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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask for your most unhinged packing lists?

507 replies

badhabitsleadtolate · 05/08/2026 15:17

Trying to cover all bases.

I’m not talking the “oh yeah I whack a teabag in my baggage”, i’m talking the type of stuff most people would never dream of taking.

OP posts:
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9
LakieLady · 05/08/2026 20:51

TheTortiePuffinNeedsHerBreakfast · 05/08/2026 19:03

On UK self catering holidays, I always bring a draining rack, proper sharp vegetable knife and a dustpan and brush. So many places don't have these items and it irritates me not to have them.

I always take a couple of knives from home, because holiday cottages always have such crappy knives. I also take my own potato peeler, because it's the only sort I can use!

fizzyroselemonade · 05/08/2026 20:48

fizzyroselemonade · 05/08/2026 20:48

Great idea. Small cups on holiday is a pet hate

Edited

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fizzyroselemonade · 05/08/2026 20:48

Sprinklesandsprinkles · 05/08/2026 19:48

A nice big mug, I hate having really small cups of tea

Great idea. Small cups on holiday is a pet hate

garagara · 05/08/2026 20:44

I encouraged my son, then aged 9, to pack his own bag for the year 5 sleepover at the museum. Upon checking, his bag contained : 1 pair of clean underpants, a football, 2 light sabers and a pair of Hulk hands.

Aninabertsi · 05/08/2026 20:39

DonaldWheresMaTweezers · 05/08/2026 18:04

A bit morbid but I have elderly, unwell parents so I always pack a black dress and black jacket in case one of them dies while I am on holiday.

Wtaf? I'm baffled my most responses but this had me falling of the chair! You do what?! Why?

user1471453601 · 05/08/2026 20:36

I once took two cat feeding stations that open with a connected blue tooth thingy on the cats collars.

I also took, different times, ten tubes of fixodents, 20 of those silver blankets that you see at the end of marathons and 20 energy bars.

In my defence, I used to spend two months on a tiny island in Greece every year, and locals used to ask me to bring various items that they found hard to get.

cocoromo · 05/08/2026 20:32

spoooooons · 05/08/2026 17:22

This is the kind of eccentricity I can get on board with.

I don’t bring my coffee machine but I do bring my kettle 🤣

cocoromo · 05/08/2026 20:31

GoldMoon · 05/08/2026 17:13

We take cotton tea towels , not for their usual use but to lay on the pillows .
Cant abide the thought of laying our heads on pillows / cases used by hundreds of people . Also take face cloths to dry our faces with as don't want their towels around our faces .

What about just taking a pillowcase? 🤣

havingoneofthosedays · 05/08/2026 20:25

BauhausOfEliott · 05/08/2026 20:02

I think if I required this level of paraphernalia to go on holiday, I would simply not go on holiday.

Couldn’t agree any more

OliveHenry · 05/08/2026 20:25

We have been known to take a satellite dish on holiday with us (self drive and self catering in France). It's designed for camping so packs away neatly into a case, but still seemed bonkers to me. Kept DP happy though, faffing with it every day.

We also take extension leads, but rewired with a continental plug on the end. Some computer peripherals come with two cables - UK and continental plugs. So DP just rewired a UK extension with the continental cable and it works a treat - don't even need an adapter!

saveforthat · 05/08/2026 20:21

WinWhenTheyreSinging · 05/08/2026 20:16

I just make sure I have a bright coloured, very obviously not hotel, one on mine for this reason. Never had a problem.

Same, also take my whole pillow and case into hospital with very bright case.

Lemonapplepear · 05/08/2026 20:20

Mooselooseinmyhoose · 05/08/2026 15:28

I dont consider mine unhinged but...

I always take a carbon monoxide detector! 4.99 on amazon. One of the biggest causes of deaths abroad.

Everyone I tell laughs and then quietly buys their own. Im saving the world one detector at a time!

I have done this!

GoldMoon · 05/08/2026 20:17

merryhouse · 05/08/2026 19:48

more to the point, a question nobody else has asked:

do you think that people don't do laundry?

Yes of course they do but obviously not pillows , hate the thought of someone dribbling all over something I put near my face clean or not .

WinWhenTheyreSinging · 05/08/2026 20:16

GoldMoon · 05/08/2026 20:14

If in a hotel so that the room staff that come in daily don't see it or if they change the bed linen don't lose them or take away .

I just make sure I have a bright coloured, very obviously not hotel, one on mine for this reason. Never had a problem.

GoldMoon · 05/08/2026 20:14

saveforthat · 05/08/2026 18:21

Why would you change it daily?

If in a hotel so that the room staff that come in daily don't see it or if they change the bed linen don't lose them or take away .

Q2C4 · 05/08/2026 20:08

ZippyPeer · 05/08/2026 17:06

I know someone who takes an extension lead. They hate not being able to charge their phone by the bed

That is such a good idea!

WinWhenTheyreSinging · 05/08/2026 20:02

dementedpixie · 05/08/2026 19:56

I think they mean it was a big long pillow shared between 2 people

This would not go well for my husband …

BauhausOfEliott · 05/08/2026 20:02

PinkElephants356 · 05/08/2026 19:27

clothes pegs to keep the curtains closed so light doesn’t get in
white noise machine
dettol wipes to wipe everything in the room
air conditioner filter sheets to place over any vents
tea tree oil to put under my nose on the plane to stop me catching germs
Mattress topper (no joke - takes up a lot of space in the suitcase)
Blanket and pillow in a vacuum sealed bag (I ask to borrow a vacuum cleaner to pack up before the return trip)
pharmaceutical products for any eventuality (this includes a finger splint and wart remover!)
Emergency dental kit

I think if I required this level of paraphernalia to go on holiday, I would simply not go on holiday.

EllaAtLarge · 05/08/2026 19:58

I take a big pack of dried apricots because for some reason ds and I often get constipated on holiday, and it’s our favourite form of fibre.

I’m don’t think that’s unhinged but it’s probably not totally normal

kateandsam · 05/08/2026 19:57

Always take my pillow & will sacrifice clothes to get it in the case

dementedpixie · 05/08/2026 19:56

Shinyandnew1 · 05/08/2026 19:54

Shared pillow? As opposed to every new guest being allocated a newly-purchased one?

I think they mean it was a big long pillow shared between 2 people

dementedpixie · 05/08/2026 19:55

BitterTits · 05/08/2026 19:25

I always take my Nutribullet on UK holidays. Can I get away with packing a hand blender in my hold luggage this year? (We're flying to France). Also, can I pack stuff like spices for cooking? I plan to buy new and sealed but would prefer not to chuck the unused stuff.

We took a travel smoothie maker this year. We wrapped it in bubble wrap and packed it in the middle of beach towels. Spices, marinades are fine to take too

Shinyandnew1 · 05/08/2026 19:54

didgeridid · 05/08/2026 19:31

We just came back from somewhere with a SHARED pillow. It was horrible and actually makes me think maybe I should bring my pillow in future 🤣

Shared pillow? As opposed to every new guest being allocated a newly-purchased one?

merryhouse · 05/08/2026 19:48

saveforthat · 05/08/2026 18:21

Why would you change it daily?

more to the point, a question nobody else has asked:

do you think that people don't do laundry?

Sprinklesandsprinkles · 05/08/2026 19:48

A nice big mug, I hate having really small cups of tea