Packing for £9.50 Sun Holiday

When planning a £9.50 Sun holiday I like to think about how much and what I need to pack. This may make a difference dependent on how I am travelling there. There are certain things that most camp sites do supply such as a television, beds, chairs etc. Things such as cutlery, plates and so on it will depend on whether you have chosen to go self-catering or not. There are things that we will risk not taking and if they are not supplied then we can easily purchase them nearby. It is good to check out what shops are easily accessible before you set off. Other things we take with us as a matter of course because we do not want to risk them not being available and nor do we wish to purchase another (such as a kettle and decent sized mugs; cups are provided but not usually very big).

I love to make lists for packing for my £9.50 Sun holiday, that way I can mark them off as I go. It is easier if the list is organised into different sections. You can also do a clothing list for everyone but I find it easier to split this per person so I can check off each one as I put them into the case. This also means the older family members can take responsibility for their own clothes.

Clothing for my £9.50 Sun Holiday

This will depend on where we are going and what we want to achieve. For example when going to Duinrell it was casual clothes for the whole day as we did not change in the evening. At Devon Cliffs we went to the club so we wanted evening wear to change into. The Isle of Wight we are expecting to need old clothes for outdoor pursuits. You also need to decide whether you wish to travel light and using the camp sites launderette facilities, or whether you want to take enough for the duration of your break. Consider if some clothes can be worn more than once (such as a pair of jeans), or if someone is likely to need extra clothes (a child messy with food, or still wetting themselves). Do you have a bed-wetter? If so you may need spare pyjamas or wish take to take some dry-nites with you. Of course you want to consider what the weather will be like, and how likely that will be to change.

Some items of clothing you may want to take include:

Pants, socks, bras, vests, swimwear, pjs/onesie/dressing gown/nightie, slippers, trousers/leggings/jeans/joggers, t-shirts, jumpers/cardigans, dresses, shirts, shorts, scarf/gloves/hat (sun or wooly), coats (either warm or waterproof), footwear (shoes/sandals/trainers/boots/walking boots/wellies), sunglasses.

Bedding:

You may decide on whether to pay the extra costs of having the linen already there or not. This can save on a lot of space but also be quite costly with a large family. You may want to consider taking your own if someone is likely to wet the bed too. Make sure if you do decide to take your own whether you need to take bedding or just the covers. If you have plenty of room you may wish to think about taking extra pillows, as there is often only one per person allocated (or this is what we find as a family of 6).

Toiletries and Bathroom:

Deodorant, make up, make-up remover, cotton wool, toothpaste, toothbrushes, mouthwash, soap, body gel, shampoo, conditioner, moisturiser, razors, nappies, night pants, toilet roll, wipes, flushable wipes, cotton buds, make up, tissues, deodorant/body spray, hair styling products, hair bands, nail scissors, brush/comb, sanitary wear, perfume,  and towels (hand/swimming/shower).

A tip I was told was buy new toothbrushes for when you return home from holiday and then you do not need worry about bringing your old ones back home again.

You may also want to consider adding a first aid kit with some basics needed for children such as paracetamol, inhalers,travel sickness tablets and plasters. Not forgetting your Sun tan lotion.

Kitchen:

Tea towels, mugs, washing up sponge, matches, washing up liquid, baking trays, sharp knife, scissors, washing powder, carrier bags (for wet clothing and to use as rubbish bags).

Do you want to take your own food and drink (including alcohol)? Will you be going on day trips and benefit from a cool box/bag?

Electricals:

Kettle, iron, hair dryer, straighteners, wavers, radio, laptop/tablet, portable DVD player (and DVDs), games consoles (eg ds), mobile phones (if going abroad check they are able to be used there), all their chargers and a 4 way plug.

Entertainment:

As well as the electrical entertainment you may want to consider some other forms of entertaining the children. If they are going swimming they may need buoyancy aids (arm bands/life jackets), or how about swimming toys (or a boat). Will they want to take their goggles or are they swimming for fun and likely to lose them? Do you want to take your own beach toys – buckets/spades etc or will you buy some when you are there? How about a kite?

You may also want to take some toys to entertain them once they are there. Did you want to take something like Lego, or are you worried about the pieces getting lost? We find that cars and books are a good choice. If it is a long journey you may want to take something to entertain them on the way, especially if you are travelling on a ferry. I often have a separate travel entertainment bag for ease.

Extras with young children on holiday:

Baby cups, cutlery, plates, potty, high chair, bibs.

Travelling in Europe on your £9.50 Sun Holiday

If you are driving to Europe then you may need to check the requirements with the country that you are going to. Some things to consider making sure you have/or need are:

Passports, Health card (EHIC), European plug adapter, Cash deposit box, Euros, spare car bulbs, high vis safety jackets, legal car paper work (MOT, insurance, tax disc, driving licence both parts, log book, breakdown cover), fire extinguisher, warning triangle, breathalyser kit, GB sticker, beam deflectors, directions, spare change (for toll roads), the appropriate swim floatation devices (which may be age dependent and different from at home) or swimming certificates, translation book. You may want to take a thermos flask for tea/coffee to help if you have a long drive.

Miscellaneous:

Paperwork (holiday invoice, insurance, car paperwork), wallet/purse, handbags, jewellery/accessories  and a camera.

Have a think about what is important to you if you are short on space or have some extra. When going away with the girls my make-up and straighteners are important. But my £9.50 Sun Holiday with family I’d rather leave them behind and make sure we have more towels.

You may also be interested in this post from Candy Floss Dreams – about packing for a caravan holiday when you do not drive.

Let me know if you can think of anything else I have missed.

Enjoy your £9.50 Sun Holiday.

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