It had been quite some time since I last took a moment to relax by the sea. Until recently, the image of myself lounging on the shore felt like a distant memory, and with a stretch of public holidays over the past few months, I was hesitant about heading to the coast for the weekend. Yet the heat and pull of the deep blue Mediterranean waters urged me to make the move.

Of course, the day needed some planning. For one thing, I didn’t want a crowded and bustling beach. I wanted a quiet, secluded spot—no organised facilities, no blaring music and no water sports disrupting the calm. I wanted to carry my essentials to the shoreline gracefully, with a manageable beach bag, and within minutes set up camp for the day.

Finding the right place wasn’t difficult; I knew the island’s west coast offered exactly what I was looking for. The more secluded the better. What was trickier was ensuring I’d be comfortable and have everything I needed to enjoy the day to the fullest. Ideally I’d take all my outdoor furniture which I had meticulously rearranged in my garden with the help of IKEA last spring. But back to basics. What I needed was an umbrella for example, cool water, my book, sunblock. In other words — the essentials. I’d achieved this before. Half the fun is always the preparation for a ‘wild’ day out at sea. Besides which, summer had fully arrived, and going over what I had at home to accommodate my beach whims seemed timely. Things like tableware, outdoor lighting and food containers came to mind, and then the real staples like beach towels, umbrellas and the like. Fortunately, I knew I had the key items for the occasion, seeing as I had picked up new must-haves on my last visit to IKEA.

And so, I began compiling the checklist for my departure. This is when it struck me that nearly every item in IKEA’s STRANDÖN line practically lived inside my cupboard. I pulled out my yellow and white polka-dotted parasol, the perfect blend of summer charm and sun protection. Next, I grabbed my smartly-designed sun lounger, which I loved not only for its adjustable backrest and support, but also for how compactly it folded up. Its blue and white colours and modern pattern perfectly aligned with the year’s most vibrant season. Not to mention, it went really well with the blue hues of my GULYXNE beach towel. I was almost ready… Now, all I needed was to get there. And sort out the treats that would accompany me.

Watermelon has always been a staple for my beach days. And even though, as a child, my mother would keep it cool by burying it in the wet sand, I decided to go with some sturdy food containers, so I could add extra nibbles of my choosing. I sliced up chunks of fresh, juicy watermelon, storing them in one of my stackable IKEA food containers. Healthy nuts went into another container, as well as sandwiches and fruits in yet another. Luckily, thanks to the range of sizes of IKEA’s containers, anything I wanted to pack or store found its perfect fit. Gone were the days of chopping things down or dividing up portions to get my snacks and treats packed up perfectly. Filled with biscuits, IKEA’s tin that comes with a lid, made its way into my cool box, too. My penknife and a couple of colourful plates from IKEA’s children tableware section, along with cooled drinks and icepacks, were also added. Was I missing anything? Of course – bats and balls in case a friend joined me, and a mask and snorkel — mustn’t forget those, I thought. Paired with my imperishable travel mug (filled with a cool beverage for the journey), I was ready to hit the road.

Halfway there, it occurred to me I could also have brought along some outdoor lighting– a chain of solar-powered fairy lights, for instance, like the SOLVINDEN lights stocked at IKEA. Then I remembered that, with summer here, the daylight hours were long, and, more than likely, I’d be ready to go home by the time the sun was setting and then I would enjoy them there. Nothing else was required. Just the company of the deep blue sea.