Nothing gets the dog days of summer started like packing up the car and heading to the cottage for the weekend. While a few days surrounded by sun and sand can be relaxing, organizing kids, meals, sleeping bags and more can start the trip off with a major headache. Luckily, we’ve devised a list of some phenomenal life hacks to make your cottage trip easier than ever.
Chill Your Beer Faster
You’ve spent hours in a hot car, your kids were fighting, you missed your turn… but you’ve finally arrived! The first thing you’re going to need at the dock is a nice, cold beer. However, it’s all lukewarm from being in the car all morning. Not a problem! Take your beer out of the case, put it in a bucket completely covered in ice, and cover the ice with salt. That’s right, table salt. The salt will dissolve the ice into frigid water surrounding the beer and knock the cooling time down to just a few minutes. Just enough time to map out the perfect sunny spot and tune the radio!
Ward Off Mosquitos Naturally
It’s not uncommon for people to be sensitive to bug spray and even the classic Citronella candles. However, that doesn’t mean you have to spend the whole time bothered by bugs. Simply cut some lemons in half and put them in small cup or bowl with some cloves and place them around you. The natural fragrance won’t irrigate anyone’s allergies or sensitive sense of smell, but will keep the bugs at bay.
Get The Fire Started
Impatient kids craving marshmallows and fire wood that won’t catch a flame is not a fun combination. To avoid searching for some usable kindling you can keep some on hand for free. Simply stuff a ball of regular old dryer lint into a egg cartoon section, top with a little candle wax to hold it together and voila! Each time you need to start the campfire, just break off a piece and watch how quickly it ignites – Now, pass the s’mores!
Swap Out Regular Ice
A chilled glass of vino is so refreshing on a hot summer day, laying by the lake. The only problem is keeping your ice chilled without the ice melting into your pinot. Problem solved. Wash and freeze a bowl for green grapes! Once you’re ready to pour, plop a few grapes in and watch how fast they chill your wine. Not to mention, they are yummy to eat afterwards.
Keep The Sand At The Beach
It always seems that no matter how clean you think you are, you’ll always find sand somewhere. Whether it be in the car, your bed, you name it! The easiest way to get the sand off you from the beach to the bathtub is baby powder. Shake a little baby powder over your skin and the sand will unstick instantly – Especially on your feet!
Big Breakfast, Little Effort
With lots of mouths to feed each morning before heading out to the dock, making breakfast can be a real hassle on cottage weekends. Instead of cooking eggs in a pan, using a cupcake tin. Line each cup with half an english muffin, an egg, some cheese and some chopped bacon and pop it in the oven. Within no time you have half a dozen egg Mcmuffins hot and ready, giving you less mess and more time in the sun.
A weekend away can help you to reset your mind and body, relax from stress and create some amazing family members. Remembering these easy hacks can make the trip as easy as possible, leaving you with more time cannonballing into the lake and less time stressing. And don’t forget to leave your lawn with Eden while you’re away!
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