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Original poster

Staycation - what have I forgotten to pack?

65 replies

Tartanpup · 29/04/2023 15:51

Myself, DH and Ddog are off on a staycation on Monday for 4 nights. We are staying in a self catering lodge with a hot tub. We plan on eating breakfast every day and dinner one night in the lodge and have bought the food for that.

I am almost packed but please give me suggestions of something I may have forgotten?

OP posts:
thebestbirtheraccordingtoDD · 29/04/2023 22:34

Baking tray. There's only ever one.
Sharp knife.

Butter
Bacon
Toothbrush
Ham
Gravy
Peas
Beers
These are not the things I forgot to pack last week when we went away honestly

SmurfHaribos · 29/04/2023 22:37

Staycation means staying at home and having day trips out.
Do you mean you are going in holiday in this country? That is called ‘a holiday’.
You don’t have to go abroad for it to be holiday, it’s very normal to have a holiday on UK. Better for the environment too.

VisionsOfSplendour · 29/04/2023 22:49

halfsiesonapotnoodle · 29/04/2023 19:20

Completely agree. Staycation means staying at home. It's a holiday OP. Hope you have fun. You can wing it if you've forgotten anything.

Show quote history

Yes to staycation meaning staying at home but that aside have you never been on a self catering holiday? Assuming you've booked somewhere via a proper website/agency you don't need to take household items unless you have some outlandish requirements you can't manage without for a few days

Quitelikeacatslife · 29/04/2023 22:58

Staycation you are in own bed at night and do holiday style trips out or lounge about and read book in own garden .
I think calling UK holiday a staycation got popular in covid and was a bit patronising from middle class folk who normally go abroad.

Packing wise I'm sure you have it all, got wine and crisps?

Breezycheesetrees · 29/04/2023 22:59

Grrr "staycation" makes my teeth itch. It's a holiday, just take whatever you'd normally take on holiday.

UsingChangeofName · 29/04/2023 23:06

SmurfHaribos · 29/04/2023 22:37

Staycation means staying at home and having day trips out.
Do you mean you are going in holiday in this country? That is called ‘a holiday’.
You don’t have to go abroad for it to be holiday, it’s very normal to have a holiday on UK. Better for the environment too.

Yup, this.

Unexpecteddrivinginstructor · 29/04/2023 23:11

I am sure they will sell most things wherever you are going. Accepting that makes packing less stressful.

cherrypied · 29/04/2023 23:24

I took a kitchen aid coffee machine and a footstool. It was bliss but wtf was I thinking taking a footstool on holiday. In my defence it's a small footstool not a giant pouffe

Clothes for all seasons so shorts and thermals. I had to buy shorts one year as it was so warm at Easter. It's annoying buying stuff you can take.

I hate a having million bags so I take proper suitcases rather than bags for life.

Favourite mug/flask/packed lunch bag/ water bottle/Tupperware. Umbrella so you can hot tub if it rains!

crew2022 · 30/04/2023 07:35

Why do posters think it necessary to pick up on words used by the poster and not answer the question?
So what if it's a staycation, a holiday or a mini break in the UK.

I would pack warm clothes and also things like rubbish bags and cleaning cloth etc. ketchup if you like it. nothing more annoying than going for a short break and having to shop.

BarbaraofSeville · 30/04/2023 07:52

It's not picking on words though, if you stay somewhere other than your own home for leisure, it's a weekend break or a holiday, whether it's half a mile down the road or on the other side of the world.

I only clicked on the thread because I couldn't understand why you'd need to 'pack' if you were taking a few days off at home, having trips out and generally being in the holiday mindset, ie not going to work or doing too much 'house stuff' and relaxing and treating yourself instead.

Do people who live in big countries like the US or Australia, many of whom will probably only ever holiday in their own country, call it a 'staycation' because they go to Florida when they live in New York, or vice versa? No.

Skyellaskerry · 30/04/2023 08:23

Like others have said, I always take a sharp knife, plastic chopping board and wash up sponges.

I’ve often also found that mugs in holiday lets aren’t often very nice but that can be a nice excuse to buy a nice one from where you are and take home with you!

I also take my own spices.

have a good time!

Cantthinkofaname2203 · 30/04/2023 08:25

I thought a staycation was where you stayed at home, took a/l to do all the touristy things you wouldn’t normally?

how is it a “stay” cation when you’re going away?

rampagingrobot · 30/04/2023 08:26

Surely a "staycation" is where you stay at home? Otherwise it's just a "holiday". People can go on holiday without having to fly miles to a different country....

SweetSakura · 30/04/2023 08:27

Staycation means staying at home and doing day trips surely - so no need to pack!

rampagingrobot · 30/04/2023 08:27

But when I go on holiday, always take a sharp knife, chopping board and aeropress.

Highworth · 30/04/2023 08:29

Waterproofs.

Highworth · 30/04/2023 08:29

Dog towels.

megletthesecond · 30/04/2023 08:32

Nothing as you'll be in your own house.

EarlGreyAndCucumber · 30/04/2023 08:55

What you really need is a good spreadsheet.

I have one for each type of trip that we do (family, work, camping, centre parks, overseas beach holiday) with a list for each that I refine every year as the children get older.

I then do a scenario based assessment of each day, looking at what I intend to do, and what I will need to do it. I then update my spreadsheet accordingly. When I get back I check to see if there’s anything on the spreadsheet I need to change. (Get up: dressing gown, slippers, caffeine, favourite mug. Feed llama: tinned llama food, food bowl, water bowl, tin opener. Make breakfast: bread knife, chopping board, bread, butter. Washing up: dishwasher tablets, scrubby pad, washing up liquid, dishcloth, tea towels.

I don’t like being unprepared for anything, and this approach helps me relax.

Kpo58 · 30/04/2023 09:00

Why do you need to pack if you are staying at home? Or do you mean that you are going on holiday?

QuickNameChangeForMeToday · 30/04/2023 09:07

Tartanpup · 29/04/2023 15:51

Myself, DH and Ddog are off on a staycation on Monday for 4 nights. We are staying in a self catering lodge with a hot tub. We plan on eating breakfast every day and dinner one night in the lodge and have bought the food for that.

I am almost packed but please give me suggestions of something I may have forgotten?

@Tartanpup clearly states she is going to staying ‘in a self catering lodge with a hot tub’ in her opening post. I can’t decide if all the snide posts are intentional or just plain idiotic. 🙄

Kpo58 · 30/04/2023 09:37

TBF, she would be self catering at home and she may have a hot tub.

LongTermLurker · 30/04/2023 09:43

Sleep mask. So many holiday homes have no shutters/thin curtains.

Original poster
Tartanpup · 30/04/2023 09:43

Wow I’ve really rubbed people up the wrong way by using the word staycation haven't I! It can actually mean both, feel free to google the word staycation.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions! I love that you brought your footstool @cherrypied haha!

Staycation - what have I forgotten to pack?
OP posts:
HurdyGurdy19 · 30/04/2023 09:46

I used to keep a "going away box" with all the things we'd need when self-catering.

I always found that mugs in rental properties were really small, so I took my own decent sized one from home.

Toilet rolls and bleach, and kitchen rolls.

At least one sharp kitchen knife, tin foil, frying pan, washing up liquid, kitchen spray cleaner, tea towels, salt and pepper and any "must-have" sauces, tea, coffee, sugar/sweeteners.