5 Things to Set Up on Family Devices Before Summer Gets Busy
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Summer has a way of arriving before you feel ready. The schedules shift, the devices multiply, and suddenly every kid in the house is on a screen in a new location with a new charger you’ve never seen before.
Before that happens, here are five things worth setting up now. None of them take more than an hour. Most take less than twenty minutes. And all of them will make the next three months a little calmer.
1. Back Up Every Device
Backups are the one digital safety step people skip until something goes wrong. Before summer travel, camp, and general chaos begins, back up every device in the house. Photos, documents, everything.
The WD My Passport portable hard drive is the most straightforward option. Plug it in, run the backup, put it in a drawer. It includes software with ransomware protection and password protection built in. Under $60 for 1TB. Tens of thousands of reviews. Consistently rated 4.5 stars.
2. Add Extra Storage Before Devices Fill Up
Summer means more photos, more downloaded shows for travel, more apps for camp and activities. Most phones and tablets hit their storage limits right when you need them most.
The SanDisk Ultra 128GB microSDXC adds fast, reliable storage to any Android phone, tablet, Chromebook, or camera that accepts a microSD. Up to 140MB/s read speed, which means faster transfers when pulling photos or video. Includes a full – size SD adapter. Under $15.
3. Add a USB Data Blocker to Your Travel Bag
Public USB charging ports at airports, hotels, malls, and theme parks can be used to steal data from your device while it charges. Most people have no idea this exists.
The PortaPow USB Data Blocker plugs between your cable and any public USB port. It lets power through and physically blocks all data transfer. It’s small enough to fit on a keychain. Under $10. Governments and corporations worldwide use it. Thousands of 5 – star reviews.
4. Set Up a Travel WiFi Router for the Summer
Hotel and rental WiFi is shared with everyone else in the building. A portable travel router creates your own private network from any existing connection. You plug it into the hotel ethernet port or connect it to the hotel WiFi, and every device in your family connects to your private network instead.
The GL.iNet Mango V2 is the most reviewed GL.iNet travel router on Amazon. Around $30. Pocket – sized. Connect it to hotel WiFi or plug it into an ethernet port, and it creates your own private network. Every device your family connects to goes through your network, not the shared one. No VPN subscription required.
5. Create a Charging Station Outside the Bedrooms
Devices charging in bedrooms overnight is one of the most common sources of late – night screen use in families. A dedicated charging station in a common area solves this without a fight because it is just where devices live.
The Anker PowerPort 6 has six USB ports and 60W of total output. Everything charges in one spot, out of the bedrooms. Compact enough for a kitchen counter or shelf. Under $30.
Bonus: Protect Your Phone Screen and Your Privacy
If you use your phone in public – waiting rooms, airports, school pickup lines – anyone nearby can read what’s on your screen. A privacy screen protector blocks the view from the sides so only the person looking straight at it can see anything.
The Ailun 3 – pack for iPhone 17 Pro Max includes an installation frame, 9H tempered glass, and camera lens protectors. Anti – spy filter built in. Case friendly. Under $15 for three.
Bonus: Put Devices on a Timer
A smart plug with a schedule automatically cuts power to the charging station at a set time each night. No app required on the kids’ end. It just turns off. Kasa Smart Plug is consistently rated 4.7 stars with over 75,000 reviews.
None of these require being a tech person. They just require about an hour on a Tuesday before summer actually starts.
Pick one. Start there.
I also write about keeping families safer online – calm, practical, and no jargon. Free on Substack every week.
June 11, 2026
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