I am useless and need your help...

[Ewe]

I am absolutely rubbish at packing and planning and organising things. We are going to France next Saturday, we are both working full time until then so I have this weekend to sort things out.

It is me, DP and DD who is 16 months. This is my list thus far... What else do I need to think about?

France

Car
Breakdown cover
Hi vis jacket
Warning triangle
Driving Licence
Insurance Documents
Vehicle Registration Documents

Travel
Travel insurance
Ferry Tickets
Passports

Essentials
Ibuprofen/Paracetemol
Calpol
Thermometer

Clothes?

Oh yes, they should probably come under essentials.

Sun tan lotion
Anti histamine cream/tablets
Hair products
Nappies, wipes etc.

God, I am so rubbish, I hate organising stuff.

I need someone elses holiday spreadsheet to plagiarise!!

Addresses, maps, driving directions to your destination and places you are going to visit.

Cancel any milk/newspapers. Sescure your house. Make an online grocery shop for delivery on your day back.

I tend to plan carefully the things I can't buy at my destination, and am much calmer about things that are easily replaced.

One of the things we forgot to pack last time and it was inconvenient to replace was beach towels (we now have twice what we need).

If you wear glasses, take a copy of the prescription in case you need to get a new pair. I neglected to do this for DS1 and paid the price.

All excellent ideas, all things I hadn't thought about! Thank you.

EHIC cards

Just found them down back of sofa and got DP to do his online, hopefully it will come back in time.

I found this list by googling as I don't visit that site, but I've found it to be fairly comprehensive.

Wow, comprehensive isn't the word, that is amazing LadyMuck!

I had completely forgotten about electrical items, baby monitors, camera etc. That would have been a nightmare!

We've just got back from France and I went into Halfords before I left and got a list of their legal requirements. Everything on your first list but also a set of spare bulbs for your car. Apparently the french police are very anal about you having everything on their list and do on the spot fines if you haven't got it all

We were in France last summer and duly visited Halfords beforehand.

We were very happy to have our high visibility vests when we were putting our roofbox back on the car in a dingy (but fast) Parisien street.

oh god, you too scienceteacher.
we had to take the sodding new roofbox off several times to get in and out of bloody tiny carparks.
I'm sure the locals were having a damm good laugh at our expense watching DS1 and DH struggling with the bloody thing whilst I stood at the side of the road with DCs 2, 3 and 4.
If we ever go again (unlikely at the moment) it will be the train

lo's favourite toys, blankie, milk cup
wellies, raincoats
savlon

You also need some stickers to change the angle of your car headlights to stop them dazzling oncoming drivers. Halfords do them, but so do the ferry if you get stuck!