They’re big, they’re bright, and they can hold a whole sea of stuff. Try these tips to make packing your beach bag a breeze.

1. Save Space With A Smaller Towel

No, we’re not saying bring a hand towel to the beach! Swap a bulky beach towel for a lt Turkish towel, also known as a peshtemal or hammam towel. It’s less bulky than a traditional, plush beach towel and dries much, much quicker since they’re made of flatly woven cotton and linen. Plus, it can double as a stylish beach cover-up .

2. Pack & Protect Your Hat

Keep hats from crumpling by stuffing them your towel before you place them inside. Or, attach a carabiner on one of the bag straps and loop the hat’s tag or band through to hang it outside of your bag. You can also use the carabiner for storing your keys, instead of letting them float around your big tote.

3. Ziploc Your Electronics

Keep your electronics and other sand-sensitive necessities shielded by storing them in Ziploc baggies. Don’t worry about being able to ‘gram while you’re wading in the water. You’ll still be able to access your phone even while it’s safely sealed inside. Do your handbag a favor and bring a large Ziploc as well! You can store your wet swimsuit once you’re done and avoid soaking your essentials.

4. Pack A Mini Bag For Essentials

Slip a cute clutch filled with essentials like cash, lip balm and extra SPF into your beach bag. This will make everything easily accessible, and keep you from hauling your entire bag when you hit the ladies room, grab a snack or go seashell collecting.

What do you always bring to the beach? Tell us in the comments below!