Self catering holiday, what we shouldn't forget...

[killthewiseone]

We're going on a self catering holiday soon with 2 young DC. We've never actually had a proper holiday together before so feeling a bit clueless. We're writing up a checklist of all the things we need to remember, but can anyone suggest the easily forgotten but completely essential items we'll need for a self catering holiday?

This is my list (and apologies for the repetition):

Bedroom:
Sheets/pillow cases/duvet cover (so you don't get hit with hire charges)

Kitchen:
Knife set
Sieve
Coffee
Tea
Tea towels
Washing up liquid
Brush/scourer
Clothes for wiping down surfaces
Bottle opener
Wine cooler
Oven glove (I always forget this and end up using a doubled-up tea towel)

There is usually and Aldi/Lidl near the campsite so we go there for stuff like oil and herbs and then leave it behind, though if we are due to arrive around teatime I will bring something easy to make the first evening, such as pasta in tomato sauce.

Bathroom and car bits and bobs are the same for all our holidays so I haven't listed those.

Hand wash/soap for every basin/sink in the holiday home. I have been caught out before only taking one & keeping on having to shout "You'll have to go upstairs!" every time anyone goes into the downstairs loo or tries washing their hands at the kitchen sink!
Extra towels for swimming/beach - even if towels are provided they quite often ask you to keep them in the let (and they'll be lovely white ones you won't want to get dirty!)
Yy to supermarket delivery, we time it to coincide with our own arrival and it's so much easier than bringing your own food.
Check the facilities so you can bring dishwasher tablets, DVDs, CDs, games etc if the required technology is there.

One of THESE or another one from their range, they are brilliant for travelling and also for picnics!

pesto, grated cheese, pasta

I'm not planning on cooking any dinners at all whilst we're on holiday this year so I'm not taking anything like that. Plus it's a good excuse to use on dh when I want to eat out every night.

There should be milk, tea, etc in our cottage but I'll either take a few breakfast and lunch things, if I've got stuff to use up, or I'll have a shopping delivery for when we get there.

I'm also going to have wellies and raincoats in the car just in case.

Last time we went away dd2 was just walking so we took a baby gate for the stairs.

Picnic bag and drinks bottles and rug is handy. Ice cube bags. Usual sun hats, creams, repellents, etc. Beach dress cover ups and swimming things.

I shall come back and check up on this thread later as there's bound to be loads of obvious things that I'd forget.

We self cater every year, pretty much every holiday, and while I now refuse to stay in Dead-Grannies'-Cottage (you know the one - with the 1970s carpet, the oven that hardly works and the damp smell) what is provided varies widely. IF it is UK based it is worth checking trip advisor and website for an idea of what you will get. Or just email and ask owner. We are staying in a great cottage at the moment and it provides everything - loo rolls, cling film, tin foil, dishwasher tabs, wash powder, oil and herbs, bubble bath and so on. This isn't usual.

I'm going to assume UK and suggest:

Take enough food for meal that night and breakfast the next day, so if you are delayed en route then it won't matter if local shops are closed.

If you can book supermarket delivery do so. Or take it with you when you go, you don't want to be shopping when on holiday. Book a supermarket delivery for when you get home too, as you'll be knackered from travelling, have nothing in the house and again won't want to go shopping.

Kitchen: dishwasher tabs, sharp knife, peeler, corkscrew. Small bottle of olive oil, twist of herbs in cling film, twist of gravy powder in cling film. Nick sachets of salt, pepper and sugar next time you are in a cafe to pack. Flask, plastic cups for kids, plastic plates and bowls, box for putting sandwiches in for picnic lunches. Wash powder to keep on top of laundry.

Kids stuff: couple of plug socket protectors if younger, multi plug if kids are older and they have electronic devices to plug in, stuff for beach, colouring books and pens / sticker books. If DC are younger take a bed pad for putting under sheet in case of accidents. I take a small bag with a few "surprises" in for wet days / slow mornings. Usually lego friends animals bling bag things, a new DVD, the sticker books.

Randomly: map of area, binoculars, guide books. Any tech you can't live without (we have taken Chromecast for the last two holidays). My coffee machine which I need to be able to function as a human. Wine.

I'm totally of the "everything and the kitchen sink" school of packing. Boot is stacked. But we have fun. Hope you do too.

We tend to just make do with whatever equipment we find in the accommodation, but the things we do take (apart from all the obvious things) after years of self catering in caravans and cottages is:

Sharp knife
Small chopping board (am coeliac so I keep a separate one from the bread/everything else board)
Our favourite (usually much bigger than standard self catering) mugs
small bottle of washing up liquid, plus scourer/whatever you use for washing up
curry powder/mixed herbs/small oil/salt & pepper mills
roll of bin liners
kiddy cutlery/plastic mugs if your LOs are little
Tupperware tubs for sarnies/picnic stuff as these are seldom provided.
A loo roll (though there is usually one there)

To be honest though; the standard of accommodation is much much better tha it ever used to be. We've just come home from a weekend in a (bottom of the range) caravan and there was a full washing up liquid, sponge and cloth, two loo rolls, and a welcome pack of catering sachets of tea, coffee, sugar, salt, pepper, biscuits and diluting juice. We were very impressed!

Also check if you need to bring your own towels/sheets/tea towels. Though I always take additional tea towels as I'm a use once then wash type, and usually you only get two at the most.

And, after last year, I will never, ever stay for longer than a weekend in a place with no washing machine! Even with loads of clothes with us, the weather was such that we wanted our shorts and skimpy tops for the full two weeks (in the UK, so we hadn't gone over-board on the really warm weather gear!!)

And that is the annoying thing about holidays in the UK; you need to pack for every possible weather type; we arrived last Friday in shorts and sandals, and it bloody well snowed all Sunday morning

Enjoy xxx

I also take the evening meal/breakfast for when we first arrive, empty the contents of the fridge and take a selection of cupboard staples. We usually go for two weeks though, so I know I'll get through them.

We took so much that we could have just put wheels on our house and brought it along. Loads of fun though.