The fun better outweigh the packing (beach rental house first timer)
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Anonymous
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I am a very comprehensive beach packer (some might say it's overpacking, I prefer to think of it as being thoughtful). The first couple (few?) years are really hard when you're figuring it out. Now I have a saved packing list that I can pull up and update/adjust year after year, which has made it easier (I use Evernote, but any number of tools will work for this).
It's also gotten easier as my kids have gotten older - we needed a lot more specific stuff for 2 year olds than we need for 5 year olds (feeding, diapers, pack & plays, boosters, etc. etc.). At a certain point they become more like extra bodies who need more standard supplies vs. these creatures with all of their own variations of "stuff." I find large plastic tubs to be good for packing kitchen/grocery stuff into. We also have a (soft, fabric) car top carrier). If you have other family staying with you, see if anyone wants to be in charge of a meal or can bring helpful supplies for the house (tissue boxes? laundry detergent?) or for the beach (chairs, towels, etc.). Make sure everyone knows what they need to bring for themselves (I now tell everyone they're on point for their own bedrooms and bathrooms, beach towels, etc.) Generally, I try to make sure that I can get through at least the first 1-2 days without going to the grocery store. It's already been a long day of travel, and in many beach towns, the weekend days are kind of crazy. By Monday, I'm eager to get to the store for a trip on my own 
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Anonymous
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Don’t forget to get takeout!
https://www.theonion.com/mom-spends-beach-vacation-assuming-all-household-duties-1819575406 |
Anonymous
| I ordered a box of Hello Fresh meals last year to take with us to the beach. It was great! Didn’t have to think about meal planning or buying a lot of extra stuff we didn’t need. Just had to round out breakfast, lunch and snacks. Filled in with carry out the other nights. |
Anonymous
+1. I love HF. You can have the meals shipped directly to your rental. |
Anonymous
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I would absolutely pay for the bedding rental, although my rentals always included towels and sheets anyway.
We rent beach chairs for the week at the location. Groceries are ordered and paid for in advance and simply picked up at the destination (Publix curbside for example) when we arrive. Easy. |
Anonymous
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You are overdoing it, no doubt.
I packed umbrella, floaties, lounge chairs... and then Airbnb had it all! All we really needed was beach towels! Heck, they had a beach cooler in the garage, bikes too! |
Anonymous
This is so true. - guy who spends vacations vacuuming sand, hand washing dishes twice a day (because of anything is broken, it’s always the dishwasher), constantly washing clothes, and cooking. |
Anonymous
This is our family too. We like a day at the beach but not a week. We did one Outer Banks trip and have never beached again. Live in MD and spent 1 afternoon at Ocean City when in the area no real plans to go back. |
Anonymous
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You will have a great time! Some things that are so much better than a hotel are:
making your own coffee and drinking it whenever you wake up (versus having to go find some at a restaurant or starbucks). going into another room when others are still sleeping or the reverse having your kids have their stuff so you don't have to entertain them every second being near the beach. |
Anonymous
Yup. OP you're just getting a glimpse of why many of aren't in love with beach house "vacations". For the moms/wives it can be not much of a vacation. I spent a couple of them waiting on my in-laws until I started just refusing to go. |
Anonymous
I never thought it was that much fun when the kids were young. Even when older it was mostly screen time for them. Going to the beach itself was a pain and they got bored easily. I think you need a big family with granny to watch them to really enjoy it. |
Anonymous
| Don't forget the baby powder! Helps get the sand off the kiddos before going back in the house. I now keep baby powder in my car to sprinkle on hands/feet/legs after going to playgrounds, too. |
Anonymous
| Why are you doing this to yourself? It really isn’t this difficult. |
Anonymous
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We get cabana service and it’s amazing. No schlepping chairs, tents or coolers/ice.
Never pack food, they have grocery stores And even instacart so you don’t have to go yourself. Kids get a few outfits each Max, just use the washing machine at the rental. Always rent houses that come with beds made! You don’t want to stagger in after a ten hour drive and have to make fifteen beds. |
Anonymous
Paper plates/cups/silverware. |