There are two kinds of Florida summer people.
- The ones posting glamorous pool photos on Instagram (like the one above)
- And the rest of us.
I’m firmly in that second category.
You’d think having a pool in your backyard would mean I’d spend every afternoon floating around with a good book and an icy drink. The reality? This summer has been so unbelievably hot that I’ve spent more time just staring at my pool through the window than actually getting in it.
From inside the air conditioning.
If you live in Florida, you know exactly what I mean. By the time July rolls around, walking outside can feel like opening the oven door. The sun isn’t just warm. It’s relentless. And while I love being by the water, sitting in a regular patio chair on a scorching concrete pool deck isn’t exactly relaxing. It’s more like volunteering to become tomorrow’s grilled entrée.
My backyard was starting to look less like an oasis and more like what Jed Clampett would have proudly called a “cement pond.”
Something had to change.
One Day I Realized I Didn’t Need a New Pool. I Needed a Better Way to Enjoy It.
Ironically, I don’t always want to swim.
Sometimes I just want to sit by the water, answer a few emails, sip my coffee, read a chapter of a book, or simply cool off after whatever it is I do all day (at the computer usually) by dangling my feet in the pool.
The problem?
Concrete pool decks and swimsuits have never been friends.
If you’ve ever tried sitting on rough concrete in a bathing suit, you know exactly what I mean. It’s uncomfortable, it snags your bathing suit (if you could only see the pills on my behind when I stand up), and after a while you’re shifting around trying to find one spot that doesn’t feel like sandpaper.
Then I Saw These Pool Seats on the Step2 Site
I was actually on the site looking for a birthday gift for my grandson Jack, who turns 3 next month. But, as always, when I shop online, I end up going down a virtual rabbit hole of “what else do they have that I don’t know about?” Then I saw them: The Step2 Flip Seats. I had to have them. I had no idea that something so simple could make it so I could sit at the edge of my pool without all of the reasons I had for NOT going out and enjoying it.
They’re one of those products that make you wonder why someone didn’t think of them years ago. Oh, and they come in six colors to match your outdoor and pool decor.
Instead of dragging a chair over to the edge, the Flip Seat sits right over the coping, giving me a comfortable place to sit while my feet dangle and stay cool in the water. Suddenly I could enjoy the pool without committing to actually swimming.
When I’m finished, they fold flat in seconds (FYI, no assembly needed; they come all put together), which is perfect because I’m not exactly overflowing with storage space.
The surprise bonus?
They also come to the beach with me. I realized they’re just as perfect sitting at the water’s edge while the waves roll over your feet. No more balancing awkwardly on a towel or trying to stand every few minutes because your legs have fallen asleep. They’re lightweight enough to toss in the car, and I have a feeling they’ll become regular beach companions.
The Pool Robot That Basically Saved My Summer
Of course, none of that matters if your pool looks like a science experiment.
I’ll admit it. Pool maintenance has always been my least favorite household chore.
Actually… I take that back.
It’s not my least favorite. It’s the one I avoid until I can’t avoid it anymore. Yes, I have a pool service. But they come once a week to clean and add chemicals, and when you have 3 Live Oak trees in your yard, your pool begins to look like you raked them up from the grass and just tossed them in the water on a daily basis.
Thankfully, that’s no longer a problem because my Beatbot Sora 70 has completely changed the way I take care of the pool. I’ve written about it before because it’s genuinely one of those things that continues to impress me months later.
Every morning I simply drop it into the pool.
That’s it.
While I’m inside answering emails or making breakfast, it’s quietly cleaning everything. And when I say everything, I mean the bottom, the walls, the waterline, the steps, and even skimming debris from the surface.
Watching it work is strangely satisfying.
As it cruises around the pool, water shoots from the top like a whale’s blowhole while it’s pulling in leaves, bugs, pollen, and whatever else decided my pool looked inviting that day (I swear my pool is like a goat that will eat or collect anything and everything). Clean, filtered water flows back into the pool, leaving everything sparkling behind it.
It’s become one of those little moments that makes me smile every time I see it. Honestly, without it I’d probably have the nicest swamp in the neighborhood.
- Learn more and order from Beatbot
Organized… Finally
Now let’s talk about something else I’m not particularly gifted at.
Organization.
I’m creative. Creative people tend to have systems that don’t always make sense to everyone else. Let’s just call it “organized chaos.”
Inside the house, I can usually find what I’m looking for.
Outside? That’s another story.
- Pool noodles.
- Inflatable rings.
- Beach toys.
- Towels.
- Chairs.
Everything somehow ends up exactly where someone could trip over it. Oh and I put it together myself in about 5 minutes (just a few screws and the bars pop into place).
It wasn’t charming. It wasn’t artistic. It was just messy. And when you have friends or family coming over for an afternoon by the pool, the last thing you want is to welcome them into an obstacle course.
The Step2 Vero Pool Side Organizer solved that problem almost overnight.
Now everything has its place. The pool noodles slide neatly into the storage compartments. The floats stay organized. Even my Flip Seats tuck inside when I’m not using them.
Now, instead of walking outside and thinking, What a mess, I actually think, Let’s sit by the pool for a while. That’s a pretty big change.
Sometimes It’s the Little Things
We often think enjoying our homes requires expensive renovations or major projects. Sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes it’s simply removing the little annoyances that keep us from using the spaces we already have.
For me, it was finding a comfortable place to cool off without sitting on hot concrete. Letting a robot handle the pool cleaning I always dreaded. And finally giving all those pool accessories somewhere to live besides scattered across the deck.
The funny thing is, none of these changes actually altered my pool. They changed how I use it.
Instead of looking out the window at my “cement pond,” I’m finally back outside where I should have been all along. Some afternoons I’m swimming. Other days I’m simply sitting with my feet in the water, a good cup of coffee or iced tea in hand, letting the Florida heat stay exactly where it belongs.
Outside.
For once, that’s exactly where I want to be.
