Brilliant sunshine, sweltering traffic, tumultuous thunderstorms, Wimbledon and sunburn … the ‘average’ British summer is never boring! But it is unpredictable, and with so many of us heading off to festivals, hitting the beach, queueing at ports and airports or just chilling in the garden, we thought it was a great opportunity to give you our top tips on how to be a super summer tote owner.
Tote management for picnics and beach parties
A tote bag is the natural accessory for al fresco events like picnics and sunbathing trips but how often do you end up rummaging around in the bottom for your sunscreen or shades and end up frustrated by the higgledy-piggledy nature of your bag?
Now, let’s be clear, we’re not talking about packing for your holiday - although if that’s your problem, there’s a great guide here. We’re dedicating this week’s blog to the perfect tote bag contents for a day out in the British summer.
What to pack in your summer bag
To be cool when all about you are hot under the collar, you should carry:
- A cologne stick - ideal for freshening up in an instant
- A small electric fan or even a folding fan (very elegant!)
- Sunscreen
- Handbag sized first aid kit
- Towel - ideally one of those compressed capsule towels that take up no more space than a pot of lip balm
- Oh yes, lip balm - with sunscreen of course!
- Water bottle
- Sun hat, or bandana, or lightweight scarf
- Sunglasses
- Mobile phone
- Pen and small notepad for shopping lists, playing hangman etc.
- Your travel purse - which should contain small change, folding money, your plastic driving licence and a single debit card … not your regular purse which has everything else in too. If you lose your travel purse it’s not a huge deal. Also it takes up much less room than your usual purse.
- Healthy snacks - it’s great to have an ice cream or fruit smoothie but a healthy snack in your bag will stop you eating too much junk food on your day in the sun
- Wet wipes and tissues
- Headphones or earbuds
- Beach shoes - whether you’re a flip-flop wearer or insist on something more elegant, shoes you can wear while you paddle in the ocean (or a fountain!) are essential
- Lightweight waterproof jacket.
Summer outing with children - tote bag tips
If you have children you might want to add:
- A fold up cabana or pop up umbrella to protect them from the sun
- A blow up beachball and a couple of other small toys in a mesh bag - that way you can put the toys in the bag and shake them free of sand or grass or water before stashing them away again.
Finally, our top tip is to ensure you pack one perfect little treat - a fresh peach or single chocolate, a tiny tube of luxurious hand cream, a miniature book of poetry, a favourite podcast on your phone … then whatever happens you can have a moment of pure delight during your day.
By Kay Sexton
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