Spending the day at the beach can be a good time for every member of your family.  You experience the calming effects of the gentle waves, the warm breeze and the sand between your toes. Before packing up the tribe, there are essential items necessary to make the day fun-filled. 

Cover-Up Clothing 

Beach resort towns, such as those found along the Florida coastline, can have very unpredictable weather. Having a swimsuit cover-up on hand will allow you to seek shelter from too much sun or rain and remain comfortable. They also allow you to visit shops along the beach without having to change out of your suit. 

Large Oversized Umbrella 

Some beaches have umbrella rentals available for the day. However, if you live a convenient distance from the water and plan to make spending time at the beach a favorite pastime, having your own is a wise investment. Just be careful if you’re ordering your free-standing beach umbrella online as the size pictured can be deceiving. Instead, do your own research ahead of time as to what you need such as the diameter coverage, hand-crank or auto, wind and UV resistance, to name a few features.   

Sizeable Waterproof Cooler 

Popular beaches often have some type of concessions stand nearby where you can buy food and drinks. However, the cost is, in many cases, ridiculous. Luckily, you have two other options. You can find a beach that has separate grilling areas and picnic tables and bring your own food or you can plan ahead by making some sandwiches, packing some fruit and veggie energy bags and bringing lots of water to stay hydrated. Again, if you’re considering ordering your beach cooler online make sure that the dimensions are adequate. You should also invest in one with a pull handle and wheels for convenient travel through the sand and built-in cup holders to keep drinks on the up and up. 

Sunscreen 

A sunburn can instantly turn a fantastic day into an ugly one. Make sure that if you’re going to be at the beach for more than a couple of hours that you apply SPF 15 or greater for adults and SPF 30 to 50 for young children. Reapply it after swimming and every few hours. Sunburn is not only extremely painful but it also puts you at a higher risk of developing skin cancer as well.  

Plenty of Towels 

The sand and the wind can cause your supply of clean, fresh towels to dwindle quickly. If there’s something you should bring more of, it’s beach towels. There are so many beach towels from which to choose. For instance, if you’re hanging out under the umbrella with small children, double size beach towels work wonderfully as they won’t reveal gaps every time the wind blows. 

Comfortable Shoes 

Let’s face it, you came to the beach to relax, unwind and spend quality time with your family. Wearing the right footwear for the sand is essential to help you achieve personalized comfort. Waterproof clogs, crocks, open toe and back slip-on sandals and athletic closed sneakers are all good choices. 

Music 

You live in the day of technology and that’s a good thing when it comes to spending a day at the beach. You can use a tablet or an iPhone to play your favorite tunes without interruptions for several hours. Or, if you prefer the retro experience, purchase an AM/FM radio with an attached antenna and listen to the local music station. 

Toys/Activities 

Kids young and old alike will experience periods of boredom. Make sure to bring along several activities to keep them busy. For children ages 2 to 4 you can go with a plastic pail with a handle and sea shapes. For older kids, beach balls, a volleyball, and even a kite will prevent the onset of boredom. 

Spending the day at the beach can be a fun outing for all if you do a little planning ahead of time. Making sure you have some basic essentials can mean the difference between a successful outing and one that’s more stress than it’s worth.

For whatever reason, men aren’t held to the same high standard when it comes to what they wear as women. Women must put together a new look every day. Not everyone has an unlimited bank account that allows them to buy new clothing weekly. The good news is that you don’t have too. The pieces listed below are essentials that you, as a woman, can use to mix and match to create many different looks. 

The Plain Black Dress 

The simple black dress, preferably sleeveless, is a go-to for any season. You can refine it with a belt and long cardigan and heels for a day at the office. Or, remove the sweater, add a crop jacket, fishnets, a classic pendant necklace and open toe heels for a fun evening out with friends. The black is something every girl needs to feel sexy. 

Denim Jeans 

While your sweats may feel comfortable, they don’t do much to accentuate your curves. Even the most slender frame looks drab and uninviting wearing the classic sweats. Put those away, reserved for cleaning days only. On the other hand, if you want to get noticed, put on a pair of fitted denim jeans. Unbelievably, most are super comfortable while hugging every curve on your body. They are wonderful for parks and casual evenings out. pair them with a tee, sweater or button-down shirt to achieve different looks. 

Comfortable Shoes 

After a busy day at the office with many miles under your feet, you want to change into a soft comfortable shoe. Well, you can do one better. Shoes like comfortable flats come in a wide range of colors and styles making them a fantastic addition to your office attire. You can still wear your heels, but having a couple of pair of designer flats on hand gives you another option. 

Black Dress Slacks 

Just like the black dress is versatile, offering a variety of dressing options, so are the classic black dress slacks. They provide a sharp look for the office, ideal for business meetings at the office or after hours. They’re also a piece of clothing that you can dress up or dress down by changing out accessories. 

For instance, a day at the office may include an oversized chiffon scarf in assorted colors, a V-neck sweater, the classic white handbag and closed white heels. Now, remove the scarf, replace it with a simple gold necklace, change out the bag for a small sparkly clutch and a pair of black shiny heels and you’re ready to paint the town. 

Tee Shirts 

The classic tee is something that every woman should have many of in their closet from which to choose. They are easy to wear and suitable for all seasons. Heading to the park or a football game, the tee shirt is perfect. A casual evening out with family and friends or an intense workout, once again the classic tee makes an entrance. It pairs well with denim jeans and casual skirts, capris, trousers, shorts, and leggings. 

Hair Accessories 

In most cases when you think hair accessories you may envision a formal affair such as a wedding. And, while dainty and elegant headpieces are all the rage for these types of ceremonies, hair accessories offer much more. You can use them for the office to complement your bun and achieve the perfect look. Get silly with friends at the lake or beach with butterfly clips and headbands or use a headscarf to add drama and mystique to your ensemble.

Thankfully, with a little imagination, you can use staples in your closet to achieve several different looks that allow you to transition from day to night flawlessly.

If you love to travel, then you’ve probably been to quite a few places. However, the one thing you’ve always wanted to try was a cruise, and for some reason you just haven’t yet. The time has finally come, and you’ve booked your cruise for this upcoming summer. You have your tickets, you’re packing, then suddenly you realize you have no idea what you should take with you. 

That’s where most first-time cruisers fall short. They get on the ship, pull out of port, and realize they forgot something super important that it’s going to be difficult to do without. In this list, you can find some of the things that you don’t want to forget to pack for your first cruise. 

Enough Clothing 

Although you can, and probably will have to send out to have your laundry done while on the cruise, it can be quite expensive. If you pack enough underwear, pants, shorts, shirts, and other clothing, it’s possible to cut down on that expense. Besides, no one wants to get out to sea only to find they didn’t bring along enough underwear and socks, now do they? 

Your Travel Documents 

You’ll want to have your travel documents available at all times when you’re on a cruise as well. It’s a good idea to have copies of your passport and ID made as well, just in case you lose them. Leave those copies with a relative at home for safekeeping. 

Extra Bags

There are a few bags that you’ll want to make sure you pack, and pack extra of before you head out on your first cruise. A few bags you need are listed below. 

• A day bag
• Zip-loc bags for snacks, especially if you’re cruising with kids
• A bag for dirty laundry
• A plastic bag for wet bathing suits

It never hurts to have extra bags on board, as you never know when one will rip or get soiled beyond repair. 

Adapters/Power Strips

With the exception of ships that were built after 2014, cruise ship cabins are infamous for not having enough outlets to cover all the electronics and devices people bring on cruises with them. The obvious fix is to bring a power strip with you, however, you need to talk to the captain or cabin steward first, as ships are wary of overloading their circuits, and with good reason. Keep your power strip small and only use it if you have too. Remember, not all adapters may be the same either, so you should carry one with you, just in case. 

A Bathing Suit, or Two

It’s good to bring an extra bathing suit for you and each member of your party. The reason is that it’ll take a while for your luggage to be checked and brought to your stateroom. Instead of missing out on all the fun waiting on your luggage to arrive, you can pull bathing suits out of your carry on and go have fun. 

Toiletries

Now, onto the toiletries you’re going to want to take with you on your cruise. The ones you need the most are listed below. 

• Sunscreen
• Small first-aid kit
• Any medications
• Aloe vera
• Bug spray or cream

While you can probably get many of these items on the cruise, it’s more expensive and you run the risk of the cruise ship being out of the brand you prefer or things you might need. Obviously, you’ll want to bring your toothbrush, deodorant, and other necessities, but those you aren’t as apt to forget as the others on the list. 

These are just a few of the items that you don’t want to forget in the excitement of packing for your first cruise. Remember, make a list, and check it twice for the best results and a cruise you won’t soon forget.