Self-catering - your best/worst things to take, and favourite tips!

[Gentleness]

We went on our first self-catering holiday last year since having kids and on the way back talked through all the things we would have done differently with hindsight, what we wished we'd taken and what was a waste of space etc. Dh wrote it all down in his notebook. The notebook is lost.

I have a day and a half to pack and the only darn thing I can remember is to take a jar of mixed herb sort of things to perk up pasta and omlettes etc.

So - as it says really! What do you take or leave?

Any seasoning you might want, such as salt and pepper, sauce. Perhaps some stock cubes.

Cooking wise, take whatever things you use a lot, but would not want to buy a whole tub of just for a holiday.

At least one toilet roll, in case there are none when you arrive.
Beach towels if there will be a beach/pool.
Some small toys/games for the kids in case it rains.
Any comforters the children use.
A coolbox/bag for picnics out.
Clingfilm or tinfoil if you use either.
Perhaps a dishcloth in case there isn't one there.
I'd also take teabags/coffee/pint of milk/sugar so we could have a drink as soon as we arrived.

That's all I can think of for now. If more comes to me I'll pop back.

You perfect angel! Just spent the last hour and half catching up on housework after 2 days mainly chasing round after my poorly kids and sat down to make a list and you've done it for me - thanks SO much.

I always pack a sharp kitchen knife as often the ones they provide are blunt. Also a meal for the first evening.

I always take a couple of sandwich boxes which i fill one with snacks for the car as a lucky dip box for the kids and the other with dried pasta. i then pack a tin of tomatos so that if we arrive impossibly late then i can always make a meal for them. i also stock up on the ketchup and mayo sachets at the service stations so if we have to stop for "emergency chips" the kids have something to put on them!!

It's probably a bit late but my top tip is to have a home delivery the evening you arrive. You can usually find one supermarket that will deliver and the drivers will have been there before! No worries then about rushing out to a shop or taking enough for the first day! Always take a tea towel and a washing up sponge. A tin opener is odten useful as they are broken or rubbish.

Oooh - not too late at all! So far the list only got half written in between reclaiming my home and miserable snotty children! I can see it is going to be a late night! At least we're not leaving till mid afternoon tomorrow...

Dvds, if you will be in during the evenings, once the dcs are in bed. Sometimes the tv reception is dire or non existant.

I agree with sandwich boxes and small pots of cooking ingredients you wouldn't want to buy a whole tub of. I also fill the boxes, on the way down, with snacks for the journey.

Watching with interest as we leave in a week.

I used one of the travel sized bottles (6 for £1 in poundland) and filled it with washing up liquid to save buying a whole bottle. i also filled a very small pot with flour so i could make some cheese sauce for DD (who was only 9 months at the time) and not have to buy a whole KG of flour.

I always take a block of cheddar too (but that was in spain where cheddar is expensive and not great quality).

Kitchen scissors, a roll of bin bags and a cork screw. The scissors and corkscrew are often missing / not working in self catering accommodation, and the bin bags can be used for anything - putting laundry in, sitting on on wet grass, providing a cover on a car seat if DC has been sick.

Sandwich bags, coffee, tea bags, sugar, salt & pepper, bottle opener, tea towel, a meal for the first night, dishwasher tabs, some washing powder (for the inevitable emergency wash of something).

I also get a supermarket delivery to the cottage for the night we arrive with loads of easy cook meals, drinks and picnic things (and wine!!). It saves loads on eating out and means I don't spend all week cooking.

Bin bags

torch (depending on how central house is) tea towel, tea bags, mixed herbs, marmite/peanut butter, sandwich bags or little boxes for picnics. rug for picnics. small toys for children, blow-up ball. pack in a smallish plastic crate and you have somewhere to hurl the children's toys in the evening. paper and felt tips too.

Ditto the home delivery - might not be too late, saves a load of grief having to get all the stuff together.
My list:

• Soap
• Washing up liquid
• Dishwasher tablets
• Pasta sauce & Pasta for emergency meals
• Cling film
• Foil
• Cafetiere and real coffee
• Peanut butter
• Cereals
• Bottle ( or two of wine)
• Tea towels

I do hate packing for s/c particularly if its just for a long weekend, but get really irked having to buy cling film etc when there is loads of it at home

We take:

-a sharp knife and a good pocket knife

• a couple of freezer bags and 2-3 small tupper style boxes
• a cool pack or two and a mini cooling bag.
• tea bags

We normally try to find a supermarket on the way if we arrive early enough or ask if the caretaker can purchase some basic items to have breakfast the next day. We normally ask for milk, bottled water, butter, jam and a loaf of bread.

Alternatively, stay at mine - we provide tea bags, coffee, sugar, dishwasher tabs, kitchen basics like olive oil, cling film, salt , pepper, laundry tabs, toilet rolls, free wifi, Sky, DVD library, toys, cot, highchair, a bottle of milk and a bottle of wine

When we self cater I often make a lasagne or macaroni cheese to bung in the oven as soon as we arrive.

Thanks all! Great offer CornishKK - tempting, but I wouldn't inflict my snotty rasping boys on you!

Still not packed... Sigh.

Always take my own chopping board and a couple of sharp knives.

Where abouts are you Cornish (well, I'm assuming Cornwall, but which bit)

My list

Basic first aid kit (painkillers, calpol, plasters etc)
Frying pan (SC ones are usually terrible)
Sharp knife
Small boxes of cereal
Marmite (essential!)

If I don't organise a shop to be delivered we take a cool box with a frozen bottle of milk, frozen chilli or similar and cold beer or wine. Lunch normally goes in the top of this box as well.