The Pool Float My Husband Made Fun of Me for Packing (and 5 Other Things That Make Poolside Actually Relaxing)
- Aug 16
- 10 min read
When we were packing for Cuba, my husband watched me roll up a pool float, raised an eyebrow, and informed me I "wasn't going to want that."
Reader, I wanted that.
I wanted it every single day.
Because here's the thing nobody really tells you about taking a family vacation: you can be standing in literal paradise, looking at turquoise water with a drink in your hand, and somehow still be mentally clocked in.
Where are the kids? Did they reapply sunscreen? Whose goggles are these? Does anyone need a snack? Why is someone else's child holding our shovel?
And somehow I've become the person carrying three pairs of shoes even though I arrived at the beach wearing only my own.
I love travelling with my kids. I genuinely do. Some of my favourite memories have come from those trips. But travelling with your children and actually putting your own brain into vacation mode are not necessarily the same thing.
Which is exactly why that supposedly unnecessary pool float hammock earned itself a permanent spot on my packing list.
I'd get into the ocean, climb onto my little float, and just… stop. No destination. No task. No reason to swim anywhere. My husband would bob around beside me—usually not on his float, despite the fact that I had very generously packed one for him too—and I would happily let him tow me around like a tiny human tugboat.
And for a few minutes, my shoulders would actually drop.
That was the part I hadn't expected.
The float wasn't really about needing help floating. I can float. It was about giving myself something that made relaxing almost unavoidable.
I could just lie there. That's it. Apparently I needed equipment to accomplish this.
And because they fold down ridiculously small, they don't take up much suitcase space. When the trip is over, we don't bring them home either. We've left them behind in Cuba and the Dominican for another family to use.
I got my joy out of them. Someone else might as well get theirs too.
Apparently My Vacation Packing List Needed a Grown-Up Section
Most of my packing brain naturally goes toward everybody else.
What do the kids need on the plane? What do they need for the water? Do we have enough sunscreen? Snacks? Clothes? Chargers? Swim stuff?
Meanwhile, I'm apparently expected to arrive with a bathing suit and good intentions.
So over the last few trips, I've started paying more attention to the little things that make my day easier too.
Not luxury-for-the-sake-of-luxury things. Just the small, practical things that remove an annoyance, make me more comfortable, or allow me to stay horizontal for slightly longer.
If you're packing for a trip with your partner too, I put together a Couples Trip Packing List so you can actually check things off instead of trying to keep your entire vacation inside your head.
The Wedding Rings That Basically Became Our Regular Wedding Rings
The women's silicone rings and men's silicone rings originally came into our lives specifically because of travel.
I didn't want to bring my engagement ring into the ocean. I didn't want to leave it sitting in a hotel safe. I didn't want to spend my vacation wondering if I'd taken it off somewhere. And my engagement ring sticks out enough that when I'm wrangling kids, swimming, putting on sunscreen and generally using my hands like a mother of three uses her hands, it's just one more thing to think about.
So we bought silicone ones. Which was supposed to be the vacation solution.
Except now we wear them pretty much year-round. Our actual wedding rings have basically become our fancy jewellery.
Going somewhere nice? Fancy rings. Regular Tuesday? Silicone. Vacation? Absolutely silicone.
There's something very freeing about getting into the ocean and not immediately thinking, Dear God, where is my ring?
One less tiny piece of mental clutter. I'll take it.
The Fan I Thought Was Going to Be Another Gimmick
I run hot. This is not a new turning-40 development. I've always run hot.
I love going down south. I love the ocean. I love sitting beside the pool. I do not love feeling like my entire body has become one temperature above socially acceptable.
We brought little battery-operated fans to Cuba once and they were… technically fans. Air moved. That is about the highest praise I can offer.
The 3-in-1 rechargeable handheld fan I use now is completely different. It's compact enough to throw into my bag, folds up, can sit on a table instead of needing to be held, and it also has a flashlight and emergency power-bank function.
Have I bought it primarily because I wanted a flashlight on vacation? No.
Have I been delighted that the tiny fan in my purse apparently has several careers? Absolutely.
It's especially good for those moments when you've showered, done your hair, gotten dressed for dinner…and five minutes later the tropical humidity is attempting to undo all your work.
The Giant Cold-Drink Situation
Then there is my tumbler.
I am very committed to beverages. At home, on the road, at the beach—I want something cold within arm's reach.
At the resort, we use our 40 oz insulated Owala tumblers for the drinks we get from the beach or pool bar, because otherwise you're approximately seven minutes away from holding a warm piña colada in tropical heat.
No thank you.
A good insulated tumbler buys me time. I can get a drink, take it back to the beach, forget about it because someone needs something, rediscover it later, and it is still cold.
That is exactly the level of support I require from an inanimate object.
The product sheet has separate links for this exact 40 oz tumbler:
And here's one of my slightly ridiculous packing tricks: I stuff things inside the tumblers when they're in the suitcase. Bathing suits. Underwear. Socks. Whatever fits!
If I'm giving up suitcase space to a giant hollow cup, that cup is getting a job on the flight down.
Waste no cubic inch.
Sunglasses I Don't Have to Treat Like a Family Heirloom
Vacation is also not when I want to be emotionally attached to expensive sunglasses.
They're going into beach bags. They're getting covered in sunscreen. They're being tossed beside towels. Someone is inevitably going to sit suspiciously close to them.
So my husband and I use these polarized sunglasses. They're technically marketed as men's sunglasses, but they're unisex, we both wear them, and I don't have to spend the day treating them like they're made from antique crystal.
They look good. They're comfortable. They cut the glare. Done.
That's another recurring theme in my travel packing: I don't necessarily want the fanciest option. I want the thing that works well enough that I can stop thinking about it.
And Then There's the "Sorry, Skin" Spray
I learned the sunscreen lesson the hard way in Cuba.
We underestimated how much we'd need, went looking for more…and discovered plenty of after-sun products but essentially no sunscreen where we were shopping.
That particular adventure permanently changed how I pack for sunny vacations.
I now bring what probably looks like an unreasonable amount of sunscreen. It is not unreasonable. I have data.
And after an entire day of sun, salt water, chlorine and sunscreen, I also love using Sun Bum Cool Down Aloe Vera Spray once we're back in the room.
It's basically my evening sorry, skin ritual. Shower. Aloe spray. Rehydrate. Attempt to convince my body that spending eight hours beside the Caribbean Sea was actually an act of wellness.
None of These Things Are Technically Necessary
And I think that's actually the point.
Could I go on vacation without a float? Obviously.
Could I drink out of the resort cup? Yes.
Could I wear my normal rings, buy expensive sunglasses and fan myself dramatically with the dinner menu? Also yes.
But I've started looking at packing differently. There are the things we need. And then there are the things that quietly remove friction.
The things that make it easier to sit down. Cool off. Stop worrying about something. Stay in the water a little longer. Actually enjoy the drink before it melts. Let your shoulders come down from wherever they've been living for the last six months.
Those things count too. Especially when you're usually the person making sure everybody else has what they need.
So consider this your permission slip to pack the "unnecessary" thing that's really just for you.
For me, apparently, it's a ridiculous little float that my husband was extremely confident I wouldn't use.
I'm sure he'd like the record to show that he was wrong.
If you're getting ready for your own getaway, you can download my Couples Trip Packing List here so the useful things—and the completely unnecessary-but-actually-essential things—make it into the suitcase too.
And yes. Put the float on the list.
Below is the full packing list, broken down by category so you can work through it section by section, or just skim for whatever you're missing. Wherever I've got a product I actually use and recommend, the item is clickable and will take you straight to my pick on Amazon — I'm still adding links as I go, so not everything is linked yet.
A note on how this one's laid out: a few categories are split into his and hers simply because the products differ — silicone rings, rash guards, sun hats, that kind of thing. Take whatever applies to the two of you and ignore the rest. This isn't a his-column-hers-column situation, it's just easier than listing everything twice.
One thing I want to say up front: you do not need to pack every single item on this list. Nobody does. Think of this as a helpful starting point, not a mandate. Pull from it based on the kind of trip you're actually taking. If you're headed somewhere all-inclusive where you'll live in swimsuits, skip half the going-out clothes. If there's no nice dinner on the itinerary, skip the date night outfit. If you're road-tripping instead of flying, the whole airport section is irrelevant to you. This is here to make the "what do we even need" spiral easier, not to give you one more thing you have to fully check off.
And if you'd rather have this whole thing as a printable to check off by hand, grab your free copy below before you dive in.
Want this whole list in one place?
Grab the free printable version — one page, ready to check off by hand, perfect for taping inside your suitcase lid or sticking on the fridge while you pack.
Footwear
♡ Sandals/Flip-Flops ♡ Sneakers/Walking Shoes ♡ Water Shoes
Clothing
♡ Swimsuits ♡ Cover-Ups ♡ Underwear
♡ Socks ♡ Bras/Undershirts ♡ Sleepwear
♡ T-Shirts ♡ Casual Shirts ♡ Shorts
♡ Pants/Jeans ♡ Dresses/Skirts ♡ Belt
♡ Workout Clothes ♡ Tank Tops ♡ Rompers
♡ Shawl/Pashmina ♡ 2-3 Date Night Outfits
♡ Sweater (Extra 15% off) ♡ Comfy Travel Outfit (EXTRA 15% off)
♡ Silicone Ring (Women's) ♡ Statement Jewelry/Accessories
Toiletries & Personal Care
♡ Toothbrush ♡Toothpaste ♡ Floss
♡ Body Wash/Soap ♡ Shampoo ♡ Conditioner
♡ Deodorant ♡ Face Wash/Cleanser ♡ Moisturizer
♡ Razor ♡ Shaving Cream ♡ Hair Brush
♡ Hair Accessories ♡ Straightener ♡ Hair Curler
♡ Make-Up ♡ Make-Up Remover ♡ Period Care
♡ Lip Balm-SPF ♡ Contact Lenses ♡ ToiletryBag
♡ Perfume ♡ Cologne ♡ Q-Tips
♡ Hairdryer (check with your hotel if they have one in room)
Health, Safety & First Aid
♡ Sunscreen ♡ After-Sun/Aloe ♡ Eye Drops
♡ Vitamins(Save 15%) ♡ Earplugs for Plane ♡ Weekly Pill Organizer
♡ Personal/Prescription Medications
♡ Talk to Pharmacist: Dukoral/Twinrix
Hydration, Snacks & Wellness
Beach & Swim Gear
♡ Sunglasses ♡ Rash Guard Womens ♡ Rash Guard Mens
♡ Swim Goggles ♡ Fedora ♡ Beach Bag ♡ Pool Floats
Tech, Charging & Entertainment
♡ Tablet/Charger ♡ Universal Power Adapter ♡ Multi Charger
♡ Download movies/shows for travel days
Sleep, Comfort, Packing & Laundry
♡ Neck Pillow ♡ Eye Mask ♡ Packing Cubes
Documents, Money & Pre-Trip Prep
♡ Passports ♡ Passport Case ♡ Driver's License
♡ Boarding Passes ♡ Health/Insurance Cards ♡ Itinerary
♡ Hotel Reservations ♡ Rental Car Confirmation
♡ Dinner Reservations/Excursions ♡ Emergency Contacts List
♡ Cash/Credit/Debit Cards ♡ Travel Insurance Documents
♡ Currency Exchanged Before You Go ♡ Luggage Locks
♡ Small bills for tipping
♡ Toll/Parking Cash ♡ Pet/Plant/House Sitter Info
♡ Copies of Important Documents ♡ Mail Hold/Stop Delivery
♡ Smart Bulbs for Home ♡ House Light Automation Schedule
♡ Notify Bank/Credit Cards of International Travel (if applicable)
♡ Copies of Important Documents left with trusted person
♡ Customs App paperwork (if applicable)
♡ Country Specific Arrival/Departure Paperwork (if applicable)
♡ Final Home Check - Doors Locked
Made it through the whole list?
Grab the printable version so you're not scrolling back through this post every time you pack. One page, free, ready to check off by hand.
That's the whole list. Again — take what's useful, leave the rest. Half of packing for two people is just not duplicating things: one toiletry bag, one first aid kit, one set of chargers you both pull from. Divide it up before you start, not while you're standing over an open suitcase the night before.
And if you forget something, there's a store. Nobody's trip has ever been ruined by a missing pair of socks.
Before you go...
Don't forget your free printable copy of this checklist — perfect for taping inside your suitcase lid so you've always got it on hand.
If there's one thing you'll learn about me, it's that I love finding things that make life feel a little easier. Whether that's a travel essential, a parenting hack, a cozy self-care find, or something that simply makes me think, "Why didn't I know about this sooner?"
I'm grateful you're here and I hope you found something helpful. Wishing you comfort, calm, and a little less overwhelm wherever life takes you.
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