Holiday hacks

[LifeInAHamsterWheel]

We're going abroad soon, self catering, first time abroad in a long time and I've forgotten the things I used to bring to make things easier.

So far all I've got is an extension lead so that we can plug in various things with just one adapter - I know there are loads more, but my mind is blank!

Hit me with your holiday hacks please

I often buy a pop up washing basket to help separate dirty and clean clothes

Depending on what time you arrive is there going to be food. We arrived at 11pm one in France and I though there would be a welcome pack of at least milk. Nada. Just went to bed and early to the shop the next day.

Are you driving or flying?

In some areas, shops are closed on Sundays, or close earlier than in the UK.

Bring the kitchen sink. You might need it.

I have vivid childhood memories (90s so things may have changed!) of my mum packing:

A good vegetable knife for food prep
Cling film / foil / sandwich bags
Salt and pepper
Tea towel
J cloth

Travel plug to plug lead in. If the lead has USB ports much handier
I always bring a roll of carrier bags to separate washing etc and have in my bag for wet swimsuits from beach

Nothing really to add (sorry 😳)

But the extension lead to plug in multiple things with just one adapter 😮! What a good idea!!

Aren't you clever 😁

Agree with a good knife! Also a tablecloth - sometimes outdoor tables can be a bit grubby and it makes it so much nicer.

Tea bags!

Travel Wash & clothes line makes life easier if you need to give things a freshen up.

Milk sticks, coffee, tea sugar etc so that if you get there late you can still have a decent cup of tea/coffee.

Tin Opener

Ice cube bags

Are there no shops near the accommodation? Very often there are places where you can literally buy the kitchen sink for half nothing. Chinese shops actually.

But if you are going somewhere remote, bring the sink with you.

Packing cubes
Lightweight reusable bags like envirosax
Samples of cleansers etc
A collapsible water bottle
A spork
Something fabric that can be used as a towel, beach mat, rolled up to be a pillow
A cotton kaftan to wear indoors

You can get those 2 in one or 3 in one coffee sticks.
Coffee and milk with or without sugar
All in one little stick, so easy while abroad

Depending on luggage space, we've always taken:

A box of cereal that you know DC will eat

A couple of bags of pasta and some Dolmio stir-in sauces. A quick, cheap dinner / lunch if the kids are grouchy and the space left in the suitcase when used up can be filled with holiday tat souvenirs.

Clips (like you get in Ikea) are handy for sealing big bags of crisps etc. on picnics.

A bit of laundry soap is always handy for a quick sink wash of essentials.

If you can be sure it won't leak, a small bottle of cooking oil saves buying a big bottle at your destination.

The better one is to put a foreign plug on a British extension lead that has USB ports in it. When I saw my BIL whip that out of his suitcase I was green with envy with my silly little solo plug adapters 😂.

I always take a decent tea towel, dish cloth, 5/6 bin bags, decent bagged up tea and coffee ( stuffed into my favourite mug). If you plan to hand wash anything then a little pack of 2 soap tablets will do a good few loads by hand or 1-2 big load at the laundrette. I find dry shampoo and soap travels much better than liquid.

Decent size mugs. We now keep some in our case ready for holidays. All of the cups in self catering accommodation are tiny

The things you need to take are often essential things that are only available in larger quantities. So....

Dishwasher tablets for the number of days that you're staying.

Tea bags, including herbal as often fresh milk cannot be found.

Bin bags.

Coffee

We always take an aeropress, bags of coffee and a sharp knife if going on ferry.

We also always take to self catering:
Olive oil
Ketchup
Mayo
Salt and pepper

Otherwise you end up buying over priced small bottles of these.

Best self catering we stayed in was sag harbor on long Island - a cupboard and fridge with all the Ingredients for American pancakes on the first morning plus wine for first night. Plus it had a yoga mat and umbrellas. Loved that house.

My list includes

• "first dinner " (pasta & stir in sauce),
• UHT milk & tea bags / coffee
• packet of biscuits (rich tea or similar)
• washing up cloth, towel and liquid
• adapter with 2+ USB ports for charging
• 2 bottles of beer (kept cold in cool bag to relax after the long drive!)

...

Pegless washing line and hand clothes washing liquid so clothes can be washed in the sink
I buy shampoo/shower gel/ toothpaste when I get there so I don't have to carry it and it's all used up at the end of a week for 4 of us so don't carry it back.
Biscuits/snacks for emergency snack on arrival - having to go out hangry is never a great start
Mini squeezy super concentrate squash to add to water for my fussy dc
Playing cards/uno/dominoes

I take enough clothes each for 5 days. Then regularly use the washing machine. I know some people will say that's not a holiday but when going for 3 weeks its good to have a capsule wardrobe and things wash and dry very quickly.

I also take a wooden spoon, potato peeler, marmite, salt, klippets, tuperware (for sandwiches/opened packets in fridge), tea towels, shower towels each plus an extra hand towel in case the toilets aren't in the bathroom.

If possible I take old trainers for the DC that are nearly dead and throw them away at the end of the holiday.

Cool bag. We use a frozen bottle of water in it rather than an ice pack

I haven’t been on a self catering holiday (apart from centre Parcs) so don’t pack any of the above but I have discovered extra big pegs from Matalan or Amazon that are good for using on windy days for pegging towels to sun loungers.
Dental floss works well as a mini washing line on the balcony.

"The better one is to put a foreign plug on a British extension lead that has USB ports in it. When I saw my BIL whip that out of his suitcase I was green with envy with my silly little solo plug adapters 😂."

😆 @devonianBiatch so clever and useful!! I really wish I could afford to go somewhere and use this new information 🤣

This thread has given me a great birthday present idea for someone who's going on holiday after their birthday!
A holiday care package and first on the list is a extension lead with USB ports!!

Thanks for starting this thread OP 😉

*an