Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

What’s the worst thing you’ve forgotten to take on holiday?

356 replies

Ricekrispie22 · 29/07/2021 19:51

There’s always something I forget! Our car is all packed for the off tomorrow but it feels like I’ve forgotten something.

OP posts:
bigbaggyeyes · 30/07/2021 20:21

Bikini or swimming costume on a foreign holiday. It was a place that had all designer shops, so the only ones I could buy had like slow cut front and getting bum. I'm a slightly overweight, big boobs, short, late 40s older lady. I looked like a right idiot in my yellow, boob showing, bum out swimming costume for the rest of the holiday GrinBlush

AlwaysLatte · 30/07/2021 20:26

Ourselves! Completely forgot! (Went out 24 hours later).

2Hot2Handle · 30/07/2021 20:30

The key to our roof box with all our stuff packed in it! We realised 2 hours in on our 3 hour journey and had to turn back to get it!

Our 2 year old was in the car too, so we had to miss a night, slept back at home and did the journey all over again the next day 😫

bemusedmoose · 30/07/2021 20:47

Being the only adult with 2 kids forgetting stuff is inevitable!

The first time I took them away camping I was so focused on sorting their stuff and the tent that I didn't realise til we were set up that I had nothing but what I was standing up in for the next 10 days! Not even a jumper. Wasn't warm enough to get clothes washed and dried over night so ended up grabbing a pack of Sainsbury's pants and a cheap tshirt and work on a wash it wear it basis.

As long as I have phone, cash, card, keys and the 2 teddies the kids can't be without, anything else can be replaced or made do without. So I just do my best and don't worry.

Foxylass · 30/07/2021 20:51

My clothes!
I managed to get the DC to pack well, I packed for DH plus all toiletries....and never put anything of mine in!

33goingon64 · 30/07/2021 20:57

I once left the wallet containing all 4 passports on the seat on the plane. Midnight arrival, long queue for passports, 2 young DC. Got to front of queue - no passports. A very long hour later, someone brought them to us. Rejoined the queue, at the back of course, and finally made it home about 4 hours after the plane landed. DH was very calm given it was a major Fuck up. Passports could have been stolen.

Bleachmycloths · 30/07/2021 21:02

My credit card! I had euros in cash but it was stressful having to have a daily cash budget.

Abraxan · 30/07/2021 21:02

Contact lenses - didn't count properly abd normally had at least a couple of spares for big days out. Had to go round Disneyland Paris with only one lens in. Had laser surgery now so linger a problem.

Other time I left my bag at home a few years back now. Had my phone and wallet in. Dh with us so wallet was fine abd luckily it was before everything was in my phone and/ior in Apple wallet! So was annoying but not a disaster.

Bleachmycloths · 30/07/2021 21:03

... but I can see from other posts that my suffering was minimal compared with what other people experienced

ClubTropicanaVIP · 30/07/2021 21:34

Left our hotel in Italy to drive home to UK through France and had left my passport in the bedside drawer.....had to drive all the way back to retrieve it! Luckily only added 2 hours to the journey 🙈😆

Panickingpavlova · 30/07/2021 21:38

My make up, romantic trip to Venice and nothing not even a concealer! I quickly learned there is no boot /super drug one stop make up shop.. Nothing!!

1WildFlower · 30/07/2021 21:47

We went away for Christmas and forgot the presents. Ended up being a lovely Christmas and no one missed the presents.

KateRose · 30/07/2021 21:54

All my clothes. I had to wear my husbands for the weekend. He’d had a strop and chucked the bags in the boot of the car but somehow my bag wasn’t there when we arrived. I just had to get on and enjoy the weekend and see the funny side of it.

ClubTropicanaVIP · 30/07/2021 22:05

@KateRose

All my clothes. I had to wear my husbands for the weekend. He’d had a strop and chucked the bags in the boot of the car but somehow my bag wasn’t there when we arrived. I just had to get on and enjoy the weekend and see the funny side of it.
Hah...would DH have seen the funny side if it had been the other way round??!! 😆
Flipflopfoodle · 30/07/2021 22:08

Passports! Had to stop, rebook ferry, DH and kids went to bed I drove back home over night, drove back . Picked them up, carry onto ferry port. Got to house in France only an hour after the rest of our family who had gone independently on the original ferry which was an over night sailing.
Was my DH who forgot the passports, I don't let him forget it.

pteradactyl · 30/07/2021 22:32

We went to Disneyland paris one March and I was really happy the weather forecast over there was sunny, 15 degrees the whole time. We packed jumpers and light coats.

Well the weatherman was wrong! It got into the minuses some days and we had snow. Bought ridiculously expensive, completely unsuitable hats in their shops which have never, and will never, be worn again.

Everyone's taste is different but I'm not wearing a hat with Minnie mouse ears on anywhere other than Disney. I wasn't that keen on wearing it at Disney to be fair, but Jesus it was Baltic!

pteradactyl · 30/07/2021 22:35

I've also regularly forgotten things like socks and pjs, but something really stung about not getting "nice" (for March) weather AND having to pay loads out AND not being able to wear the stuff again!
Itm

Lunaduckdrop · 30/07/2021 23:22

Forgot the bedding once when we went camping. On arrival in Ireland had to find a Dunns and buy a duvet, pillows and duvet set. Felt very stupid!

ColdTattyWaitingForSummer · 30/07/2021 23:34

Toothbrushes and toothpaste on a weekend break. Thankfully hotel reception gave us spares.
Pyjamas or a nightie (I used to sleep naked at home.. not so great when staying with family Blush)
Enough painkillers (picked up the open bottle without counting, had to eke them out as it was a bank holiday in the middle of nowhere, so no chance of getting an emergency prescription).
Also left my brand new prescription sunglasses at the hotel in Majorca and forgot to bring them home, but at least I enjoyed them for the week we were there.

Yescheese · 30/07/2021 23:35

Passport

FakeFruitShoot · 30/07/2021 23:39

We are on holiday atm and our 7 year old forgot to bring any shoes. She'd been playing in the garden barefoot as we left. Fuck sake.

HopingForOurRainbowBaby · 30/07/2021 23:48

Purse with my bank card and drivers license. I only realised midway to my destination. I had a money bag full of pound coins but due to exH pissing about in the morning I missed my booked train which also meant I wouldn't be in time to catch the other 2 and had to fork out another £50 for 3 new tickets. Thankfully I was able to use my phone to get some cash out once I arrived. No Drivers license meant I got ID'd for everything

Forgot exH socks one year, packed about 14 pairs for myself. Luckily our hotel was in a shopping centre so he was able to buy some

ExH again I forgot his boxers. Queue frantic dash to get the most expensive pack ever

Me. My lovely expensive citizen eco drive watch. I left it in the premier inn at Newcastle airport but didn't realise until a few days into the holiday when I went to put it on one night. I got my OH to ring up to see if it had been handed in and to go get it if it had but it had been taken by someone. Gutted

badlydrawncat · 30/07/2021 23:48

My clothes; all of them except a spare pair of knickers and a cardigan.

I'd packed my carry on with phone cables, toiletries, meds, headphones etc, then laid out my clothes in the spare room ready to put in the bag in the morning. We left without them and I didn't notice until we were putting stuff away in our Airbnb. Luckily we were in Dublin for 4 days and it was Autumn so I'd travelled in layers including jeans and trainers so I was able to make do buying one other t-shirt and rinsing the undues and t-shirt I'd I'd travelled in through and drying them over night.

MeandT · 31/07/2021 00:27

Handle of the breast pump on a 2 nighter away from my 8 month old....just about fashioned a makeshift alternative from the cutlery drawer to save me from exploding Blush

emmiep · 31/07/2021 05:01

Tent poles for our week- long family camping trip. We must have forgotten to pack them last time we camped.
Had to buy a new tent from a local camping shop which was really expensive.
Not a great start to the holiday with everyone blaming everyone else for not packing up properly! Angry