To get extremely stressed before holidays

[tobeworried]

I only go on holiday once every couple of years and even then it’s usually for a week at most and within the UK. But even so, I get so stressed in the run-up to the day we go away. I feel like there are a million things to do - leaving the house pristine being one of them so that everything’s in order and it’s nice to come back to on our return.

I always seem to end up with about five loads of laundry to do just before we leave, because I’ve been so busy with work and am disorganised.

Then there’s the food for our self catering holiday, the packing and feeling like I need to be covered for absolutely every eventuality for us and the kids - silly as we’re only staying in the UK, it’s hardly the Sahara desert! I suppose I just want to get to our holiday cottage and totally relax with a glass of wine, not suddenly realise we don’t have something essential and have to send DH off to drive to the supermarket.

I also have this feeling like absolutely everything at home needs to be sorted before I go - such as the paperwork that’s been piling up in the filing cabinet for example. Or the other life admin that needs doing at some point soon (even though it can wait until we get back). I don’t know why I feel like this.

Does anyone else get really stressed in the run-up to holidays, and do any holiday pros have any tips on how to get organised and chill the F out?

@Netaporter You win the thread .

Holidays stress is so much greater with DC, especially as they get older.
Every year I used to try and find the perfect destination, somewhere that has all the things that weren't quite right last year. For example one year the DC liked body boarding so the following year we had to go somewhere with waves.
It was never perfect. Actually there was one holiday in Alvor Portugal that was close to perfect, but we went there again the following year and it wasn't as good......

I've had some disasters as well so the worry isn't always unfounded. Like the time when DC were late teens and we took a girlfriend and she ended up in hospital in Greece.

DC are adults now and one of them will often still come on holiday with us abroad. This year I have booked a huge place in the UK and they are both coming along with girlfriends. What could possibly go wrong?

@Hax

Lol. Netaporter in now sat on the plane on the tarmac watching other harassed mothers play Jenga with the overhead lockers whilst their DH’s ignore the kids or wives and continue with work emails. Netaporter has no fucks left to give. Mainly because of champagne. Also because for once I have managed to use some of the billion avios we have to get a return flight. For all of us. Tis a miracle. I am wearing newish pants, am ready for the emergency services to inspect every part of my life should the worst happen, I have even managed to stop off at DHL and retrieve my outfit for tonight. I am also tres tanned. Toodlepip!

Same here. DH is useless.

I do mostly relax when we get there. And I hugely overpack partic for the kids!! We generally go rural where there are no food deliveries so we bring basics. And wine!

The best ones were ones where only I k re where we were going and I told the others at the airport.

A few years back my brother pointed out that they have babies in Spain too.

I.e. anything you forget you can buy there. I've got better but I still get a bit stressed in the run up.

I agree with the comment about going away more.

I was the same and still can be if I’m not careful. But going on smaller holidays regularly has helped. Less to prepare, less time away from home. We buy food when we get there so just pack snacks.

I leave the camping stuff packed in the cupboard in a very organised way. So, when it's time to go I can just throw it in the car and that's that. Clothes and food need sorting in the run up (I have to take food at least for the first day or so as I am on a medical diet and can't just pick up something convenient 😭) agree about the house though. Why do domestic standards suddenly rocket when you're going away? 😂

I have a packing list on my phone that I keep for all holidays. It’s split into sections like ‘sleeping’, ‘playing’ ‘eating’. That way I don’t have to write a list from scratch each holiday which involves lots of thinking, and worry that i haven’t thought of something. Trust the list. Take out the bits that aren’t relevant to the particular holiday you’re off on. When things occur to you during the year or when you’re on the holiday and think about something it’d be useful to have, you can add them to the list.

This is me too. I also get really stressed out ahead of day trips. I know it’s my issue and I need to fix it as I’m aware how much I affect people around me.

I think I need to be more organised, get things done the night before for day trips, but often I think “why should I?” when DH sits there and says it doesn’t need doing till the morning.

I do prefer to do a pre-holiday Big Clean, as I have cats at home and want to make sure it's pleasant for the lovely neighbours who come and feed them. And it's the cats I worry about most - one is a big accident-prone doofus, and is also prone to roaming particularly in nice weather. I'm always worried that if she doesn't get injured or stuck somewhere she'll move into number 11 where they are very liberal with the Dreamies.

Cooking is suspended though even if we're self-catering. I am normally an everything from scratch person, but I value a week of not getting my hands dirty, so we stock up with deli stuff on the journey and just graze in between pub meals.

I used to be the same, & I went on plenty of usually long haul holz. I've stopped cleaning before I go, God knows why, but I always used to clean the cooker too. As soon as I'd booked I'd start the what if I die, or he dies ... I've got a list & I've never forgotten anything of importance, yet. So long and I can get my hair done, have my travel insurance, credit card, & passport I don't need anything else. I was still getting a bit of a rage on the morning that I left, but I sorted that out by booking an airport hotel for the night before so that stops me stressing about the what if I miss the plane thing.

I have never heard of or experienced this! Funny how differently people go through life!

Going on holiday makes me realise how much of the same stuff I wear, all the time.
And in the uk at the moment, I'm not even sure what season to pack for - the balance between sandals/ bare feet, & socks/shoes... not to mention how many short/long/warm/smart things.

And that's just for me, my DC are all grown up.

As a result, I leave packing till the last minute (I've tried packing early, I forget stuff much more if I pack early, & can't remember whether I've put X in. Lists don't help because I often dont know what weather I'm packing for, see above....

I didn't get it at all until I had a child. I used to be really adventurous. DS came out in a rash when we were in France and I remember thinking we could be back at our own local hospital by tea time if necessary. It might have started then.

I don't clean extra, I obviously do the last washing up, clean out bins but I am not deep cleaning the house.

I start a crate with games, chargers, books, camera, first aid kit, medication etc where things are added over a week or so.

I make a list of things we need to buy and I try to finish that around 2 weeks beforehand.

In the morning I have a second one with food we take with us like cereals, jam, open packs of sweets etc. In a cooler we take milk, sandwich stuff, butter, yoghurt, basically what's in the fridge and hasn't been eaten.

We check where the nearest larger supermarket is and stop on route to get fresh stuff and whatever we need for the first couple of days.

I try to get the washing basket down as much as possible but I don't bother. with ironing unless it's something we need to take with us.

God, my parents are like this and it drives me nuts. They've both lived in multiple countries too, but they just seem to fall apart when it comes to holidays.

My Mum has to take everything with her, even if she's going to Marbella and staying in a naice hotel she has to take her own tissues and her own mugs (+ her own tea bags and kettle). I once told her I'd just buy tissues if I needed them, or use the hotel ones and she had an absolute meltdown. She also can't cope if the hotel doesn't serve a free breakfast. Eating out or buying your own breakfast is beyond the pale.

Oh and packing, packing is a weeks long ordeal.

My Dad has to be at the airport 5 hours early. He is a nightmare, snapping at everyone and stressing out until we actually get on the plane.

As a result (a rebellion?) I am extremely laissez faire. I take water bottles, plane snacks and the usual nappy bag of stuff for the toddler and otherwise I just chuck stuff in the suitcase the night before.

I work full time though, and have a husband who LOVES to plan travel, so maybe that's why? I don't have time to get worried about it and don't need to, because someone else is on the logistics.

I only pack as close to going as possible! Only because of packing earlier stresses me out. Also have a packing list which helps calm me down a wee bit