AIBU we leave on holiday tomorrow morning and …

[Sundaybananas]

We leave on holiday tomorrow morning, and I’m the only one packed. DH and two older teens have done nothing. They barely seem to have registered that we are going tomorrow.

AIBU to just leave them to it, and if that means they have nothing but what they are standing up in then maybe they will learn for next time?

(so as not to drip feed, it’s a U.K. self catering holiday but we have to leave at 8am tomorrow, and the location is remote. There will be a small supermarket but no clothes shops.)

No washing for them either? That's just being nasty!!

Good grief! Where do you find time to work and cook normal meals and have a rest??

I use a packing app for me, and when the DCs were younger I used a printable picture packing list.

Some of this is done over the weeks and months beforehand (this year, we are going to France on the train and we couldn't book UK trains or Disneyland passes when the rest was booked so we've done the trains now and are waiting for 4? 2? weeks in advance to get the Disney passes.

Why on earth would you wash the car, iron stuff that's going into the suitcase, spring clean the house, surely refuelling the car is a 5 minute job before you get on the motorway???

You definitely have too much time on your hands.

Well they'd soon learn not to be so silly.

As it is, it sounds like it's all fine and I hope they made the ferry and have a lovely time.

This is horrendous- are you still married to this useless article?

@Griff1963

does being male and having a penis prohibit them from using a washing machine?

@Fitasafiddle1

Spring clean house ready to return
Clean fridge and cupboards
Pet delivery
book shopping
salon visit for hair
Salon visit for wax, pedicure and manicure
Wash and iron everything
Security lights etc
house checks
water plants
buy new clothes if needed
match with jewellery
cosmetics bought
trips, activities and restaurants booked
last calls to family
book food shopping for return
Double check schedule and hotels
passsport check and paperwork
car refuelled, washed and cleaned and ready
Meals planned for travelling days
snacks and water for journey
washing completed

Half that list is the regular running of the house, I don't just suddenly gut the cupboards for the house to stand empty. I doubt many people are living in filthy houses, only to clean them for the time they won't be there.

Last calls to family? Are you not planning on coming back 😂

why would they have packed? It will take them 15 minutes this evening surely?

The reason they havent is because they know you will....Time to change the behaviour and make them self sufficient.

But they’re 17, 18, and whatever age her DH is.

Why would OP need to wash for them? They’re all adults and will be capable of doing their own laundry.

Your sister came to help? Why couldn't your husband do it, is he always so useless? Like fuck would i ask my sister to help while my husband did fuck all and if i was the sister I'd have just laughed and said no way!

I agree. Well done OP.. Hope you have a lovely holiday.

This is the type of list I would use if I was expecting to die the following day!!!!

I INSIST you report back and tell us exactly what he said after you showed him the evidence!

'Packing' is an ambiguous term. It takes 15 mins to 'pack' assuming everything is washed and in the right place. It takes 5 mins to pack the boot assuming the boot is empty. It takes 2 mins to lock the house up, assuming all the prep is done.

My kids and DH do their own packing but I do all the prep, this starts weeks in advance in some cases like buying new clothes for the kids. The week before im using up the fridge contents and getting ahead on laundry. The day before if I'm in driving to self catering I'll pack kitchen essentials, shampoo, towels, medicines etc. If we are flying we still need a version of this, some family essentials. The day of or before I water plants, cancel deliveries, bring pets to their minder, empty bins and bring them out front, pass a key to a neighbour, lock windows, unplug items. There is always the last minute kitchen clean up from our last meal including wash up. None of this counts as packing but is part of the process.

I'm with you. I don't do so many beauty treatments, I only book in for a wax but I always make sure I have cleaned and batch cooked meals to have ready in the freezer for when I return so I'm not coming back to any jobs or chores straight after my holiday

Does it matter though? Like, does it actually matter? Unless you have a flight to catch, or you have to check in at a specific time, does it really matter if you leave later?

I'm the one who is always ready, but I couldn't get worked up about this. I'd get myself ready and then find a book to read with a brew until the rest of them were sorted. They'd be told in no uncertain times that they weren't allowed to disturb me either!

One of my favourite ever mumsnet comments was on a thread like this, and a posters dh thought she was a drama queen about packing and made a meal of it. So he declares he'll do the packing for the next trip. A week out she suggests he start packing. No need, stop making a mountain out of it. Shes dropping hints and reminders. Night before the holidays he turns to her and says he's ready now- where's all the stuff for holidays and he'll pack it. FFS.

These days we just pack the night before. DH doesn’t take long at all.

Night before the holidays he turns to her and says he's ready now- where's all the stuff for holidays and he'll pack it.

"The stuff you have bought/prepared/washed etc? I haven't moved it.."

Oh its in the holiday packing room darling, in the west wing, past the ballroom.
Just after the go f yourself painting.
Jesus christ thats nuts.

That’s not the reason I don’t pack any earlier. I’m the only adult at home so no one else to do it for me.

i don’t do it earlier because I don’t feel the need. As long as it’s done when I need to leave, that’s all that’s required

Does it matter though? Like, does it actually matter?

It can. I have a carefully curated drive coming up to avoid getting stuck in various regular traffic jams (emergencies can of course still happen). It is 7 hours if we leave at the chosen time, but at least 10 if we leave 2 hours later because someone couldn't be arsed to pack on time. I mean not a matter of life and death but I'd like to avoid those extra 3 hours..

As a teenager I used to come home from work, changed and went to nightclub, came home at 1 or 2am, picked up my clothes in a plastic bag, and a case, went to all-night launderette, washed clothes, put them in the dryer, and then packed them! Simple. Used to have earlyish flight so straight to airport. No sleep, no hassle. It was normally only me travelling.

I have a packing list in my notes for big holidays, the kids do their clothes, and have responsibilities (eg. youngest makes sure we have all the chargers/adaptors etc)

If it's self-catering, I actually put a box out a week beforehand and start putting things in it off the list as and when I see them. Then we do a full pack the day before, so the morning of we can just put it in the car and go.

I do like to have a clean car for the journey, and I try to be organised enough to buy snacks beforehand, but sometimes we get them on the way if I've not had time.

My house checklist is beds made, fridge and bins emptied, stuff down all the toilets (may as well since we'll be away), and in general nothing that'll fester.

It works. I don't like packing the night before personally, I prefer to have enough time that if I discover something is missing while packing, I have time to get to the shops for it. I'm a 24hrs before packer. (provisional pack for big holidays a week early)

OMG… that’s hilarious!