Essential non essential items - UK self catering holidays

[Ihatesandwiches]

Our holiday is booked and paid for and I'm counting the days until we go away :-)
We're self catering in the UK (in the title but I thought I'd mention it again) and I'm wondering what non essential items we should take. Is there anything you pack that makes a world of difference?
We always take DP's ipod and docking station. And a posh candle for when the kids have gone to bed. Also, a nice fluffy throw in case it gets chilly or it's not quite warm enough to sit outside.
I'm considering taking a cafetiere this year as I really missed "proper" coffee last time.
Any ideas?

Blimey donutrehomer - do you have to take a trailer too ?

We’re currently self catering on Skye, and this is the best equipped cottage we’ve ever stayed in! iPod docking stations in every bedroom, a full set of quality sharp knives, wide range of kitchen equipment etc. Only things we wish we’d brought are a couple of beach towels (was warm enough for beach today...but not for water!) and pint glasses.

Thanks for all the replies!
You are my hero @donutrehomer ! You self cater like the French who often take the actual fridge with them :-)
Big yes to slippers!
I cant rememberwho mentioned a slow cooker, but I'm tempted!

Sharp knives, oil, herbs etc, decent non stick frying pan, picnic stuff, beach towels, usually some games. Can't think of anything else.

Tupperware containers for picnics. Coolbox is with us anyway as we do a picnic on the way for lunch most times.

For 2 weeks I take a muffin pan or loaf tin. We like taking some cake with us when out for a day trip and I can either whip them up from memory or if you have WiFi or Mobil data I go on the Internet.

Pocket knife, essential for days out to cut fruit or anything else you never thought you need cutting,

DD has long hair so we take a towel turban wrap with us, the small towels never work properly.

Some board games

Chargers, with 3 phones and 2 tables we always need more than we think.

HDMI cable so you can connect laptop or tablet to the tv and access your iPlayer/ Netflix accounts.

We do self catering a lot and most of them have been equipped well.
I don’t have space for much once I’ve got clothes, shoes, toiletries and food in to the car. Kids take a back pack each with books, gadgets, chargers and any other bits and bobs.
I do cook a couple of meals and freeze them and take them.

I get our local cafe to make up a catering lasagne or curry about a week beforehand. Then I freeze it, and pack it (from the freezer) into the coolbox leaving home- it's fully defrosted for the following day's dinner (approx 4 hour drive from home).

Cakes: we love a cake for picnics and the beach- so I make up a mix of all the dry ingredients in a bag, label it with the "wet ingredients" needed e.g. add 2 eggs and 150ml oil (or whatever.)
It makes cake baking on holidays very simple...and cake is very popular with tired-from-swimming children and adults.
I'm thinking of doing this with my own brown bread recipe for this year's hols.

Thermos flask and my own teabags (again- for the beach, to go with cake).

Fold up laundry basket.
Folding peg airer.
Bath sheet - DH is 6ft, and often there are only bath towels which just aren't big enough for him.
Little washing up liquid, j-cloth, scourer sponge, pan scrubber,
Little packets of salt and ketchup

And my cheese slice

@Charles11 I would never think about taking food with me.

We have a VW Passat estate, one child, and the car is always full.

Bunting and fairy lights! I also buy a bunch of flowers when we arrive to brighten up the kitchen.

I think donut is my MIL-they take more stuff away with them than I actually own.

DuchessDumbarton I'm stealing your cake in a bag idea, that's brilliant!

😂😂

Thought of more, tin opener as these arent ever cleaned.

Food tongs and bbq tools, oven gloves.

Air freshener.

Cat basket, as there's a stray scabby cat hiding somewhere.

I have no shame 😂😂😂

With a name like MazDazzle I wouldn’t expect anything less

This thread is giving me some tempting ideas. DH is gonna be wondering why we’ll struggle to fit everything in the car this year.

I have to know, donut, are you taking tins to bake cakes in, or tins to store cakes in?

Or both?

I don't know why, but it feels important to know.

Cake tins are storage cake tins. I bake before we go, then fill them when there. Enough to last a couple of days, rocky road, brownies or flapjacks. Crowd pleasers really.

I take a cafetière, my own knife and chopping board (hate those glass ones they provide) and a large saucepan as they never provide big enough ones. I have taken my rice cooker on occasion too. Picnic blanket too

Ooh yes a spare chopping board's a good one. We have a coeliac on our team (and a veggie/meat eater divide) so a general helping of extra kit helps a lot.

Also a sieve/colander.

Salt, pepper, olive oil, box of teabags, some extra dishwasher tablets, a bit of washing up liquid, soap for hand washing, bottle opener and a couple of sharp knives