Love swimming but hate the hassle of getting everything ready for a trip to the local swimming pool? Putting together a swim bag can take the irritation, time and stress out of the activity and make it more enjoyable, easier and headache free.
Start Position – First Steps in Creating a Swim Bag
The first thing to do is to select a sports bag. While that old cloth bag or re-used plastic shopping bag is easy to find and doesn’t cost anything, a normal sports bag will be easier to locate when rushing out the door, withstand the pool lockers longer and keep all the items together much better than the other options will. A good, stylish but inexpensive sports/swimming bag can usually be found online or in a sports shop.
Swim Bag Components
A good swim bag will contain the following items:
- Deodorant
- Baby Powder for extra help getting dry and to prevent a swim cap from sticking together
- Shampoo/Conditioner if showering at the swimming pool
- Soap/Shower Gel if showering at the swimming pool
- Hair Brush/Comb
- Towel
- Flip-flops or similar footwear for around the pool and/or showering areas
- Wet Bag, which can be a plastic bag or a fabric bag with a waterproof internal lining, as long as it keeps the rest of the items dry from the wet swimming costume
- A small change wallet with membership card, locker money and some reserve money for emergencies.
Other items that may be included in a swim bag:
- Make-up
- Perfume/Cologne
- Facial Wipes
- Bottle of Water
- Goggles/Swim Cap.
If affordable, it is recommended to get a set of the above items that are exclusively for the swim bag. That way there is no need to pack and unpack the bag before and after each swimming session, saving time and stress. To maintain extra motivation for regular swimming sessions, getting some special items for the swim bag that will be enjoyable to use, such as a great smelling shampoo or a super soft and fluffy towel, can help. It may also be handy to get a second wet bag to store toiletries in, for easy transport between the lockers and the shower area.
Chlorine – The Enemy of Swimming Costumes
It is inevitable; swimming costumes over time will fade and lose shape. Rinsing a swimming costume in cold water as soon as possible after swimming can help it to last longer. Once home, it is best to wash the swimming costume and other items as quickly as possible, following the instructions on the label, in order to remove any remaining chlorine. It is also recommended that swimmers get into the habit of washing things as soon as they walk in the door if possible. As tempting as it is to sit down for a short rest, getting it done and out of the way will help to preserve the swimming items and keep the swim bag intact.
Swimming is a sport that many individuals enjoy, although the task of preparing for a trip to the pool is not always as enjoyable. By creating a well-stocked swim bag, containing all the essential items for a session at the pool, getting ready can be transformed from a time consuming hassle into a quick and easy task.
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