Fall, winter, and spring, I’m either planning a playdate, looking around for a family-friendly adventure, or taking my kid to sports. When summer rolls around, though, I don’t even have to think about what we’re doing on a random weekend afternoon, because the answer is automatic: the pool.

We’re lucky enough to live in a town with a large public pool, plus my gym has one, too. So we stay pretty chlorinated for as long as possible. (If we’re feeling fancy and adventurous, we might even go as far as the beach… in which case all the same packing strategies apply, plus a cooler bag for seltzers.) I’d like to think I’ve perfected the art of packing a pool bag over the last few years. So here’s what stays packed in mine, all summer long. Take it as inspiration, or use it as a checklist as you load your bag for your first summer weekend.

Mesh Beach Bag

Let’s start with the bag itself. No disrespect to the viral Bogg Bags, which are very cute and highly functional, but personally, I’m a mesh pool bag girl. That’s because our pool has a huge sandy playground era and otherwise, there’d be grit at the bottom of my bag forever. (Not to mention the Goldfish crumbs.) I’ve had one of these Amazon bags for several years, and it’s still going strong.

Prescription Sunglasses

Let me put my fellow glasses-wearers onto a prescription sunglasses recommendation: EyeBuyDirect. We’re never gonna be able to live the cheap Goodr life without contact lenses, but you can get a highly functional pair of prescription sunglasses online at this site for a reasonable price. And the investment is worth it. They come in a variety of styles; I’m currently sporting the “Sun Nostalgia” frames. The list price is for non-prescription lenses, and your final price will vary based on lots of factors — I need the thinner, fancier lenses, for instance. But I was pretty happy with what I paid, and what I got for the money.

Turkish-Style Towels

These super lightweight towels have really, really streamlined my bag. Plus they dry really fast, which means that I don’t have as many damp towels hung up all over my house. And also, they don’t hold metric tons of sand, unlike traditional beach towels.

Sunscreen

Don’t ruin your perfectly nice summer routine with a bad burn. My husband calls my preferred pool-bag product “le price de fansay,” but it got us through several days at the beach in Florida in July without any sunburns in the family, which is the best endorsement I can think of.

A Sun-Protective Shirt

In fact, why stop at sunscreen? It washes off and if you’re fair-skinned like me, it never seems to completely block the sun’s rays. And so I always bring some sort of rash guard or sun-protective shirt in case I start to look a little pink. I like this long-sleeved Columbia shirt, which is available around the internet in both straight and plus sizes in a wide variety of colors and patterns, several of which are on sale if you poke around for a bit. It’s designed for fishing, so it’s pretty much engineered to get you through long days of massive UV exposure.

A Baseball Cap

It’s almost like they designed these hats specifically to keep the glaring sun out of your eyes so you could actually see what was happening around you!

Bling2O Goggles

Are these absolutely silly and unnecessary? Yes. Does my kid absolutely love hers, which are decorated with rainbow sprinkles? Also yes. They come in a wide (and wild) variety, including purple with eyelashes and heart-shaped with rhinestones and flamingos.

Insulated Water Bottle

In previous years I’ve hauled around a battered old Nalgene water bottle. Granted, it keeps me hydrated (and prevents me from buying bottles of water), but by midday it’s about the same temperature as the human body. So I’m switching to something insulated this year — but not a Stanley, because I need something that can go in the bottom of the bag. Maybe this is the year I get a Hydroflask.

Bulk Snacks

Sure, there’s a snack stand at the pool, but I’d like to walk away from this day with SOME money left. And so the summer starts with a bulk snack purchase, either from Costco or Amazon. Last year it was Goldfish; this year I’m thinking Pretzel Crisps. We’ll probably still end up eating dozens and dozens of chicken fingers instead, but at least I’ll try.

Crossbody Bag

Speaking of spending all your money at the pool, I like to carry a separate small bag just for my phone, car keys, and cash. Otherwise, I’m inevitably digging for my money at the very, very bottom of my bag. Or, even worse, digging for my keys at the end of a long day at the very, very bottom of my bag. And yes, the viral Uniqlo bag really is that great.

Specifically Water-Friendly Shoes

Don’t ruin your Birkenstocks by dripping down into that cork. In previous summers, I’ve been relying on a pair of chunky Croc slides, but this year my mom has put me onto Archies flip flops, so we’re taking those for a spin.

Something To Read 200 Words At A Time

Will I finish this book this summer? Sure — once I take it out of the pool bag. My kid is now a confident and capable swimmer, and yet despite my best intentions I still never seem to actually read at the pool, even when she’s on the playground and dozens of feet away from the pool. But I need SOMETHING in there, or it just doesn’t feel complete.