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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask for your most unhinged packing lists?

417 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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5
DistantEarlyWarning · 05/08/2026 17:22

I have two “kitchen boxes”.

One contains mini salt and pepper, a corkscrew/knife combo, sachets of sugar, sauces, jams etc. from previous trips, a two former ice-cream tubs (the kind you get instead of a cone) for small things in case the accommodation is light on such things, a few zip seal bags, a few bag clips, Yorkshire tea and a plastic knife and fork.

The other contains washing leaves, colour catcher, small washing net, dishwasher tablets and a few first aid type items.

Also, KP dry roasted peanuts, and nut-free muesli or granola. And a foldable insulated bag.

We always do self catering and hiking and move around a couple of times on a long trip, so all of this is not quite as mad as it seems.

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 05/08/2026 17:20

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

This is me too. I listen to audio books on my phone overnight to help me sleep, and if I have to have the phone over the other side of the room (because I also have it on charge at night) then I have to have the volume turned up too loud. But it's amazing how many places don't have sockets anywhere near the bed.

baaabaaa · 05/08/2026 17:19

saveforthat · 05/08/2026 17:18

I take an extension lead abroad. You can just one adapter and plug in loads of stuff.

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Me too! It makes life so much easier

baaabaaa · 05/08/2026 17:18

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!

This is actually a brilliant idea! Off to Amazon I go….

saveforthat · 05/08/2026 17:18

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

I take an extension lead abroad. You can just one adapter and plug in loads of stuff.

spoooooons · 05/08/2026 17:18

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 .

Do you also take your own glasses and cutlery etc??

Also you must sleep like a corpse if that teatowel is still in place in the morning.

Sasha07 · 05/08/2026 17:17

Is it unhinged to take an extension lead? One adaptor and we have four plug sockets to use... Was great, one plug adapter and one extension per hotel room did all of us earlier in the year. I went with friends a few months ago, forgot the extension and it was quite annoying waiting for a turn to use the socket.

piscesangel · 05/08/2026 17:17

A family member always packs a roll of that thick electrical tape. We all laugh at them but on group trips most of us have borrowed some for one reason or another over the years!

aliasfrog · 05/08/2026 17:17

Dh takes his bedside table extension lead.
I take my pillow and heat pad!! And knitting supplies because I have fidgety hands.
And probably way too many books because I don't want to run out.
The most unhinged I think is taking a coat to colorado in August. You can take the brit out of Britain......!

Wookyhole · 05/08/2026 17:16

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 .

Why not just take another pillow case and slip it over? Be more comfortable?

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 .

Pollyanna87 · 05/08/2026 17:13

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

She can just get long cables, no? That’s what I have for by the bed!

Wookyhole · 05/08/2026 17:12

Also will be taking a box of my son’s favourite gluten free cereal which you can’t buy abroad and some washable zip lock bags. Plan is to take a portion secretly in my bag to breakfast and slip it into his bowl.

Globules · 05/08/2026 17:12

I'm currently on holiday, having been away for 10 days so far.

I've got a handful of washing line pegs in my case and a chest torch.

I've used both already.

Livelovelaughfuckoff · 05/08/2026 17:10

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!

Ooh now that’s a good one I’m adding it to my luggage (along with my car window hammer thing)

Wookyhole · 05/08/2026 17:09

I plan to take my feather pillow to Spain this year, last year at the same hotel the pillows were incredibly uncomfortable (in an otherwise brilliant hotel).

DropEmOut · 05/08/2026 17:09

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!

Me too!!

SummerInSun · 05/08/2026 17:08

Always take a handful of dishwasher tablets if er are going self-catering. Places never leave enough and while you can buy them anywhere, you then need to lug most of an unused packet home or leave them behind (and they are expensive!)

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

TheHungryHungryLandsharks · 05/08/2026 17:05

I take my coffee machine on holiday. Not a little nespresso one, but a full blown Jura barista style one that grinds the beans/heats the milk for you.

Obviously this is for UK holidays. 😁

Ilovecheeseyah · 05/08/2026 17:03

An extra pair of knickers?

Ginmonkeyagain · 05/08/2026 17:03

My tendency to take large pack of M&S assorted mints with me on any journey over an hour or so is starting to look pretty sane by comparison.

Gardenisablooming · 05/08/2026 17:00

Forgot to add we only travelled from England to Scotland!

Indianajet · 05/08/2026 16:55

AnnDroidAnnDroid · 05/08/2026 16:49

But without the boots I may not make it as far as the water!

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What are you goi g to do - kick people out of the way?!

AnnDroidAnnDroid · 05/08/2026 16:49

Darragon · 05/08/2026 16:32

But you’re supposed to take your shoes off in water so they don’t pull you under the water, so slip on shoes would be better, in case of a water landing, no?

My batshit packing includes one of those emergency car seatbelt cutters/window breakers though so I can’t talk, really 🤭

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But without the boots I may not make it as far as the water!