I recently went through the dreadful, yet exciting process of moving. While I scavenged every HomeGoods, HomeSense and Home Depot (literally any store with the word "Home" in the name, I guess), I noticed something. Pickleball was everywhere. 

Summer time is peak pickleball time because we all want to hit the outdoor court in cute tennis dresses then go get brunch with your doubles partners, but I’ve never seen this many pickleball-related goods in retail before.

Target had the Prince Pickleball line at the front of their stores last summer.

But the pickleball craze is growing and taking over everything. 

The sporting goods aisle at my local Target is overwhelmingly pickleball-themed.

There were maybe three paddles and a couple of pickleballs just 12 months ago. Now, there’s Franklin, Hoolbrook, JOOLA, along with dozens of those pretty pickleball paddles that are only there for aesthetic reasons, but perfect for beginners. 

They’re selling every color and kind of pickleball, as well as an enormous selection of pickleball bags.

It’s actually shocking how much pickleball there is at Target. And higher quality gear, too.

As someone who’s been to many home and furniture stores at least 25 times in the past few weeks, I’ve seen pickleball make appearances in the most unlikely of spaces. 

In the kitchen (pun intended), there’s pickleball on cocktail napkins with cheeky sayings like “I’d rather be playing pickleball” or “Just dinking around.”

There’s dozens of pickleball dish towels with artsy designs in every color you can imagine. Paddle serving trays for backyard barbeques. Wine glasses embellished with sparkly pickleball paddles. Mugs and to-go cups sporting pickle sayings and designs. I even saw a pickleball-shaped sponge. 

And that was only the kitchen aisle. 

There’s pickleball-scented candles (though I’m not sure I want my house to smell like that unique combination of sweat, plastic, and sunscreen). Stationary and to-do lists with a striped paddle design. Pickleball paddle pillows for your couch. Or a blanket with an embroidered pickleball along the edge. Even pickleball paddle dog toys, so Rover can be an expert player, too.  

How about a reusable bag with pickleball paddles all over it? You can save the planet by reducing waste on plastic bags and tell the world you’re an avid pickleballer. Don’t worry, they have those at TJ Maxx. 

By far the craziest pickleball-themed household item I spotted was pickleball patterned bed sheets. Yes, bed sheets. Why have white sheets when you could have light green sheets with a soft pattern featuring a variety of greenery woven through artistic pickleball paddles and balls? 

These are perfect for people who want to lay their head down at night and be reminded of their pickleball plans in the morning. 

It was the pickleball sheets that really made me wonder: How far is too far with this pickleball obsession? 

I love the sport as much as the next person, but pickleball bed sheets might be pushing it too far. 

With all my field research, though, I think I can officially declare that it’s a pickleball summer. Last year, the craze was strawberries and cherries. This year, it’s sardines and pickleball. What a combo!

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