemondog]

I agree with the others. We spend a lot of time at the pool in the summer and with 3 small kids, I have to be organized. We have 2 big tote bags that stay packed with things like sunscreen, toys, towels, etc. When it's time to go we put on our swimsuits, our coverups and flip flops, grab our tote bags and go. I also keep our floats in the garage so I can just grab them and put them in the back of the minivan as we leave. I do usually sunscreen the kids before we leave the house to give it time to soak in. We also don't shower/bathe there. We just dry off as best we can, I brush the girls' hair and we go home and shower there. Much easier that way!

 

[powellrj]

we always wear our suits under whatever we are wearing and just make sure to have clean undies in our bag. In the summer when DD goes swimming with childcare I even make sure she has her suit on under her clothes. (I have her wear her 2 piece on those days so she can use the rest room). We will dry off and then shower when we get home because I just don't like pool shower rooms and try to avoid them as much as I can.

 

[JELBoggio]

This may be more geared for the beach, but we don't go to the beach or pool without our "Wonder Wheeler" - it rolls with ease on the sand and it holds all our essentials. Like most posters, I keep a zippered LL Bean bag full of essentials to throw in the Wonder Wheeler, and a mesh bag for all the sand toys (no sand at the bottom of the bag - leave the sand at the beach) and baby powder takes sand off your body so I don't leave home without it!

 

[Pixiedust34]

We go to the pool nearly every day in the summer.

I have a large tote bag stocked with towels and sunscreen. As soon as we get home from the pool, the dirty towels go in the laundry and the new towels are packed so they are ready to go the next day.

Right before we leave for the pool, I do pack a small bag with drinks & snacks, and I'll throw in a book for myself sometimes.

The pool is not far from our house. We wear our swimsuits with t-shirts in the car. It's easier if we don't have to change there. If the kids' suits are slightly wet on the way home, they sit on a towel. We usually have them get out of the pool about 15 min. before we leave, and they dry off in the sun pretty quickly.