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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:
Thread gallery
9
NomoreHolidayswithhim · 07/08/2026 06:39

I always take my coffee machine!

Tamtim · 07/08/2026 06:34

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 🤭

I’ve only read up to your post but this is a really good idea for women on a night out. Just in case getting locked in a taxi/uber/dodgy dates car etc.

teagirl27 · 07/08/2026 06:32

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.

I am also gluten free but just take the whole box down. What are they going to say?

GiffGaffClapTrap · 07/08/2026 06:00

God in heaven why bother going away?!

FairKoala · 07/08/2026 05:46

Empress13 · 07/08/2026 04:21

Realistically how many survive a plane crash? Losing your shoes is the least of your worries!

Pretty sure the safety aspect is remove shoes especially if you have to exit the plane in an emergency using the slide that turns into a raft

earlyshirley · 07/08/2026 04:24

Not quite a holiday but I went to Sydney from the UK for 3 months and packed my Nespresso machine. I then had to go to NZ for 2 months and brought it. Then when we came to live in Aus it came in the luggage we travelled with than in the Shipping container. When we moved back to the UK it came with us too.
At over 60,000 miles flown its the most well travelled coffee machine ever I reckon

Empress13 · 07/08/2026 04:21

AnnDroidAnnDroid · 05/08/2026 16:13

Not a packing one but I always book the emergency exit aisle and wear lace up boots on the aeroplane, I watched a documentary once about a crash and one of the survivors said people were trampling over other passengers to get out and shoes were coming off, if there is a crash I want to be prepared.

Realistically how many survive a plane crash? Losing your shoes is the least of your worries!

supercrone · 07/08/2026 04:16

mathanxiety · 06/08/2026 01:32

My aged DM and several other nonagenarian relatives live in Ireland, where funerals take place soon after the death (same week, usually within a couple of days of the death). When I travel to Ireland I always bring funeral clothes. DM doesn't know this.

I'm sure there are other MNers whose very old relatives also live in places where you don't plan a funeral for weeks after the death

I mean I'm Irish too and have a very elderly mother but don't bring funeral clothes everywhere! Isn't that what Dunnes stores is for?

FairKoala · 07/08/2026 03:18

Friends thought I was completely unhinged

I took wellies, thick coats, jumpers and jeans with us when a group of us went to Cornwall one year in August.

They were packing sun hats and sunscreen and I was packing sweaters and sou’westers.
because everytime I have been to Cornwall on holiday it has rained and been cold

Turned out I wasn’t as unhinged as everyone thought.
It rained from the moment we got there to the moment we left. It was cold and the rest of the group had to buy warmer clothing and more suitable footwear
I spotted the sun in my rear view mirror as we were leaving

CharlieRight · 07/08/2026 02:54

Used to take a small steamer, a blender and a pyrex storage bowl to prepare food for DS. We also used to take our own kettle for making formula, and a bottle warmer

ChewbaccasMrs · 07/08/2026 02:45

Staying in the UK self catering I take a pair of scissors and a bottle opener(lots of places don't have them)I also take a small sewing kit incase I need it and a couple of umbrellas just incase we need them.

Booooooom · 07/08/2026 01:57

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).

Yes, always take my pillow if in the car - never taken it on a plane though!

CalliopeFosterBeauchamp · 07/08/2026 01:42

DonaldWheresMaTweezers · 06/08/2026 08:30

Two weeks usually and my sister and I will be arranging the already-planned funeral. There is unlikely to be a long gap between death and funeral as we expect them to die of their illnesses, though obviously if something else happened then it might be different.

Could you not leave the funeral clothes at your parents’ house next time you’re up there? Or would that upset them?

Goingmadddd · 07/08/2026 01:42

likelysuspect · 06/08/2026 19:17

I really hope this is true, this is brilliant

Brilliant thread.

100% true. Unfortunately the way the windows opened and the safety lock made it a bit inefficient. But we stumbled through a botch job and achieved a relatively Baltic 26c.

So next time I would also bring an Allen key set 😂

HappyCowgirl · 07/08/2026 00:10

notwhingingjuststatingfacts · 05/08/2026 15:36

Just me quietly adding my spare carbon monoxide monitor to my luggage

Brilliant idea!!

We’re leaving on Saturday and I’ve just ordered one based on this post. Fingers crossed 🤞🏻 it arrives before we get the train.

Katypp · 06/08/2026 23:19

On UK sc holiday at the moment and brought our Velvetiser, espresso maker and a cherry stoner. After spending the last two evenings grating garlic, a garlic press will be added next time

pinkpony88 · 06/08/2026 23:07

NotAnotherScarf · 05/08/2026 15:52

If I am going to somewhere I am not sure of safety wise, I always pack a rubber door stop. I use it to wedge the hotel door closed. Its very difficult to push thd door open with it in place especially on any type of carpet

But that means the fire brigade can’t get in if there’s a fire? 😟

Tulipvase · 06/08/2026 22:41

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 haven’t read all the replies but apparently the basic co monitors don’t work well enough. Apparently the level that they alert at, can be enough to kill you.

Should get one with a display, according to the article I read any way. Not sure how true it is.

Laura95167 · 06/08/2026 22:40

Ketchup in my handbag for any beach day on the off chance we get fish and chips

Daftypants · 06/08/2026 22:25

We take our coffee pod machine and a few coffee pods on our UK holidays and a milk frother 🤣 ( we have a bean to cup machine at home but we don’t take that one )
Also I pack a new pack of rubber gloves , a new sponge and a cloth for washing up and wiping kitchen surfaces up ( because the ones left behind in the cottage sometimes look dubious whereas some places have everything new left for us )
Other things I pack are quite normal things like different types of teabags in a ziplock bag because I don’t want to buy boxes of tea bags and then bring them home .

Frillysweetpea · 06/08/2026 22:24

Kickinthenostalgia · 05/08/2026 22:30

DP always makes us take a torch, has done since I’ve been with him, we’ve had to use it once in the 22 years but he still insists on it 😊

Has he not registered that phones have a torch? Depending on the size of your family unit you probably have multiple torches!

Superscientist · 06/08/2026 22:22

Rabbitheadlights · 06/08/2026 19:47

Temporary filling is always the first thing to pack nothing worse than toothache in a foreign country, spare sink plugs (so many hotels have had missing plugs over the years) pegs, sharpie (for kids floats) collapsible water bottles

The one annoyance in our holiday accommodation was no plug in the kitchen sink. A universal plug will be going on next year's packing list!

When flying I always pack a days worth of clothes and nightwear in hand luggage.

Good tip I got from my mum was to pack the swim wear on the top of the bag or somewhere accessible. We were always sent to the pool whilst she sorted out the unpacking when we were children.

Frillysweetpea · 06/08/2026 22:16

Daygloboo · 05/08/2026 21:11

Just a tip. Im sure you all know this but....dont make a cup of tea in a hotel room.. Staff say (apparently ) ppl boil knickers in the kettles and boil eggs and stuff,....yuck. And the rooms are covered in all sorts of bodily stains that never get properly cleaned. It might be worth packjng a large sack and living inside it.

😆 We do boil the first kettle of water and throw it away in case anyone has done anything weird with the kettle.

ThistleTits · 06/08/2026 22:16

NotAnotherScarf · 05/08/2026 15:52

If I am going to somewhere I am not sure of safety wise, I always pack a rubber door stop. I use it to wedge the hotel door closed. Its very difficult to push thd door open with it in place especially on any type of carpet

I do exactly the same thing. I do often travel solo, just a bit of extra security.

Ereshkigalangcleg · 06/08/2026 22:10

envbeckyc · 06/08/2026 21:31

I take mosquito plug ins ( one for each room)

I take mosquito, fly and wasp room spray, and spray under all furniture, in wardrobes and in all rooms on arrival and before putting clothes away (you would be surprised how many dead bugs that fall onto the floor after using it)
my logic is that during a room change over housekeeping open all windows and doors letting the little biters in!

Zip locker bags to put dirty knockers and socks in, and decant febreeze into a small spay bottle to keep my suitcase fresh.

Antiviral and antibacterial spray - I go over door handles, remote controls and light switches mini fridge which may be full of germs. (decanted into small travel spray bottle)

Disposable shower caps - I use them on shoes before packing them.

I decant some washing up liquid into a small bottle- I may be all inclusive, but washing up tea / coffee and glasses in the room is useful, but an entire bottle is too much if you buy it when you get there.

Silk pillowcase - reduces frizzy hair from the heat / air conditioning.

reuseable canvas bags in hand luggage for aeroplane duty free

Coffee bags and tea bags (I like particular blends)

Disposable facecloths

face sheet masks (I keep them in the fridge)

3 of those wire triangle hangers - so that you can steam clothes while you have a shower to get the creases out - hotel hangers always have fixed hooks in the wardrobe.

Edited

I’ve also taken insect spray travelling before. The housekeeping theory makes total sense!