A tub of frozen water balloons keeps party drinks cold longer than a bag of ice, and it is just one of these 25 cool DIY hacks for summer. Summer hacks are quick, low cost tricks and projects that make hot days easier, built from things like pool noodles, mason jars and zip-top bags. Some cool you down, like a peppermint cooling spray and an aloe gel for sunburn. Some keep the backyard buzzing, with giant bubbles, a squishy water blob and soap boats racing down a rain gutter. Others fix the little annoyances, such as bugs in your lemonade or a cooler that melts by noon. There is even a DIY JOY video tutorial for braiding ribbon onto plain flip flops. Pick one for this weekend, and find more warm weather ideas on the summer project hub.
1. Summer Sponge Lei
A summer sponge lei is a wearable way to stay cool at a parade, a ball game or a Fourth of July picnic. Three colorful kitchen sponges make two necklaces. Cut the sponges into a mix of shapes, poke a hole through each one with a knitting needle or skewer, then thread them onto yarn and tie it off. To wear one, dunk it in water, wring it out and drape it around the neck. Keep a few in the car with the sunscreen, because the hottest afternoons always seem to show up unannounced.
Get the full tutorial at One Crazy House.
2. DIY Flip Flops for Summer Crafts
A DIY flip flops makeover braids ribbon around a plain pair of sandals for a custom look in one afternoon. Each shoe uses about 5.2 feet (160 cm) each of two ribbon colors, here pink and gold for a size 10 sandal. Fold both ribbons in half, slide them in at the toe post and lock the loops together, then weave them over each other along the strap, pulling tight at every pass. Tie two knots at the end, trim and tuck the tails into the braid, then repeat on the other side. Butterfly charms or faux flowers finish them off.
Get the full tutorial at DIY JOY.
3. Homemade After Sun Burn Relief
Homemade after sun burn relief gel takes under five minutes and three ingredients. Spoon 3 tablespoons of pure aloe vera gel into a small 2 to 3 ounce hermetic jar, add 15 drops of lavender essential oil and 15 drops of peppermint essential oil, then stir with the back of a spoon until it turns slightly cloudy. Lavender soothes, and peppermint brings an instant cooling feel. Look for aloe labeled 100 percent and cold pressed for the best results. Sealed and stored away from sunlight, a jar lasts about a year.
Get the full tutorial at Busy Creating Memories.
4. Create A Summer Go Bag
A summer go bag means no more running through the house hunting for sunscreen before every outing. A small lined bikini bag, about $3, holds the basics and tucks into a purse or pool bag. Fill it with spray sunscreen, a stick sunscreen for faces and ears, an extra pair of sunglasses, bandages and antibiotic ointment, hand wipes, a little lavender oil for bee stings and a small dish of aloe for bug bites. A plastic crayon box from the office supply aisle keeps the small items together so nothing sinks to the bottom.
Get the full tutorial at Love and Marriage.
5. Pool Noodle Trampoline Safety Hack
This pool noodle trampoline safety hack covers bare springs on older trampolines that never came with a pad. A standard size trampoline takes about 10 pool noodles, and thicker ones work even better; at the dollar store that runs around $20. Measure one spring, cut a noodle to that length with a utility knife and use it as the template for the rest. Slit each piece lengthwise and wrap it over a spring, which makes replacements easy. Sun fades the foam over time, so store the pieces indoors through winter.
Get the full tutorial at And Next Comes L.
6. DIY Balloon Cooler
A DIY balloon cooler keeps drinks icy cold and juice boxes from turning soggy. Fill a batch of balloons with water, leaving room because water expands as it freezes, knot them and freeze them solid. Self-sealing water balloons speed up the job. Right before the party, pile the frozen balloons into a cooler or a galvanized tub and tuck the drinks around them. The meltwater stays inside each balloon, and since they are much bigger than ice cubes they last far longer. Match the balloon colors to the party theme for a fun pop of color.
Get the full tutorial at One Crazy House.
7. DIY Outdoor Drink Holder
A DIY outdoor drink holder starts as an empty soup can and ends up staked in the grass beside a lawn chair. Wash the can, then use its label as a pattern to cut a fabric strip with an inch or two extra for overlap. Drill a 1/4 inch hole in the bottom, Mod Podge the fabric around the outside and cover the sharp top rim with a thinner folded strip. Seal everything with two coats of outdoor Mod Podge. A threaded rod, washers and bolts attach the stake, with Gorilla Glue under the outside washer. An optional pour of resin smooths the inside.
Get the full tutorial at Positively Splendid.
8. Natural Bug Repellent Luminaries
Natural bug repellent luminaries look like a pretty table decoration and help keep flies and wasps away from dinner on the deck. Place a slice or two of lemon and lime in the bottom of an 8 ounce mason jar, add a sprig of fresh rosemary and fill it with water. Add 10 drops each of essential oils such as rosemary, thyme, eucalyptus or lavender, top with another citrus slice and float a tea light candle on top. Light them before guests arrive, and store them somewhere cool between uses to keep them fresh.
Get the full tutorial at Flavour and Savour.
9. Keep Bugs Out Of Your Drink
Keeping bugs out of your drink takes nothing more than a paper cupcake liner and a straw. Flip the liner upside down over the top of the glass, poke a small hole in the center and slide the straw through it. The fluted edges grip the rim and keep flies and gnats from diving into lemonade or iced tea on the patio. Pick liners that match the party colors, or use foil liners for a little shine. Keep a stack in the picnic basket, since they weigh nothing, cost pennies and look cute in photos.
Get the full tutorial at Mom 4 Real.
10. Pool Noodle Luminaries
Pool noodle luminaries float in the pool and glow after dark, and they take minutes to make. Cut pool noodles into 1 1/2 to 2 inch slices, then stretch the center hole a little and push a battery operated LED tea light into each one. The foam springs back and holds the candle snug. The noodle keeps the LED well above the water, but dollar store tea lights are easy to replace if one gets wet. Toss them into a wading pool for a night swim, or float a few in a shallow bowl as a table centerpiece.
Get the full tutorial at Create Craft Love.
11. Make A Bored Jar
A bored jar is the answer to the summer chorus of nothing to do. Any jar or container works, such as a clip top kitchen jar dressed up with a paper label and tag. Fill it with folded slips of summer activities. The source offers a free printable list with more than 150 ideas, plus links to other free lists of science activities, bucket list ideas and low cost family outings. Printing the list on brightly colored card stock makes the slips sturdy and easy to read. Whoever says they are bored pulls a slip and goes.
Get the full tutorial at Mum in the Madhouse.
12. Parchment Paper Mini Cones For Summer Berries
Parchment paper mini cones turn a carton of berries into a grab and go picnic treat. Cut parchment into squares, roll each one into a cone and tape or fold the seam so it holds. Fill the cones with blueberries, raspberries and strawberries, then stand them upright in a small tin set in a bed of ice so the fruit stays cold on the table. Parchment holds up to juicy berries better than plain paper. The idea comes from a big list of summer picnic tips that also covers cupcake liner drink covers and frozen water bottles.
Get the full tutorial at Domino.
13. Homemade Bubbles
Homemade bubbles cost far less than store bought refills, which matters when half the bottle ends up spilled on the patio. Stir together 3 cups of water, 6 tablespoons of corn syrup and 3/4 cup of dishwashing liquid in a medium bowl. Any brand of dish soap works. Pour some into a flat dish deep enough to cover the end of a bubble wand, and store the rest in a mason jar for later. A wide dish lets little ones dip their own wands without knocking over a bottle.
Get the full tutorial at Saving Cent by Cent.
14. Freeze Your Water Bottles
Freezing your water bottles before a beach day is one of those hacks that does two jobs at once. Toss the bottles in the freezer the night before and pack them in the cooler instead of ice. They keep food and drinks cold through the morning, and as they thaw there is cold water to drink and more room in the cooler. The same beach hack list suggests stashing chocolate at the top of the cooler in a zip bag and swapping juice boxes for drink pouches, which hold up much better in melted ice water.
Get the full tutorial at Passion For Savings.
15. Frozen Capri Sun
A frozen Capri Sun works as a slushy and an ice pack in one. Freeze the drink pouches overnight, then pack them in the cooler on the way to the park or the beach. They help keep the rest of the picnic cold while they slowly thaw. By dessert time the pouch is just soft enough. Squish it a little to break up the ice, snip off the top and eat the slush with a spoon. It is an easy treat that needs no blender, no cups and no cleanup, and kids think it is the best part of the day.
Get the full tutorial at girl. Inspired.
16. DIY Summer Bag Beach Towel Blanket
This DIY summer bag unrolls into a beach towel blanket with a built-in pillow. It takes two towels and a pillow. Cut one towel to the width of the pillow with a little allowance, wrap the second towel around the pillow and sew the side seam, then join it to the bottom of the cushion. Strips of fabric folded and pressed into binding finish the edges. Roll everything up to mark where the pockets and handles go, then sew handles (these are 78 cm long and 15 cm wide) from the trimmings, plus pockets, buttons and loops.
Get the full tutorial at DIY Enthusiasts.
17. Ice Cream In A Bag
Ice cream in a bag is a summer science lesson that ends with dessert. Combine 1 cup of heavy cream, 1 to 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract in a small zip-top bag and seal it with as little air as possible. Fill a larger bag halfway with ice and a generous amount of rock salt, tuck the small bag inside and seal it. Shake and toss for 5 to 10 minutes until it thickens. Salt lowers the freezing point of the ice, which is the whole secret. Wrap the bag in a towel to protect cold hands.
Get the full tutorial at Growing A Jeweled Rose.
18. Homemade Peppermint Cooling Spray
Homemade peppermint cooling spray works like air conditioning in a bottle on a sticky summer day. Pour 2 tablespoons of distilled water and 2 tablespoons of witch hazel into a small 2 ounce spray bottle, then add 4 drops each of peppermint and lavender essential oils. Put on the spray top and shake well before every use. The menthol in peppermint gives that cool tingle, witch hazel feels cooling on skin and lavender adds a calm scent. It fits in a pool bag, a purse or a car cup holder.
Get the full tutorial at One Essential Community.
19. Remove Chlorine From Your Hair
Removing chlorine from your hair can be as simple as a packet of lemonade Kool-Aid. Chlorine can change hair color over a season of pool days. Pour a little of the lemonade drink mix into your palm, add shampoo and lather it through your hair. Let it sit for about 15 minutes, then rinse and wash like normal. It is an inexpensive fix to keep in the pool bag, and the packets are small enough to tuck in right next to the sunscreen and goggles for the next swim.
Get the full tutorial at Budget Savvy Diva.
20. Make Giant Bubbles
Giant bubbles need a stronger solution than the bottle from the toy aisle. Slowly mix 6 cups of water, 1/2 cup of dish soap, 1/2 cup of cornstarch, 1 tablespoon of baking powder and 1 tablespoon of glycerin in a large dishpan, trying not to whip in air. Let it rest for one to three hours and stir now and then, since the cornstarch settles. Glycerin is sold in the cake decorating aisle of craft stores. A simple wand made from straws and string makes huge bubbles, and humid days work best. Very hard water can stop it working.
Get the full tutorial at Little Reading Room.
21. Pool Noodle Goal Post
A pool noodle goal post turns a backyard or park into a field goal kicking contest. Cut PVC pipe into one 3 foot length for the base, two 18 inch pieces for the crossbar and two 24 inch pieces for the uprights. Glue them together with a tee joint and elbow joints, letting the glue dry between steps. Slide three or four pool noodles over the pipe, checking first that the hole fits the PVC, and slit pieces to cover the joints. Pound a dowel into the ground and slip the post over it. It stays soft if anyone runs into it.
Get the full tutorial at The Joys of Boys.
22. Make Your Own Water Blob
A homemade water blob is like a giant water bed for the backyard, and it takes about 45 minutes. Cut 10 by 25 foot plastic sheeting to size, fold it in half and seal the three open sides with duct tape, overlapping the corners. Leave a small gap at one corner for the hose. Set it on a very flat spot first, since a full blob is too heavy to move and can roll on a slope. Fill it, dry the corner and tape it shut. Patch any tears with more tape, and drain it to reuse.
Get the full tutorial at Fabulessly Frugal.
23. Race Soap Boats
Soap boat races are one of the cheapest backyard games around, coming in under $10. Pick up a rain gutter from the lumber section of a home improvement store and a few bars of soap from the dollar store. For each boat, cut a small fabric triangle, glue it to a toothpick for a sail and push it into a bar of soap. Older kids can carve the soap into a sleeker hull. Lay the gutter on the lawn, set a garden hose at one end and let the water carry the boats to the finish.
Get the full tutorial at The Inspiration Board.
24. DIY Shower Curtain Wet Bag
A DIY shower curtain wet bag holds soggy swimsuits and keeps the rest of the pool bag dry. A vinyl or PVC shower curtain from the clearance shelf is the ideal material. Cut an 11 by 30 inch piece, fold it in half inside out so four inches are left over for the flap, and sew up the sides. Trim the flap into a softer shape, then pin and stitch a hem around it. Sew the scratchy side of a Velcro strip two inches below the inside lip and the soft side to the flap. One curtain makes several bags.
Get the full tutorial at The Spohrs Are Multiplying.
25. DIY Insulated Cooler Cover
A DIY insulated cooler cover helps ice last much longer on hot camping trips and cookouts. It is made from foil bubble insulation wrap and foil backed tape, and it takes about 20 to 30 minutes. Lay the wrap around the cooler and plan how to cover the sides and the lid. Cover the sides first, make a separate top, then tape the sections together with the foil tape. Coolers vary in size, so measure as you go instead of following set dimensions. It will not win a beauty contest, but one roll of wrap makes several covers.
Get the full tutorial at Let's Camp S'more.
