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The ultimate packing list for the summer holiday!

By: Simon la Lau at 16 July 2024
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You and your family are setting off for Austria by car the day after tomorrow, which means tomorrow is the big ‘packing day’. On this day, the children will be running nervously around the house while you and your partner stuff the suitcases with all sorts of things. One of the children will probably ask five times if Toby, the half-metre-tall teddy bear, can come on holiday, and will burst into tears when you explain that this really isn’t possible. Meanwhile, your mother-in-law will call to wish you a lovely holiday while also putting extra pressure on you by stressing that you mustn’t forget anything this year, especially given last year’s mistakes. All these factors have always made this day incredibly stressful for you. However, this year you’re not worried about ‘packing day’ at all because you have a clear packing list from ChaletsPlus, which ensures that you won’t forget a thing!

Categories

On packing day, you open your phone and calmly scroll through the packing list. The list is divided into the following categories: clothing, travel documents, toiletries, miscellaneous items, luggage for the journey, equipment, and ‘things to do’ before departure. You decide to simply tick off the list from top to bottom, starting with packing your clothes.

Clothing 

You start by packing your own clothes before gathering those for your children. Fortunately, it doesn’t make much difference whether you’re an adult or a child – both, of course, need clothes, meaning you can use the same list for yourself and the kids. However, you do add a few summery dresses and skirts for yourself, which aren’t on the list, as they fall under ‘shirts or trousers’. This way, you calmly tick off everything on the clothing section of the list.

  • Shirts
  • Trousers / Skirts / Dresses
  • Jumpers
  • Jacket
  • Swimwear
  • Underwear
  • Socks
  • Shoes
  • Flip-flops / Sandals
  • Nightwear
  • Rainwear
  • Headgear
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Packing the suitcase

Travel documents 

After packing all the clothes, your suitcase is already quite full, so you decide to take out a couple of pairs of shoes – after all, five pairs for one week in Austria seem a bit excessive. You check the packing list again and see that you’ve now reached the ‘travel documents’ category. This is an important one, as it includes essential documents for the trip – and because you made some mistakes in this category last year… Back then, you forgot your passport. But that won’t happen this time, as ‘ID’ is right at the top of the must-not-forget list.

  • ID
  • Accommodation confirmation
  • Boarding pass
  • Copies of important documents
  • Car rental confirmation
  • Health insurance card

Toiletries 

While you’re busy packing toiletries, your partner walks in, claiming he has long finished packing his own. He’s put a toothbrush, a small pot of hair gel, and some aftershave in his toiletry bag – and that’s it. You laugh and remind him that the toiletries list is far longer than that, then quickly read it out loud:

  • Hair products
  • Medication
  • Toothbrush
  • Toothpaste
  • Deodorant
  • Skincare products
  • Make-up
  • Shaver
  • Sunscreen
  • Insect repellent
  • After sun
  • Nasal spray
  • First aid kit

Other important items your partner needs but hasn’t packed yet – and definitely must not forget – are:

  • Sunglasses (prescription)
  • Glasses
  • Contact lenses

You must also not forget these miscellaneous items:

  • Bag for dirty/wet clothes
  • Beach towel
  • Bath towels
  • Coffee capsules/pods
  • Umbrella
  • Hairdryer
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Loading the car

Luggage for the journey 

While you’re still packing the suitcases, your partner is making sure the car is fully loaded. The car has already been prepared for the long journey to Austria over the past few weeks, so there’s nothing more to worry about there. He has even read the blog on  'With kids in the car to Austria' as preparation. Now, he just needs to ensure that all travel essentials are packed, which he does by following the packing list:

  • Withdraw cash
  • Earbuds / Headphones
  • Magazine / Book / e-Book
  • Extra jumper or cardigan
  • Travel pillow
  • Medication
  • Extra set of clothes
  • Sleep mask
  • Power bank
  • Chewing gum

Equipment

Just as you zip up your suitcase, your phone – with the packing list on it – slips from your hands. At that moment, you realise you haven’t packed your charger yet. You open your suitcase again, plug in your phone, and check the packing list once more. To your surprise, you’ve forgotten everything under the ‘equipment’ section – except for earphones/headphones and a power bank, which your partner has already packed in the car. The items you had forgotten include:

  • Phone charger
  • Laptop (including charger)
  • Tablet (including charger)
  • Batteries
  • Camera (including charger)

Downloads

Once all the suitcases are packed and loaded into the car, it’s time to download a few things onto your and your partner’s phones, as well as onto the tablet that the children will use to watch films during the journey. You pick out the films and download your favourite series, while your partner downloads the latest music and podcasts onto his phone so that you can both enjoy them on the way to Austria. He also downloads the offline route on Google Maps so that he can navigate even if there’s no internet connection.

  • Download films
  • Download music
  • Download series
  • Download podcasts
  • Download games
  • Download offline route

Phone call 

Just as everything is sorted, your mother-in-law calls. You pick up the phone, and she immediately starts chattering: "This year, you really mustn’t forget anything for the holiday because last year…" Before she can finish her sentence, you interrupt her and confidently tell her that everything will be absolutely fine this year, thanks to the ChaletsPlus packing list. She immediately falls silent and then says: "I’m so glad to hear that! In that case, I only have one thing left to say – have a fantastic holiday!"

A clear packing list can also be found in our app. Download the app here on your mobile phone or tablet.