By: Mitch Jaugstetter

There’s nothing like having sand between your toes, the breeze in your hair and a view of the ocean. However, you can make some preparations to ensure your beach time will be a relaxing time as well.

You’ve got to find a way to keep the kids under control, yourself cool and sand off your important things, right? We put together a list of eight must-do beach hacks so that you can have a restful, rejuvenating and worry-free time by the shore.

1. Make ziploc sandbags to keep your towel in place

Fill sandwich-size ziplocs with sand and place them on the four corners of your beach towel. This will help keep your towel in place and from blowing away.

2. Place your phone in a ziploc bag

If you have an expensive smartphone that you don’t want to get damaged by the water or the sand, a ziploc bag is the perfect solution if you don’t have a waterproof case and are in need a temporary fix. Your touchscreen will still work, but your phone will remain water and sand free.

3. Use non-sharp kitchen utensils for temporary sand toys

If you have kids, this is a great hack if you forgot the toys at home and don’t want to buy more.

4. Freeze water bottles to keep snacks cool

This is a great alternative to ice packs. You’ll be able to keep your snacks fresh and your water will be cold for hours too.

5. Use baby powder or a body brush to help get sand off your skin after a day at the beach

Baby powder is easy to find and gets sand off your skin faster than anything else. A body brush like this one from 30A Gear is also a great option for getting sand off your skin, as well as your chair, cooler or any other items.

6. Use cupcake liners to keep the sand out of your drinks

Place cupcake liners over the top of your open drinks. This will help keep both bugs and sand away.

7. Use your cooler as an anchor for your beach umbrella

Attach one end of a bungee cord to your cooler and the other end to the stretcher bars on the umbrella. This will help keep your umbrella steady during any unexpected gusts of wind.

8. Use a water bottle infuser to make no-mess cocktails

If you like to mix some alcohol with your beach time, use a water bottle infuser like this one from 30A Gear and fill it with vodka instead. Put your favorite type of fresh or frozen fruit in the basket (we love mangos!), bring along some refreshing sparkling water or soda water and you can mix no-mess, no-fuss cocktails right in the sand.

Mitch Jaugstetter is a Summer Intern at The 30A Company.