What do you take when self catering ?

[Liveinthepresent]

Am off to a cottage for a week with DH
and two DC 7 and 9 next week.
Am trying to be super organised as I have more time than usual to pack and started wondering what other people pack that makes this type of holiday better ?
So for example I always take tea
Towels and sharp knives and a decent bottle opener .This time I have also got some ice trays and Tupperware set aside to go with us .
We are quite rural where we are staying so are likely to be eating in quite a lot and packing pic Nic’s for day trips - what else should I take ?
We will do a supermarket shop on arrival.
Don’t want to literally take the kitchen
Sink but am curious to know what others find helpful !
Thanks all

Always a couple of loo rolls - having once arrived at a place with 2 loos and no paper! Had to send dh on an instant errand of mercy - luckily there was a Co-op nearby.

A really sharp knife, Tupperware tubs and a coffee pot.

At home or abroad.

I've taken a coffee machine before, but they're much more commonplace now. I wouldn't bother with ice cube trays. Buy a bag of ice at the supermarket or a garage.

So many helpful replies !
We have no wi Fi there so have DVDs and portable speaker on list.
Got pic nic bag and will take blankets

Always always take my own pillow !!

Some of the kitchen ideas are making me worried about space in the car !
PP who said slow cooker - that is the level of organised I can only dream of!
Now thinking about a frying pan for sure though.

@wowfudge I doubt there will be a fridge freezer so thought would conserve space as will need ice packs for pic Nic’s too .

@GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER love your user name this is exactly why I am in this situation.

Loo roll - notes and at the ready.

Kitchen roll also on list. Similarly essential here !

@Liveinthepresent Along with my slow cooker I also bring my stick blender .........and a nice china mug! I fill the space inside the slow cooker, mine has a metal pot which can also be used on the stove, handy if the saucepans are all small!!

Got back from a week in a self-catering cottage last night.

Took with us and used:
Tupperware type boxes
Insulated drinks bottles
Cling film
Foil
Teatowels ( although there were some there)
Favourite sharp knife
Snap closures
Kitchen sponge scourers

Took but didn't need because they were provided:
Washing up liquid
Dishwasher tablets
Spray bleach cleaner

Wish I had taken:
Electric whisk (I hate whipping cream by hand!)
Small cafetiere and small teapot for when only one of us wanted a different drink

Washing up liquid & sponge & tea towels
Kitchen spray, bleach
4 Toilet rolls
Wipes
Bath towels & bath mat
Pegs
Chopping board, bread knife, veg peeled, garlic press, tin opener, spatula and slotted spoon, bottle opener/corkscrew
Over door hanger
Pillows & sleeping bags & sheets
Large George Foreman grill
Matches
2mugs
Flask
Foil
Bin bags
Good job the car is a people carrier, as I like to bring all my own stuff regardless.

These are so helpful !
DH might have a fit but I am now thinking how much I love my own mugs for morning tea !!
I love my creature comforts and it’s a perk of holidaying in the UK is being able to take some of them with you.
Pegs
Coat hangers also coming with me

I take no kitchen equipment just olive oil, herbs and spices - cayenne, paprika, thyme, plus soy sauce. A few teabags and whatever fresh food I have left in the house.

Just back from self catering in UK and have done it for many years. The quality of equipment in self catering places has improved enormously over the last 10 years but I would never rely on it.
Things I took : Salt and pepper; Nespresso machine; bottle of wine; oven gloves (a Covid request from the holiday company); coffee; teabags
Things I had delivered aside from food for the week (have only just caught on to supermarket delivery as soon as you arrive - a gamechanger for me - but with now 5pm check in seemingly standard cannot be faffed with spending first morning in supermarket) - small bottle of olive oil; loo rolls; kitchen roll; tomato ketchup
Things I wish I had taken (and have taken in the past but thought I could get away with) - a vegetable peeler ; a few dishwasher tablets - you only get left about 3; a good frying pan / omelette pan
Things I might consider but were ok this time - sharp knives; a decent chopping board - too many glass ones in the past; a couple of bin bags ; a large cooking pot/dish if you mcook something that needed that (self catering places seem to split into

Foil
Cleaning spray as sometimes there's none
Salt and pepper

*a large cooking pot/dish if you might cook something that might need that ( self catering places seem to split into ones that have dishes large enough to serve a medieval banquet or the largest pan being enough for broccoli for 4)

A decent mug. I hate the ones in self catering accommodation.
Tupperware for storing leftovers.
I like plastic bowls for snacks, for adults and kids.

Problem is it’s so variable. I stayed somewhere in Cornwall once and the kitchen was brilliantly equipped. Other places you are lucky to have a sharp knife.

@Yellowbutterfly1

My own chopping board (incase they only have a horrid glass or wooden one) Small salt and pepper Oven gloves (as I don’t like some of the ones we’ve been left to use before) Small roll of cling film/foil Sandwich bags Clips for packets Matches Cork screw Night light Small bottle of oil Dishwasher tablets Washing up gloves Hand soap

I haven always needed all these things but can guarantee if I don’t take them I will need them.
Did once end up going out and purchasing a cheap toaster and bath mat but it was a very cheap lady minute booking

My list is the same + a paring knife & veg peeler from my own kitchen for prepping veg. Nine times out of 10 self-catering accommodation doesn’t have a decent one & the knives are nearly always blunt.

I order either a food delivery or a Click and Collect for the next morning, so I only take teabags, coffee, milk, a couple of those little packs of cereal, and something to eat on the first night. We also take our own big mugs though, I hate little tiny mugs for my cuppas!

Only ever done self catering abroad.
Only item we take is a jar of coffee. I like a certain type of coffee

We usually buy brunch type items when we are there and eat out for dinner.

I'm disabled so some of this is my own adapter items

Can/bottle opener
Tea towels
Sharp knives
Mugs (I need light ones with decent full hand handles)
Foil (I can't get on with cling film and use foil when many others would use cling film, it's also very handy for creating "lids" for oven dishes)
Oven gloves

Own loo roll - TOO MANY times of getting thrush/allergy reaction to coloured/perfumed loo roll that accommodation organisers have bought to impress! I'm best off with the cheapy stuff PLUS it flushes better!

Extension cord of the type that means you can plug in severely items to one outlet

Also usb multi adapter as recommended on here

If staying outside of Scotland I'll take scottish tea bags with me.

In my first shop there:

Kitchen roll
Food bags
Cooking oil
Laundry detergent (allergies)
Admittedly I have ocd but also scourers, cleaning spray etc Usually end up buying fairy too as I really can't be doing with cheap, crap imitations!
Matches

As well as food of course

Slow cooker is an excellent idea.

Take some cash. Some parking, and smaller businesses don't take cards !

We used to go to the same lovely place so I knew to take:
sharp bread knife
chopping board ( the one there was glass! I see others say the same but really, who buys a glass chopping board??)
big frying pan (pans in holiday lets never nice) for pasta sauce, risotto
some bin bags
Box of home made brownies
Couple of frozen meals - lasagne, chilli
salt and pepper and oil
spices such as curry powder

Some great suggestions and we do a lot of these, Dh always rolls his eyes and suggests the kitchen sink but really appreciates it when we get there, especially now that all the games and extras are out of bounds due to covid. Went a couple of weeks ago and really regret not taking large pint glasses so will take some plastic camping ones as we all love a really big glass of water/fizzy. Also scourer. Could not do without a couple of large mugs, coffee, tea, sandwich bags, kitchen roll, fruit bowl full of fruit, hot sauce, also always take whatever’s left food wise in fridge at home and throw it into the first couple of days meals/packed lunches.

We have started taking a cheap collapsible laundry airer with us, most of the places we stay at have a washing machine, but nowhere to dry clothes or a pool/hot tub and ditto! It collapses fairly small and acts as a boot guard! Good job we have a people carrier!

Also take an extension lead and couple of four way sockets, nightlight and torch!

We got a gousto box delivered to our accommodation this week 😁 4 lovely meals all ready to cook with no faff. We will probably get takeaways or eat out the other nights.

Salt and pepper, I’ve had to buy that before and it’s a pain as I don’t need an extra pot of each when we get home.

The place we are staying in this week is lovely - a few teabags provided and a pint of milk in the fridge! Ideal die a cuppa when we first arrived before doing our big shop.

I take tea bags and coffee - saves buying a whole box/ jar there and we don't use loads. Also took a bag of pasta and snack bars as I have hungry teens!