When summer rays start shining down, we all want to enjoy a beer the best way possible: cold, and outside. Unfortunately, those two conditions don’t often or easily go hand-in-hand unless you’re willing to drag around a heavy cooler.
The perfect solution comes to us from DaveHax: a “cool box” that is simple, easy, and disposable. Even better? You can make it yourself and upcycle in the process!
DIY Drinks “Cool Box”
Materials
- 1 case of your favorite soda, beer and/or other summer beverages
- About 2 bags of ice
- Plastic shopping bag or trash bag, big enough to carry case of beverages
- Sharp knife
Directions
- Use the knife to slice open the top of the beverage case, making sure to leave one side intact so that it opens like a book.
- Remove all of the bottles and/or cans from the box, and set them aside for a moment.
- Take the shopping/trash bag and place it inside the open box, using it to carefully line the case.
- Place the bottles and/or cans back into the box.
- Pour the ice into the box, shaking and rearranging as necessary so that the ice surrounds and covers the bottles and/or cans as much as possible.
- Close the lid of the box the you created to cover the drinks and protect them from the glare of the sun. After 10 to 15 minutes, they should be the perfect level of coolness for a perfectly refreshing summer drink.
Now, we know that this idea sounds super simple, but we also know it’s the kind of simplicity that’s too easy to overlook. Sometimes when we need a solution, we go with what’s “always been done,” instead of allowing ourselves to see the easy solution that’s right in front of our faces!
In this case, we love this idea for a few reasons:
- It’s great for anytime you’re having an impromptu outing outside and, while it’s easy to get to a store to buy drinks, it’s not so easy or convenient to head home to grab the cooler.
- If you’re attending a concert, festival or an outdoor activity where you can bring in drinks, you won’t have to worry about a) somehow losing your cooler, b) lugging the empty cooler with sloshing melted ice inside back out to your car or c) having security bother you over what’s inside the usual cooler.
- For attending potlucks or barbecues with friends, this option allows you to be the great friend who contributes drinks, but doesn’t command precious space in your friend’s refrigerator or coolers.
And in any case, we think it’s also a great way to get a little more use out of the boxes and plastic bags that would otherwise go in the trash. Do we have you on board yet?
To see the creation of this “cool box” in action, and to clear up any questions about it you might have, check out the quick tutorial from DaveHax in the video below.
What do you think of this “cool box” hack? Have you ever seen or tried anything similar before? How do you make sure to keep your drinks cold on hot summer days? Do you always rely on a cooler, or something else?