The ultimate packing list for the summer holiday!
Roxanne and her family are leaving the day after tomorrow by car for Austria, which means that tomorrow is the big 'packing day'. On this day, the children will be nervously running around the house while Roxanne and her husband 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 please come on holiday, and cry buckets when Roxanne explains that it really isn't possible. Additionally, on this day her mother-in-law will call to wish her a nice holiday and put extra pressure on Roxanne by emphasising that she must not forget anything this year, especially considering the mistakes of previous years. Due to all these factors, Roxanne has always found this day incredibly stressful. However, this year she isn't worried at all about 'packing day', as she has a clear packing list from ChaletsPlus that ensures she won't forget anything this year!
Categories
On packing day, Roxanne opens her phone and calmly scrolls through the packing list. The list is divided into the categories clothing, travel documents, toiletries, other items, luggage for the journey, equipment, and ‘things to do’ before departure. She decides to simply check off the list from top to bottom, so she starts with packing the clothing.
Clothing
Roxanne begins by packing her own clothes before gathering those of her children. Fortunately, it doesn't matter much whether you're an adult or a child, as both need clothes, so she can use the same list for herself and the kids. However, for herself, Roxanne packs a few summer dresses and skirts that aren't on the list, as these are covered under 'shirts or trousers'. This way, Roxanne calmly checks off the packing list regarding clothing.
- Shirts
- Trousers / Skirts / Dresses
- Jumpers
- Jacket
- Swimwear
- Underwear
- Socks
- Shoes
- Flip-flops / Sandals
- Nightwear
- Rainwear
- Headgear
Travel documents
After packing all the clothing, Roxanne's suitcase is already quite full, so she decides to take a few pairs of shoes out. Five pairs for one week in Austria is a bit excessive, she thinks. She then checks the packing list again and sees that she has reached the category 'travel documents'. This is an important category because it includes essential documents for the holiday, and also because Roxanne made some mistakes in this category last year… She forgot her passport. This year, that won't happen, as 'ID' is at the top of the list of documents not to forget.
- ID
- Accommodation confirmation
- Boarding pass
- Copies of important documents
- Car rental confirmation
- Health insurance card
Toiletries
While Roxanne is busy packing the toiletries, her husband comes along. He claims to have been finished with packing his toiletries for a long time. He has put a toothbrush, a jar of gel and some aftershave in his toiletry bag and was done. Roxanne laughs and points out that the list of toiletries is much more extensive than that, and quickly lists the entire list:
- Hair products
- Medication
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Deodorant
- Skincare products
- Make-up
- Shaver
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent
- After sun
- Nasal spray
- First aid kit
Other important items that Roxanne's partner needs but hasn't packed yet and definitely must not forget, which are also on the list under toiletries:
- Sunglasses (prescription)
- Glasses
- Contact lenses
Also, the family must not forget other items:
- Bag for dirty/wet clothes
- Beach towel
- Bath towels
- Coffee capsules/pods
- Umbrella
- Hairdryer
Luggage for the journey
While Roxanne is still packing the suitcases, her husband (Michael) makes sure the car is already fully loaded. The car has been prepared for the long journey to Austria over the past few weeks, so he doesn't need to worry about that anymore. He has also already read the blog about 'driving to Austria with kids' to prepare. Now he just needs to ensure that all the necessary items for the journey are organised, which he does using 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 after Roxanne zips up her suitcases, her phone with the packing list falls down. At that moment, she realises she hasn't put a charger in her suitcase. She unzips her suitcase again, charges her phone, and takes another look at the packing list. To her surprise, she sees that she has forgotten all the items under the 'equipment' category, except for the earbuds/headphones and power bank that her husband has already put in the car. The equipment she forgot includes:
- 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 Roxanne and her husband's phones, and onto the tablet on which the kids watch films during the journey. Roxanne selects the films and downloads her favourite series, while her husband downloads the latest music and podcasts onto his phone, so they can also enjoy them on the way to Austria. He also downloads the offline route on Google Maps, so he can navigate if there's no internet available.
- Download films
- Download music
- Download series
- Download podcasts
- Download games
- Download offline route
Phone call
When everything is sorted, Roxanne's mother-in-law calls. Roxanne answers the phone, and her mother-in-law immediately starts chattering: "Roxanne, this year you must not forget to take anything on holiday because last year..." Before her mother-in-law can finish her sentence, Roxanne interrupts her and says that this year everything will be just fine thanks to the packing list from ChaletsPlus. Her mother-in-law immediately falls silent and says: "I'm very glad to hear that because then I only have one thing left to say: have a wonderful holiday, everyone!"
A clear packing list can also be found in our app. Download the app here on your mobile phone or tablet.
