Last year, the magazine Real Simple suggested adding a loop of colored twill tape to your towels to help guests know which towel is theirs.   I’ve never had that problem, but I thought the idea would work well in my kids’ bathroom.

I bought each child their own brightly-colored towel in the linens section of WalMart and found the twill tape in the craft area (next to the rick rack and zippers).  To attach the tape to the towel, I simply made a loop, folded the ends under, and then stitched it to the midpoint of the towel several times with my sewing machine.  The sturdy loops launder really well and are much easier for my kids to manage.  I didn’t have room to install four hooks in my kids’ bathroom, so I have them hang their towels right on the shower curtain hooks

The kids are only allowed to use their own color of towel – that way I can tell who is responsible for any wet towels I find on the ground.  In fact, I actually removed all the other towels from the linen closet so they don’t have the option to grab a new one if they neglected to take care of their own.  It’s a simple solution that makes a big difference at our house.  Just thought I’d pass it on.

I’m joining a few Linky Parties for this post…

Of course, the downside to all this aquatic activity is the piles of soggy suits I find all over the house. I can’t count the number of times I’ve found a sopping wet suit in the back corner of a closet or in a heap on the bathroom floor. Not to mention the time I’ve wasted hunting for misplaced suits when we’re trying to get out the door. I needed a simple solution that would protect my floors from the drips and teach my kids a little responsibility at the same time.

Thankfully, an easy solution was only a few dollars away.  First, I purchased some inexpensive but sturdy suction cup hooks from Wal-Mart ($2.50 for 2 hooks). Next, I placed the hooks on the shower wall in the kid’s bathroom; one hook for each child.  I wanted the hooks to be accessible for all of the kids, so I positioned them fairly low on the shower wall.

The results have been fabulous. Now, when we come home from a day of summer splashing, the kids know right where to hang their suits. Better yet, they also know just where to look when it’s time to suit up again. Friday’s my day to wash the linens (see Mom Game Plan post), so on that day I simply add the swimming suits to my towel load and throw them in the wash. When I’m restocking the linen closet later that day, I just toss the suits back onto their hooks.

I know it’s not a particularly creative solution, but it works…and it costs less than $5.  It’s tough to beat that. Just thought I’d pass it on.