If I haven’t already mentioned (which I probably have), I’m going to the Lake District in a week! This means that my holiday planning mode is fully activated and I’m organising my socks off to be ready to go.

I have literally been counting down the days in work until we go, and I’m getting more and more excited by the minute! We haven’t been on holiday since my birthday last June, so this was a long time coming and I am more than ready for some country air!

Packing is one of those things that I like to start doing a week or so before we go so that I don’t forget anything,  but sometimes it can be difficult to really know what we need to take on holiday- and this can result in taking lots of things we don’t need, and missing out on the essentials. So, I have made a little list which should hopefully help you to pack the right things for you without wasting valuable suitcase space!

Clothes:

Essential items:

• Underwear- 1 pair for each day you are away- Plus one extra pair.
• Bras- 2-3 bras will suffice for a week away (girls only, although I won’t judge)
• Socks- Again, one for each day you are away- PLUS one extra pair.
• Tops- On average you’ll only NEED 2-3 tops but of course as women we may want more options, this is really down to preference. Take a long sleeve,short sleeve and a vest- for unpredictable weather
• Bottoms- A pair of Jeans, a Pair of Joggers, A pair of Shorts, A skirt – prepare for every scenario here
• Shoes- A pair of flip flops/ sandals, A pair of Trainers, A pair of pretty shoes, A pair of hiking boots (if you need them)
• Nightwear- 1 set of pjs should last you a week if you don’t wear it overnight. Don’t forget Slippers!
• Coat- 1 Waterproof coat can be a lifesaver

 

Other:

• Dress- this is only really if you decide that you’ll be going out places or even if you want to wear this as you travel down
• Jumpers and Cardigans-I would recommend wearing a hoodie or cardigan as you travel- then at least it doesn’t take up excess space and you have it if you need it.
• Jewellery- Only ever take Jewellery if you have to. It’s far too easy to lose.

Kitchen (if self-catering) :

Essential Items:

• Bin Bags- Honestly, this is such an important thing to take on holiday and can really save the day.
• Clingfilm/ Foil- A lot of cottages don’t have these item- and if you are planning picnics, you’ll need some form of wrapping for your food.
• Dishwasher Tablets- Take 4 tablets with you, just in case
• Washing up liquid- Again, just in case
• Salt/ Vinegar/ Oil- If you use these in your cooking, it might be useful to take a small amount of each with you.

Bathroom:

• Toilet Roll- I think this one speaks for itself!
• Toothpaste
• Toothbrushes- how often do you change your toothbrush? Probably not often enough. Take your old ones on holiday and you’ll have new ones to go home to
• Mouthwash- You only need a travel size one here unless you think you need a lot!
• Shower Gel- Buy a nice big bottle which will last all week
• Shampoo and Conditioner- Don’t bother with travel size, for a little extra you can get a full size bottle which you can take home afterwards!
• Razor- Buy a cheap disposable razor for holiday so that it doesn’t matter if you trow it away.
• Face Wash

Cosmetics:

Essential Items:

• Toner, Serum, Moisturiser- Only take what you know you use every day!
• Makeup- This is hard, but take whatever you can fit in your makeup bag. You don’t need 2 or 3 eyeshadow palettes, just choose your favourite!
• Deodorant/ Perfume
• A hair clip/ Bobbles/ Headband- for when in the shower and in bed.Or even just if you fancy wearing your hair up.
• Sun Care- This depends on where you are going, but make sure you have some sort of sun cream with you just in case!

Miscellaneous:

Essential Items:

• Phone Charger
• DVDs (if you need them)
• Books
• Camera and Charger
• Sat Nav
• Medicine/ First Aid kit. Sam and I are asthmatic so we have to remember our Inhalers, but things like paracetamol, antihistamines and plasters are useful to have
• A rucksack- If you are planning on lots of walking, a sturdy rucksack is essential.

 

*Pro Tip: Take your pillows with you then throw them away after. A lot of cottages don’t have enough pillows so this is a great hack. It also means you can go home to brand new pillows!

That’s it! Of course this is based on a native country holiday, but you can apply some of these to a holiday abroad as well!

What items would you put in your essentials?