This is your Essential packing for a self catering holiday guide. This is the Mind over Money Matters guide to what you need to pack to save money and maximise Joy. Whether you are abroad or holidaying at home the ideas and reasons are the same.
First things first, find the right cases, check your weight allowance and get some luggage scales. Cheap ones from poundland are fine, or borrow some. You don’t need the niggling thought as you are going to the airport that your cases are overweight. You certainly don’t need the extra weight charges at the airport. Check out the essential hand luggage checklist, for what to pack in the bag that stays with you – under the seat.
It’s important to ask yourself two things; First is why are you going on holiday? Second is How can I maximise my Joy?
Why you are going on holiday? This is what you need to figure out and keep in mind when you are packing. Keep these reasons positive (No – to get away from work or get away from the rain ) – twist those reasons round to give yourself the right mindset. So we go on holiday to relax, enjoy sunshine or new experiences, to lie in until we want to wake up, enjoy quality time together.
How can I maximise the Joy? Now we always pick a few things that are Must Dos on holiday. And we let the rest just happen. Our must Dos for Cyprus this time were 1 Hire a motorbike and explore. 2 Road trip to Paphos in a Convertible car 3 Walk the costal path from Pernera (where we are staying) to Fig Tree Bay. 4 Dinner at Mojitos (our favourite restaurant). Take some time to really work out what you’d like to do, then even if that’s all you do, your holiday will be wonderful.
Now my packing list may seem a little strange. Today Taz said to me ‘ Honey we need to get some more toilet rolls’ My response – ‘There’s some in the suitcase’ Let me tell you why – There is nothing joyful in shopping for the essentials abroad, in a holiday resort prices are more than double what they are at home, and do you really want to spend your holiday (especially when its really hot) traipsing carrier bags of expensive, unknown quality washing powder back to your holiday home?
Here’s an example. In UK Tesco mouthwash – which is actually fine by the way – 70p. In Cyprus a tiny bottle of Listerine is 4 euros 30. And its like industrial paint stripper – harsh. No one ever came back from holiday with a happy shopping story. Even if you hire a car and go to the main supermarkets, its still expensive and you have to buy more than you need, and I’d take a guess at saying ‘supermarket shopping’ is not on your ‘Must Do’ list.
Being able to enjoy your holiday without financial stress is essential, take the pressure off yourselves by covering the basics, you only need one or two memorable meals out. The rest can be cheap or put together your own. One night here we had toast, tomatoes and halloumi for dinner, greek bread is so delicious and the tomatoes so fresh and tasty. We ate outside, sitting on our sunloungers. Another night, takeaway kebabs, sitting on the empty beach at Fig tree bay. Cheap, delicious and memorable. We spend our money on Small Joys like drinking the perfect coffee and people watching in beautiful Paralimni Square.
To ensure maximum holiday enjoyment, it’s important to add experiences, do different things, really enhance the holiday. Make it memorable. We visit Cyprus a few times a year, (always book the best value way, less than £650 this time – read about it here) and have a mix of things we always do (because we love them) and new experiences. This way the trips don’t all blend into one. Each holiday has to have its own memorable moments. We have the best of both worlds. Read here soon how we maximised the Joy this trip.
- Toiletries This is everything you would normally use at home. Everything. In the month before you go add an extra shower gel or toothpaste or something to your shopping when they are on offer. We use Original Source shower gel. We either stock up when its on offer, or get it from savers or poundland. Start a holiday pile and add to it. It’s not costing you any more as if you weren’t on holiday, you’d be using it anyway. Get toothbrushes from £1 shop, we don’t take our electric ones. So shower gel, puff, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrushes, toothpaste, mouthwash, floss-sticks, shaving stuff (his & hers!) deodorant, moisturiser, hairbrush, hair wax, tweezers, scissors, tampons etc. If you need it at home, bring it. on holiday.
- Household. Your holiday home will probably have washing machine and dishwasher, you will likely have a starter pack provided of a little washing up liquid, a bin bag and a dishwasher tablet. Bring everything else, just like the toiletries, you don’t want to buy washing powder that may bring you out in a rash or that you’ll not use, or a whole roll of bin bags. Work out how many days you’re staying and bring enough. We are here 9 days, I brought 7 washing tablets, 3 dishwasher tablets, 4 black bags, 5 bin bags and 6 toilet rolls. Along with a tea towel, kitchen roll, sponge, washing up liquid and some antibacterial wipes. We may take some home but that’s fine.
- Staples You know we love our breakfasts, we still max the breakfast joy on self catering hols. At home breakfast is pretty much Bran flakes (own brand) with raisins or Oats so simple (bought when on offer – which is most of the time!) On holiday we bring Alpen or Crunchy nut cornflakes for most days, and we have 2 breakfasts out. We also bring teabags, coffee, tic tacs, one packet of biscuits and a jar of honey (to go with the fabulous greek yogurt) Also plasters, ibruprofen, suncream and aftersun. We also bring own brand piritese and cold sore cream. And tissues.
- Entertainment Books, playing cards and a frizbee. Sometimes we add Uno if there’s more of us, chose what you don’t have time for at home. What more do you need?
- Clothes and shoes So you may be thinking ‘How on earth will there be enough space for my clothes?’ Right think about it, what do you really need? What did you take last holiday and how much did you actually wear? You have a washing machine. You don’t ned to buy loads of new clothes, nobody is judging you on what you are wearing, no-one is saying oooh they wore that outfit a couple of days ago. Nobody cares, everyone is too wrapped up in themselves to notice that you wear something new every day. Since last year I have lost over 2 stone, and Taz over 1. When I tried on my holiday clothes, they actually fell off me. Apart from one dress which I could get away with and a pair of shorts. There was not much choice of summer clothes in the shops in April so I ended up buying one bikini and a couple of strappy tops. And another pair of shorts and jeans and a top off ebay. Spent about £40 total. And I have been fine clothes wise. Flip flops and a pair of nice evening sandals. What more do you need?
- Pool towels We always take our own, you only need one each. You can wash them in the evening if you need to and hang them out, they will be dry by the time you need them.
You will save so much money and time and will be able to concentrate on enjoying your holiday. Feel free to email me here and I will send you back a pdf version that will print off better, with space for you to add quantities and notes.
Do let me know in the comments what you are adding to the list, and where you are going, and please share on facebook and twitter.
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