These 2026 planners can help make everyday life feel calmer. Table of Contents: The start of a new year always makes me want to slow things down and focus on being the best version of myself. I want a calmer, more organized life that feels intentional instead of chaotic. One of the simplest ways I do that is by choosing a physical planner that feels good to use. Color matters. Layout matters. And when a planner fits your lifestyle and aesthetic, you’re more likely to stick with it. I pulled together a collection of coastal-inspired planners in soft blues, aquas, greens, and classic patterns like gingham, hydrangea flowers, watercolor backgrounds, and even one that reminds me of sea glass. They feel calm, inviting, and inspiring to use. Coastal-Inspired Planners for a Calm, Organized 2026 These planners are practical, but they also feel peaceful. They’re the kind you want to open every morning. Related: Favorite Coastal Home Decor and Fashion Finds You Don’t Want to Miss How to Choose the Right Planner for You If you’re deciding between styles, here are a few things to consider: The best planner is the one you’ll actually use consistently, not necessarily the one with the most features. The Benefits of Using a Physical Planner in a Digital World So much of daily life now happens on screens. Our phones manage our schedules, remind us of appointments, and constantly compete for our attention. A physical planner creates a small but meaningful shift away from that digital noise. Writing things down by hand naturally slows you down. It encourages you to be more intentional about how you plan your days, weeks, and months. A physical planner becomes a quiet place to think, reflect, and organize without interruptions. For me, coastal living is not just about living near the water. It’s about creating a calm, organized life that supports a slower lifestyle and more thoughtful routines. Using a physical planner fits into that mindset. It’s a simple habit that helps me stay focused on what’s important. Just like a walk on the beach or a quiet morning at home, a planner supports slow living in a very practical way. It helps bring clarity to busy days, reduces screen time, and makes everyday life feel more intentional and manageable. Save This List of Planners for Later Pin this graphic on Pinterest so you can refer back to this roundup of coastal-inspired planners. And don’t forget to follow Stars & Anchor on Pinterest and on Instagram for more coastal home decor and beach lifestyle inspiration. Organization: Coastal-inspired planners for a calm, organized year Do you prefer a daily planner or a weekly layout? I’m always curious how others like to plan their days. Share your preferences in the comments.

A collection of the most interesting objects I came across on the beach this year. I live close enough to walk to the beach, so I spend a lot of time wandering the shoreline and beachcombing for shells, sea glass, driftwood, and other interesting finds. Along the way I always end up spotting odd and unexpected objects mixed in with the sand and seaweed. Some of them are funny, some feel a little strange, and some are just plain puzzling, but they all make me pause and look twice. I started photographing these unusual beach finds last year (click here to see last year’s post) as a way to document them and remind myself of the stories they might carry. It always makes me wonder where each item came from. Was it left behind after a day at the beach, carried in by the waves from somewhere far away, or pulled out to sea during a storm and returned again? I will probably never know, but the mystery is part of why I love noticing and capturing them. Here are some interesting found objects from my walks on the beach over the past year. My Strangest Beachcombing Finds of 2025 I’ve never found a propeller on the beach before, so this one definitely made the my of strangest things I came across while beachcombing this year. Maybe it came from a small watercraft, although I’d hope they usually use metal instead of plastic. This was probably my weirdest find of the year, a dinosaur mask washed in with the tide. I can’t imagine the story behind how it ended up in the ocean in the first place. This was a new one for me, a lightbulb on the beach. I can’t help wondering about its story and how it ended up here, whether from careless dumping or from storm damage somewhere along the coast. I’m surprised the bulb wasn’t broken even though it looks like it’s been in the water a while. I had no idea what this was at first and ended up doing an image search. I wondered if it was some kind of deep-sea plant, but it turns out it’s an Osage orange (also called a hedge apple) that actually grows on trees, not in the ocean. How it wound up washed onto the beach is still a mystery, especially since I’ve never seen them growing anywhere around here. Related: Best of Beachcombing: My Favorite Shells, Sea Glass, and Beach Pottery Finds I did a little research and learned this is a Big Turbo Wheels police truck. I found it in winter, so it had probably been in the water for quite a while before washing ashore. Finding a ball on the beach isn’t unusual. Finding this many in one day is. These four were part of at least thirty sports balls washed up in just the small stretch of beach I walked that day. I still can’t make sense of why so many appeared at once. I found a shocking number of plastic Easter eggs again this year. I’m not sure how they all end up in the ocean, but seeing so many washed up has completely changed how I think about them. Related: 6 Beautiful Beach Sunset Color Palettes This baseball cap brim really took me by surprise. I often see forgotten clothing and stray shoes on the beach, but never just a brim. It must have been in the water a long time for it to separate from the rest of the hat. I really enjoyed gathering these unusual beach finds over the past year. Whenever something unexpected caught my eye while I was walking, I snapped a photo and saved it for this project. I ended up with far more than I could reasonably include here, so this is just a selection of some favorites. I also take part in several organized beach cleanups each year and do many on my own, so a lot of the objects you see in these photos were removed from the shoreline rather than left behind. All photos in this blog post are my original photography. Feel free to repost them uncropped, but please credit me with a link back to this blog. Thank you! Save This Beachcombing Photography of Unusual Found Objects Pin this graphic on Pinterest, or bookmark this page, so you can continue to refer back to the photographs in this collection of unusual beachcombing finds. And don’t forget to follow Stars & Anchor on Pinterest and on Instagram for more coastal lifestyle and beach inspiration. Photography: The strangest things I found while beachcombing in 2025 Have you found an unusual object on the beach? Share your strangest beachcombing finds in the comments.

A glimpse into the quiet, natural beauty of the coast once the summer crowds are gone. With fall officially here, I might not be sitting in my beach chair anymore (although there were a few wonderfully warm days this October when I did just that), but I’m still taking frequent walks along the shoreline to soak in everything the coast has to offer. The crowds have disappeared, and the once-busy beach now feels almost deserted, with just the occasional fellow walker passing by. All good things must come to an end, but life on the coast doesn’t stop, it simply changes. While the ocean looks much the same, the seasonal shifts are obvious as soon as I reach our beach path. Walking through the dunes, the grasses that were bright green in summer have begun to fade to brown, and the goldenrods are in full bloom. Anyone familiar with fall on the coast has likely seen these sunny yellow flowers growing among the dune grass, signaling the quiet beauty of the autumn season. Spending time at the beach during October in the Northeast feels like a secret only a few truly know how to appreciate. With fewer people disrupting the landscape, the beach begins to return to its natural rhythm. Shorebirds rest undisturbed on the sand, some stopping briefly on their migration south. Shells and sea treasures are scattered across the beach, untouched. There’s a calmness to it all; a reminder that the coast is always alive, even in its quieter months. I hope you enjoy these snapshots from some of my fall beach walks. Snapshots of Fall at the Beach 1. Nothing says coastal fall more than seaside goldenrod in the dunes. 2. Signs of the leaves turning while walking up the sandy path to the beach. Related: Fall on the Coast Mood Board & Color Palette 3. There’s nothing quite like the view of the ocean in New England in the fall. 4. Seagulls and other sea birds are able to rest undisturbed by people. 5. The shoreline is scattered with untouched beach treasures waiting to be discovered. Related: Photo Journal: A Winter Beach Walk Fall along the northeastern coast has its own special rhythm. It’s a time of transition between the full energy of summer and the stillness of winter, when most people find it too cold to visit. Living near the beach means I get to experience all of its seasons and appreciate the subtle changes each one brings. All photos in this blog post are my original photography. Feel free to repost them uncropped, but please credit me with a link back to this blog. Thank you! Save This Fall Beach Photo Journal to Refer Back To Pin this graphic on Pinterest, or bookmark this page, so you can refer back to the fall beach photographs in this photo journal. And don’t forget to follow Stars & Anchor on Pinterest and on Instagram for more coastal lifestyle and beach inspiration. Photo Journal: Snapshots of Fall at the Beach in New England Which fall beach photo from this selection is your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comments.

This sweet and salty Halloween snack mix is perfect for peanut butter lovers, and it’s gluten-free optional, depending on the pretzels you use. Table of Contents: I spotted a sweet and salty snack mix at the store recently and instantly wanted it, until I checked the label and realized it wasn’t gluten free. So I decided to make my own version at home using gluten free ingredients. It’s everything I wanted from the store-bought version, just made safe for gluten free eating and with even more peanut butter flavor. Since it’s Halloween week, I’m planning to settle in for a few nights of cozy and spooky movie watching. You can’t go wrong with old favorites like Hocus Pocus, Halloween, or the Halloween episodes of your favorite TV shows. This snack mix will be the perfect companion to those nights on the couch, with just the right combination of sweet, salty, and crunchy. If you’re looking for an easy gluten free Halloween snack, see my recipe below. Gluten Free Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Halloween Snack Mix Recipe Ingredients Instructions Optional Mix-Ins If you want to make it your own, try adding: Note: Always double-check that each ingredient you use is certified gluten free, since brands can vary. This gluten free Halloween mix has quickly become one of my favorite fall snack recipes. It takes just a few minutes to throw together and delivers a perfect combination of sweet, salty, and peanut buttery goodness. It’s great for movie marathons, Halloween parties, or keeping in a jar on the counter to snack on all week long. When you’re having a quiet night in or hosting friends for book club or mahjong, this Halloween snack mix is an easy and festive fall treat. If You Liked This, You’ll Love These Too Halloween 10 Awesome Free Halloween Phone WallpapersFall Reading List: 10 Fall Books to Get Cozy WithThe Ultimate TV Show Halloween Episodes List50 Halloween Activities for Adults Who Want a Fun and Spooky OctoberCoastal Halloween Decor Ideas That Actually Match Your Style Gluten Free The Best Gluten Free Foods at Trader Joe’s30 Easy Gluten Free Lunch Ideas for Work Save This Gluten Free Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Halloween Snack Mix Recipe Pin this graphic on Pinterest, or bookmark this page, so you can continue to refer back to this gluten free sweet and salty peanut butter Halloween snack mix recipe. And don’t forget to follow Stars & Anchor on Pinterest and on Instagram for more beach and coastal lifestyle inspiration. Gluten Free Sweet and Salty Peanut Butter Halloween Snack Mix Recipe Would you pick out all of the peanut butter cups first or go for the salty pretzel and peanut pieces? Let me know in the comments.

These simple touches bring warmth and comfort to your home and wardrobe without giving up your light, relaxed coastal feeling. Table of Contents: Fall is settling in, and that means it’s time to bring a little extra comfort into your home. Mornings are cooler, evenings feel crisp, and even if it still feels a bit like summer during the day, there’s something about this season that invites a need for soft textures, layered warmth, and cozy rituals. If you love being surrounded by coastal-style decor, you don’t have to give it up just because the seasons are changing. It’s easy to bring a cozy fall feeling into your home while still sticking with the calming colors and overall feel that define coastal style. From throw blankets and autumn candles to textured pillows, slippers, and bathrobes, the right layers can add warmth and comfort without introducing fall colors or patterns that feel out of place. Below, I’m sharing a few simple ways to embrace fall while keeping your space light, soft, and relaxed… just the way you like it. See the Cozy Coastal Fall mood board below, plus tips for creating a seasonal home that feels calm and cozy. How to Create a Cozy Coastal Fall & Winter at Home Shop this mood board using the links below, or use this as inspiration to pull out your own favorite cozy fall pieces you may already have. Throw Blanket // Ivory Throw Pillow // Blue Throw Pillow // Autumn Candle // Slippers // Quilted Robe // Fall Reed Diffuser // Journal // Mugs // Socks Tips for Adding Cozy Coastal Fall Vibes to Your Space Here’s how to bring a cozy fall feeling into your home without losing your calm, coastal vibe: You probably already have a few of these items tucked away, and this is the perfect time to bring them out and let your space reflect the shift in seasons. Related: Create Your Perfect Fall Bucket List With These 32 Awesome Ideas A coastal home doesn’t need to be packed with orange pumpkins or heavy fall decor to feel seasonal. By layering in a few soft textures, cozy scents, and warm accessories, you can welcome fall in a way that still feels calm, relaxed, and true to your style. When you’re updating your home for the season or making an inviting space to slow down and settle in, I hope this gives you a little inspiration for creating a space that feels like fall, without losing the soft coastal energy you love. Save These Cozy Coastal Fall Ideas for Later Pin this graphic on Pinterest, or bookmark this page, so you can continue to refer back to these cozy coastal fall at home ideas. And don’t forget to follow Stars & Anchor on Pinterest and on Instagram for more coastal lifestyle and beach inspiration. Cozy Coastal Fall: How to create the vibe at home Which items do you love using to make your home feel extra cozy in the fall? Share your thoughts in the comments.

A photo journal of the coastal landscape in January in the Northeast. January brought numerous snowstorms, and I couldn’t keep myself from taking a winter beach walk despite how cold it was. Blanketed in snow, the beach is peaceful and also mysterious. It felt so far from summer days, but also served as a quiet reminder that the ocean’s beauty doesn’t depend on warmth or summer crowds. The beach is beautiful in all seasons. Despite the below-freezing temperatures, I bundled up and headed down the path to the beach, trudging through the snow. But I wasn’t the first one to step onto the beach after the storm, for in front of me was a collection of deer prints — signs of life across the vacant landscape. It was so cold that the water had frozen in the more shallow areas, and waves were freezing as they lapped the shore. With the wind chill, the temperature must’ve felt in the single digits. Despite my hands going numb, I was able to snap some photos with the help of touchscreen gloves. The beach in winter feels both familiar and unexpected. Here are some snapshots from a winter beach walk that I took after a snowstorm in January. Winter beach walk photos 1. My first view of the beach as I reached the top of the beach path. The sea looked extra blue against the snow. 2. Looking across the frozen water of a more shallow inlet to a snow-covered beach. The water is frozen in a beautiful blue. 3. A close-up of more icy frozen water. I can’t remember the last time that I saw the water freeze like this. Related: How to Make the Most of Winter When You’re a Summer Person 4. It was so cool to see the waves freezing as they reached the snow on the beach. The tide was coming in. 5. It was interesting to see how the snow had gathered on the beach grass. Related: Best of Beachcombing: My Favorite Shells, Sea Glass, and Beach Pottery Finds Winter at the beach is something that most people don’t have the opportunity to see. Unless you live near the coast, chances are you aren’t making a trip to the beach during the winter months, instead visiting during the warm summer months when you can enjoy the best of what the beach has to offer. There’s beauty to be found at the beach any time of year, including in the middle of January after a snowstorm. Although almost guaranteed to be empty, the beach in winter shows us that there is still life and movement all around. With deer tracks in the snow, seagulls flying overhead, and the never-ending coming and going of the waves, it almost feels as if this quiet season allows the coastline to restore itself after working so hard to bring us joy during the rest of the year. I hope you’ve enjoyed my winter beach walk photo journal and that it offers a new perspective and appreciation for the coastal landscape during the coldest season. All photos in this blog post are my original photography. Feel free to repost them uncropped, but please credit me with a link back to this blog. Thank you! Save This Winter Beach Walk Photo Journal to Refer Back To Pin this graphic on Pinterest, or bookmark this page, so you can continue to refer back to the photographs in this winter beach walk photo journal. And don’t forget to follow Stars & Anchor on Instagram and on Pinterest for more coastal lifestyle and beach inspiration. Photo Journal: A Winter Beach Walk Which of these winter beach photos is your favorite? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Tips for how to enjoy the winter season when you wish you were sitting on the beach. Table of Contents: For those of us who love summer, who absolutely live for it, the start of winter can feel depressing, with summer seeming incredibly far away. But instead of spending the entire winter feeling down, you can turn the season into an opportunity to set yourself up for an amazing summer, and embrace the extra time to indulge in winter activities. Who knows, you might even find yourself enjoying winter along the way. You can take advantage of the winter season to find activities you enjoy, get your home organized, simplify your life, research and plan trips and vacations for summer, and find new ways to enjoy time with family and friends. Winter is a great time to tackle home projects, embrace hobbies, and rediscover activities that you’ve been wanting to do but didn’t have time for during the rest of the year, which tends to be a busier time while you’re taking advantage of being outdoors in the warm weather, going to the beach or the pool. Here I’m sharing ways you can make the most of winter when you’re a summer person. These are all things I do to occupy my time and energy in winter, giving myself, my life, and my home a much-needed reset and preparing for summer, so when it finally rolls around I’m ready to dive back into all of my favorite activities. Use this guide as inspiration for having a great winter that sets you up for an even better summer. How to Enjoy the Winter Season Use these ideas to make the most of winter — and actually enjoy it — while you wait for summer to come back around. Plan trips and activities for summer Winter is a great time to think about where you want to travel when it gets warmer and who you want to travel with. Start brainstorming vacation locations and activities, plan when you’ll go, and ask friends or family if they’re interested in joining. For some locations, you should book rental homes well in advance, especially if you’re going to a popular location in high season, like a seasonal beach town. Get your home in order Things always feel a little chaotic after the December holidays, don’t they?! Use the winter months to really clean up and declutter every room so you can start spring off with everything feeling fresh. For tips on decluttering your kitchen, check out this post. Make photo books from your summer adventures Your pictures aren’t meant to be stuck in your phone forever. Take the time to load them to your computer, and use one of the many photo book companies to create beautiful books of your previous year’s adventures. Catch up with friends, or join a group or club and make new friends Use this time to reconnect with old friends, whether for coffee, brunch, dinner, or over to your place for a fun hang. If you’re looking to make new friends, try joining a book club or take a weekly fitness class. Focus on self care Prioritize your self care this winter. Reduce stress by taking up meditation or journaling, or take time to relax and recharge by giving yourself the at-home spa treatment: bubble bath, face mask, candles, painting your nails, whatever feels right to you. You can even put a summer spin on it by transporting yourself to a tropical beach with coconut-scented bubble bath, shampoo, or body wash — see the best coconut beauty products that will remind you of beach vacations all year long. If you prefer perfume so you can sniff your wrist throughout the day, check out these coconut perfumes that will transport you to your favorite beach vacation. Find a winter activity you enjoy If you can’t beat them, join them (or so they say). Have you given winter activities a real chance? Ice skating (outdoor or indoor), sledding, skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, winter hiking, and snowmobiling are just some of the fun winter activities that you might enjoy more than you’d think. Or you could join a winter indoor activity like a bowling league or dance class. Related: 52 Exciting Things to Do in Winter for Adults Get organized Whether tackling your digital clutter or reorganizing a closet, winter is the perfect time to focus on big indoor organization projects. It’s much better to get them out of the way when you’re already feeling stuck inside due to the cold weather, than to need to spend time on these types of projects at other times of the year when you’d rather be outside. Go all-in on hobbies or crafting There are so many different indoor hobbies to enjoy, whether you have favorites that you want to return to or want to try something new. Winter is a great time to fully lean into these hobbies. Maybe you’ll even get ahead of your gift-making for the year, or open an Etsy shop. Create winter traditions or weekly activities you can look forward to When winter seems to drag on, it’s nice to have things to look forward to. Create a taco Tuesday night with family or friends, or a once a month Saturday game nights. There are many options for starting your own traditions. Sign up to volunteer Giving back to your community is always a good use of time. If there’s a charity or organization you’ve been wanting to get involved with, look into signing up as a volunteer. Otherwise, a quick online search should provide you with options. Many organizations don’t require too much of a time commitment, as some only ask that you volunteer once or twice a month at a minimum, so don’t let time restrictions hold you back from looking into it. Work on your “beach body” I don’t really think there’s such a thing as a “beach body,” because every body belongs at the beach (or lake, […]

Photo © Stars & Anchor An introduction to the world of beachcombing. Table of Contents: I’ve lived in coastal areas all of my life, so I’ve been beachcombing practically since I could walk. It’s always been one of my favorite activities. Here I’m answering some common questions like, “what is beachcombing?” and “what is a beachcomber?” I’m also sharing important tips for responsible beachcombing and shelling, and a bit about my personal beachcombing philosophy and what I do with my beachcombing finds. What is beachcombing? First of all, what is beachcombing? Beachcombing means searching (“combing”) and exploring the intertidal zone of the beach to see what natural and man-made objects of interest you can discover. The intertidal zone is the area of the shoreline between where the water peaks at high tide and where it reaches at low tide. You can even make discoveries higher up on the dry sand, though less frequently. You can enjoy discovering things while beachcombing without necessarily needing to take anything. The fun is in the search and in learning about the coastline and its many creatures. What can you find while beachcombing? Some common items to find while beachcombing are seashells, rocks, seaweed, mermaid’s purses (the egg cases of skates and rays), crabs, jellyfish, driftwood, snails, sea glass, sea sponges, fossils, and manmade debris. You can see the most interesting manmade items I found while beachcombing last year in this post. Photo © Stars & Anchor Why do people like beachcombing? Beachcombing combines relaxation, exploration, and discovery in an enjoyable way. The thrill of searching for unique finds while enjoying the sights and sounds of the beach, like the peaceful rhythm of the waves, makes it a perfect activity for unwinding and satisfying curiosity. Beachcombing also offers a connection to nature, the ocean, and a way to learn more about marine life and coastal ecosystems. Beachcombing appeals to many people, being perfect for going on adventures solo or taking group walks. Its universal appeal lies in being equally engaging for kids and adults, making it a way to have family-friendly fun for all ages. What is a beachcomber? Now that you know what beachcombing is, you can probably guess that a beachcomber is someone who goes beachcombing, meaning a person who walks along the beach looking for interesting and unique items. You can be a casual beachcomber, such as someone who decides to look at what the sea is washing onto the shore while on a beach vacation, or you can be a dedicated beachcomber, such as someone who is passionate about discovering and learning about what’s on the beach and does so frequently. Beachcombing can be a fun and inexpensive hobby for anyone who lives near the coast. It’s an activity enjoyed by families, nature enthusiasts, retirees, and collectors, making it an appealing hobby for all ages, as anyone can be a beachcomber, young or old. What is the difference between beachcombing and shelling? Beachcombing and shelling are similar beach activities. Beachcombing is a broader activity that involves searching the shoreline for numerous items including shells, rocks, driftwood, sea glass, and other natural or manmade items, whereas shelling is a specific type of beachcombing that focuses exclusively on looking for seashells. Beachcombing attracts people who appreciate the diversity of what they’ll find along the shoreline, and shelling attracts shell enthusiasts who appreciate the beauty and variety of shells. Related: 21 Expert Tips for Shelling in Florida Photo © Stars & Anchor Tips for responsible beachcombing and shelling A little about my beachcombing philosophy and what I do with my finds Even though I’m a frequent beachcomber, I leave behind the majority of cool things that I find. I frequently take pictures of items I come across and like, but leave them on the beach. This is because I try to be conscious of maintaining the beach ecosystem, and not taking excessively. I’m more likely to take sea glass and beach pottery since these are man-made items that don’t naturally exist at the beach, and are actually litter, even though they’re desirable to beachcombers like me! I’m more likely to leave shells, driftwood, and rocks, because they naturally belong there, and shells can serve as homes for sea creatures like hermit crabs.  Sometimes, I’ll take home shells or other natural finds so I can research and identify them, photograph them, and then return them to the beach. I like learning about them and cataloging them with a photograph, but don’t have the space or desire to store so many items in my home indefinitely. Living in walking distance to the beach makes this an easy process. Of course, any shell I take is first thoroughly checked to be sure it’s empty without any creatures inside. I keep some items if a shell or rock feels really special to me. I’m trying to have one really good example of every kind of shell on the beach, so I’m constantly swapping them out if I find a better one. I use some of my beachcombing discoveries as coastal decor around my beach house. I try to do this in moderation, which still feels like plenty because deciding to keep a few special shells here and there adds up over a lifetime of beachcombing. If I ever decide I don’t want something anymore, I return it to the beach instead of putting it in the trash or storing it hidden away where it won’t be enjoyed.  I believe you can have fun beachcombing and enjoying some of your finds while being respectful to coastal wildlife, the beach environment and ecosystem. Related: Best of Beachcombing: My Favorite Shells, Sea Glass, and Beach Pottery Finds of the Year Beachcombing is one of those activities that’s equal parts relaxing and exciting. You get to wander the shoreline, soaking in the peaceful sound of the waves while keeping an eye out for little treasures that have washed up. It’s a great mix of slowing down and feeling a little thrill […]

A photo journal of my favorite beach finds in 2024. Yesterday I shared the strangest things I found while beachcombing in 2024, and today I thought it would be fun to share my favorite beachcombing finds of 2024. This includes my favorite shells, sea glass, driftwood, and beach pottery that I found this year. I walk on the beach year-round, mostly in late spring, summer, and early fall, but also on some winter days that aren’t too cold. Something that entertains me on my walks is beachcombing, which means scanning the beach for interesting or special items. You never know what you’re going to find, which makes every time different and full of possibilities! When beachcombing, I don’t bring home everything cool that I come across; I frequently take pictures of items I find but leave them as I found them on the beach. I try to be conscious of maintaining the beach ecosystem, and only keep something if it feels really special. I can still enjoy the thrill of the hunt without having to remove every item from the beach. I can enjoy beach finds without needing to keep them all, and can remember them with a photograph. Here are my favorite beachcombing finds of the year. My favorite beachcombing discoveries in 2024 Some shells, a piece of sea glass, and a sand dollar that I found on a beach walk in June. This sand dollar was the only one I found in 2024. I ended up leaving most of these items on the beach after taking this photo, but I loved how many shells had orange and peachy hues. These are my favorite pieces of sea glass that I found at various beaches in the Northeast this year, as well as some cool pieces of driftwood. Some of this sea glass I like because of the unique bottle pieces, and some because of the colors. Some interesting and cool shells I found while shelling on our annual trip to Florida. I love how the shells in Florida are so colorful and different compared to the shells I find in New England and on other beaches along the East Coast. Related: 21 Expert Tips for Shelling in Florida I found this grouping of shells, including a channeled whelk shell, moon snail shells, and a knobbed whelk shell, on the beach after a storm. Even though this was one of my favorite finds of the year, I didn’t take any of them with me, choosing to leave them as-is on the beach. All of these shells could potentially make a home for a hermit crab, and since I already have a couple of these kinds of shells, I don’t feel the need to take more, unless I were to find an absolutely perfect shell that was empty. These are my favorite pieces of beach pottery that I found this year, especially the blue and white piece in the lower right corner. I’ve gotten more selective in my beach pottery collecting because many of the pieces I’ve been finding are too large and don’t feel display-worthy. Related: 61 Fun Holidays for Beach, Ocean, and Coastal Lovers All Year Long I like beachcombing because it gives me the motivation to get frequent outdoor exercise and gives me something to do while I walk. I also get to enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of the beach, which brings me so much joy. I’m a coastal lover through and through. While I didn’t find anything at the beach in 2024 that I feel is an epic beachcombing find, I still enjoyed the thrill of the search and especially my time spent along the shore. One of the reasons I chose to live within walking distance to the beach was the chance to enjoy it often. I’m looking forward to seeing what I find in the coming year! Save This Photo Journal to Refer Back To Pin this graphic on Pinterest, or bookmark this page, so you can continue to refer back to the photographs in this photo journal. And don’t forget to follow Stars & Anchor on Pinterest and on Instagram for more coastal lifestyle and beach inspiration. Photo Journal: The Best of Beachcombing Which is your favorite photo from this beachcombing photo journal? Share your thoughts in the comments.

A photo journal of unusual found objects on the beach. I live in walking distance to the beach, so I’ve spent countless days this year walking along the shoreline beachcombing, meaning I look for interesting shells, sea glass, driftwood, and other items along the water’s edge. And while I look for these items, I inevitably come across some strange, unusual, and weird objects, too. This year I started a beach photography project of found objects as a way to document all of these unusual beachcombing finds. Some are funny, some are mysterious, some are a little sad, but they’re all unexpected and leave questions unanswered. I wasn’t expecting to find any of these items as I walked along the beach, and probably will never see some of these types of items again. Finding these unusual and weird items on the beach always gets me thinking about how they got there in the first place. Was a child playing with a toy on the beach, and forgot it there? Or was it washed ashore from a far away place? Was an item something that was thrown in the garbage that somehow made its way into the water, or was it ripped from someone’s home during a hurricane or storm surge? I’ll never have the answers, but will always wonder about them. Here are the most unexpected and unusual items I found while beachcombing this year. My Strangest Beachcombing Finds of 2024 One of my strangest finds at the beach is this blue statue, which through some internet researching I’ve learned is a Ganesha statue. It doesn’t seem like it would be used as a beach toy, so I wonder how it got here? It was sitting in the shallow water near the beginning of a tide pool, and is missing a piece of its trunk. This battery-operated tea light candle was sitting here on the beach, as if it were placed there, although I’m pretty sure it came in with high tide. I kind of wish I had checked to see if it still worked, though I doubt it would have. This colorful beaded bracelet makes me a little sad, thinking a child made it and then lost it while swimming. It had washed in with the tide, so who knows how long it was in the water for. This army man toy came to rest in a clump of debris on the beach, including a seagull feather. Related: Best of Beachcombing 2024: My Favorite Shells, Sea Glass, and Beach Pottery Finds One of my more mysterious beachcombing finds this year is this still-wet, burned page from a children’s chapter book, which after searching online I believe is Pearl the Magical Unicorn. Why did someone burn it, do they dislike the book that much? Or are they mad at the person who gifted them this book? We’ll never know. This water squirt gun came to rest in this interesting position on the sand after high tide brought it ashore. Something I was surprised about while beachcombing throughout the year was the amount of plastic Easter eggs that washed ashore. Sometimes they were in half like this one, and sometimes they were whole. Where are they coming from, and how come so many have ended up in the ocean? Related: 6 Beautiful Beach Sunset Color Palettes A magenta glass stone that reminds me of the glass stones used when playing Mancala. It makes me wonder why it washed up on the beach by itself. This toy was sitting on the water’s edge and had just come in with the tide. I’m sure a child was sad to lose this, which from some internet research I discovered is a Disney Palace Pet named Berry. This was discovered in the off-season, so I don’t think a child had forgotten it at the beach recently. Last but not least, one of the strangest things I found at the beach this year is this DVD case with what I believe is a homemade cover. Through a Google Images search I’ve discovered this is Hindu god Hanuman carrying Dronagiri mountain. I’m left with so many questions as to how this ended up in the water and washed up on the beach, and regret for not opening the case to see if the DVD was still inside. This photography project of found objects on the beach was fun to collect throughout the year. Every time I was beachcombing and came across something odd, I’d get out my camera, and file these photos into a folder on my phone. I have more, but I decided to limit this post to ten photos. I’m planning to continue this project in 2025, so check back if you’ve enjoyed this beach photography collection. All photos in this blog post are my original photography. Feel free to repost them uncropped, but please credit me with a link back to this blog. Thank you! Save This Beachcombing Photography of Unusual Found Objects Pin this graphic on Pinterest, or bookmark this page, so you can continue to refer back to the photographs in this collection of unusual beachcombing finds. And don’t forget to follow Stars & Anchor on Pinterest and on Instagram for more coastal lifestyle and beach inspiration. The Strangest Things I’ve Found Beachcombing: a photo journal of unusual found objects on the beach Have you found anything unusual on the beach? Which of these unusual found objects is your favorite? Share your beachcombing finds and thoughts in the comments.