Pool Hacks to Make Your Life Easier!

Jul 2, 2020 | Baby and Kids, Organization

The weather is warm and it's time to stay cool in the water! These pool hacks will come in handy to make your time spent at home easier and more organized. We've also rounded up the best pool bag hacks, too!

These pool hacks from Fun Cheap or Free will NOT disappoint!

It's that time again. Summer is here and she's not going anywhere for awhile! One of the best ways to beat the heat, while also having a little summer fun, is to take to the water. Kiddie pools, swimming pools at home, the community pool and a friend's pool are all great ways to keep cool and beat the summer boredom that can set in when you don't have any plans.

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There's a reason the pool is such a great summer activity because it doesn't disappoint! We've rounded up the best pool hacks that will keep your poolside organized and have you focusing on the fun. The best part? They're cheap! You can pack up and head to Dollar Tree to get most of these. We've also got some amazing pool noodle hacks, so be sure to grab a few of those while you're at it. Ready to get started? Let's go!

POOL HACKS AT YOUR HOUSE

Easily build a PVC towel rack that you can reuse every year like this one from Hallmark Channel! Pool hacks from Fun Cheap or Free

Having a pool can be so fun, but it's difficult to keep all the pool toys, towels and things organized if you don't have the proper space. Luckily, it doesn't take a lot to get it all organized! These pool hacks are sure to make your life much easier while also adding in some “ah-ha!” moments.

  • Build a PVC pipe towel rack if you don't have enough space for those towels to dry.
  • Use a pallet to store pool noodles, cleaning equipment and other pool accessories in. Add hooks to the outside to hang towels on.
  • Swimming at night? Add glow sticks to the bottom of the pool to help light it up!
  • Put your phone in a plastic baggie to keep any water off it.
  • Use tall clothes hampers to store pool noodles and floaties.
  • Keep tennis balls in the skimmer basket to help absorb any surface oils left behind from sunscreen. This will keep your pool cleaner!
  • Wrap your skimmer baskets with pantyhose to create an extra-fine filter and catch more contaminants in the pool.
  • Tired of deflating pool floaties to take them somewhere else? Use a binder clip to keep the plastic hole open and the air will come out without your hand feeling like it's going to fall off from pinching it so hard!
  • Keep a cheap dish pan by your pool to use as a foot bath before anybody gets in the pool. It rinses dirt and grass off and keeps it out of the pool!
  • Cover your kiddie pool with an old fitted sheet to keep the gunk out! Tie a loose knot around the edges to keep it from blowing away.
  • No more trying to turn the kiddie pool over and bending it in half! Create a siphon out of an old water hose to easily empty above-ground pools.

Pro Tip: Water your plants, trees and shrubs with the water that's being siphoned out of the pool. This will keep you from flooding your yard around the pool and puts that water to good use!

POOL BAG HACKS

Always keep the essentials on hand so you're never without - Tips from Fun Cheap or Free

You know we love to keep all of the summer essentials in the car so we are prepared to have some fun at a moment's notice! These pool bag hacks are a great way to take it a step further and always have what you need when a trip to the pool or water park happens.

  • Keep a hairbrush and detangling oil in your bag so you can brush out the tangles before they dry into the rat's nests that are no fun to try to get out!
  • Pour bulk snacks into repurposed plastic containers (like an old creamer container). This will keep them from getting smooshed in their original packaging and it's easy to divvy them out to the kids.
  • Always keep a wet bag in your pool bag. It's the perfect place to put all those wet swimsuits if you plan on changing before leaving. This is a great way to reuse and repurpose any plastic bags from the grocery store.
  • Store anything you don't want to get wet in a gallon-sized zipper bag, such as diapers, phone, keys, a book, etc. These won't get dirty so they can be reused over and over again! Just inspect them for holes before you leave the house!
  • Keep a hand-held air pump in your pool bag to make blowing up any floaties a breeze.
  • You can also store your valuables in an old plastic container (like a cleaned out sunscreen bottle or snack jar) if you're worried about them walking away when you're in the pool.
  • Take a small cooler to keep all the drinks cold. The heat and water can really get you hot and thirsty, so always have plenty of fresh water to go around for everybody!
  • Always pack a balloon in your bag. If anybody gets clogged ears, just hold their nose while they try to blow the balloon up. Works like a charm!

Pro Tip: Be sure to use a waterproof bag! You won't have to worry any time some water splashes on it or a soaking wet kid is standing right next to it.

POOL NOODLE HACKS

Make a floating drink cooler like this one from Heart Hook Home - Pool hacks from Fun Cheap or Free

These cheap floaties are so handy and have a variety of ways you can use them besides just floating on them, like cutting them in half and sticking them in your boots in the closet to make them stand up. Here are some of our favorite pool noodle hacks to make your water time even better!

  • Make a floating drink cooler by taking a small tote and adding pool noodles to the outside. Just grab some waterproof rope, thread it through your cut pool noodles, and tie it around the lip of the tote.
  • Organize those pool toys! Attach a pool noodle to the outside of a small hamper. The toys can float around the pool where kids can still easily reach them while staying contained.
  • Make your own raft! Use waterproof rope and tie each pool noodle together. Much cheaper than the ones you have to blow up and you don't have to worry about it getting a hole in it!
  • Keep your drink close at all times! Grab a plastic mixing bowl, tie cut up pool noodles around the outside, add some ice and stand your drink in the middle of it.
  • Create your own solar rings and keep your pool warm! Take some hula hoops and wrap black plastic around them. Slice one side of a pool noodle and insert the hula hoop into the opening. As they float on top of your pool, they'll warm the water.
  • Make a tossing game! Duct tape two pool noodles together to make a circle. Let it float around while trying to toss balls into the circle!
  • Cut pool noodles in half, add gray and black duct tape, and you have fun lightsabers for the kids to duel with in the pool.

Pro Tip: Don't leave your pool noodles in the water when they're not being used. They'll break down quicker than if you take them out and store them somewhere they can dry off between uses.

FIND THE TIME TO SPEND IN THE WATER

Not sure how to “find the time” to spend more time in the outside without feeling like the house is falling to shambles? You need to check out Productivity Boot Camp! Our online video program helps you get your life organized and in order so you can have more time to do the things you want to do. (Swimming, anyone???)

Sounds so great, right?! Use the code FCFBLOG to get 10% off at checkout, just because!

There you go, some of our favorite pool hacks! What are yours? Share them with us in the comments!

Pool hacks to make life easier from Fun Cheap or Free

Looking for more summer fun?

  • Make these delicious summer treats to snack on while you're enjoying your time outside!
  • Keep your sanity this summer with our summer clipboards and keep the kids on track with chores, daily non-negotiables and learning.
  • A summer bucket list is the perfect way to make sure you have as much fun as possible this summer!
  • Don't forget about your sweetie! Have fun with these summer date ideas.

1 Comment

  1. Color Tunnel

    These tips and hacks are quite good. I have never known them before. Now, I can apply them to make my life easy. Appreciate. Have a nice day!

    Reply

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