What's your best packing tips / must have holiday essentials?

[NoHank]

We are packing today for an early morning flight on Wednesday to Menorca. (yay) Me, DH and DC's aged 6 and 3. I think I have everything we need but I am always convinced we are going to forget something probably because we forgot to take our camera on honeymoon

DH always packs and splits all the clothes between the cases just in case one goes awol which seems a good idea.

So what other clever ideas do you have? And what are your must haves to take. I'm doing a last minute shop today for any essentials I might have missed. We have sun cream, painkillers, plasters, toiletries etc. what have I missed???

insect repellent.

Calpol. Everything else you can buy there.

Sucky sweets for the plane

Tiny pot of eye gel for the plane - feels luxurious and stops your skin getting all dry

Beach ball

Immodium Instants

pack a few ziplock sandwich bags for all sorts of things, left over slices of pizza, seashells that want to come home, and some big zipocks for dirty laundry, it packs down better and stays flat in a ziplock.

pack of cards, set of dice, earplugs for the beach if you want to snooze and dont want to be disturbed by the old ladies that natter to each other for hours.

get beach ball when you arrive, same with toiletries, suncream/ they are really heavy and you can all use the same showergel/shampoo when you get there and leave it behind. and ibuprufen is so incredibly cheap in spain you may want to bring a few 100 back with you.. 600mg aswell!!
likewise flipflops, beach towel, sunhat, get it all there not from accessorise at the airport!

Roll all clothing into tight cylinders. These take up less space and keep the clothes relatively wearable.

It also makes it much easier to find items in the case if you are the type (like me) who can't be bothered to totally unpack for a weeks holiday.

I agree with not taking your own shampoo etc unless you have allergy issues . Buy a big bottle of whatevers cheap and use it to wash everyone and everything including clothes. I rinse out pants and small things to hang over the balcony rail when I can . Extends the holiday wardrobe and cuts down on the washing when back home.

talc to get the sand of your feet

USB chargers for all devices and a universal converter plug that has a USB hole. And lots of books (on kindle for me now, happily- lighter).

We always take a stove top espresso maker, because a holiday with dire coffee doesn't bear thinking about. May just be us though!