Given the name of this travel blog, it won’t surprise you that I am always keen to make sure I’m well prepared and have everything packed that I’ll need. In the past I’ve been caught out and the thing I most often forgot was my hairbrush rather than my toothbrush strangely enough. I ended up buying a spare one for the car because I’d been caught out so many times. Now though I’m much more organised and have a complete duplicate set of kit for traveling. I just pick up the various pouches and pop them into my bag and I’m good to go. It’s a more expensive way of traveling, but worth it in terms of stress reduction.
I know I’m not the only one prone to forgeting things. Also I know that it’s easier in a way to remember things before a big trip, but a couple of days away visiting family over the festive season can catch you out. New research has revealed that we’re a forgetful bunch with one in ten ALWAYS failing to remember their toothbrush when packing for a festive break. However, the humble RAZOR is the most forgotten item, with 18 percent never remembering to pack one, followed by the phone charger (17 percent), and sunglasses for sunny, wintery walks (14 percent).
Despite the UK’s changeable weather, one in ten (10 percent) always forget their wellies when going on a staycation, while 22 percent said they often regret not bringing a brolly.
Eight percent have gone away for Christmas without a hairbrush, tweezers, or even any PJs to sleep in.
As a result, an exasperated 10 percent say they always end up forking out for new items of clothing, toiletries and cosmetics on holiday, because they forgot to pack essential items, according to the poll of 2,000 Brits, commissioned by holidaycottages.co.uk.
The cost of forgotten essentials can quickly add up. In fact, the holiday letting agency estimates that to replace everything listed in its top 10 ‘most forgotten items’, this could easily cost anything between £80 and £100 – money that could have been better spent on making memories while away with friends or family.
Yet despite forgetting the basics, 20 percent of Brits insist on ALWAYS taking a sewing kit, while 12 percent never go on holiday without being armed with bug spray.
A keen 18 percent of Brits pack their bags for a trip TWO WEEKS before leaving, while most (23 percent) leave it until a week before. Meanwhile, 58 percent of us say we repack our bags at least once before going away – highlighting some uncertainty over what to take.
On average, we pack SIX outfits for a long weekend or mini-break in the UK. Almost half (40 percent) fail to put their things away once they’ve reached their accommodation, admitting to living out of their luggage for the entirety of the trip.
The most unused items Brits pack emerged as work-out gear (only seven percent who take their gym kit actually hit the gym), board games (seven percent) and kids’ homework (four percent).
A spokesperson for holidaycottages.co.uk, which commissioned the poll, commented: “Whether going for a long weekend or a week away, one thing’s for sure – this time of year is a fantastic time to enjoy an off-season getaway in the UK. But with the UK’s traditional seasons shifting, we’re seeing more unseasonal weather throughout the year which can make packing for a staycation more challenging.
“It seems that we’re so busy working out what to bring to cover all bases that some of us are forgetting the essentials and, of course, that can add on unnecessary expense once you’ve reached your destination. ”
TOP TEN FORGOTTEN ITEMS WHEN PACKING FOR CHRISTMAS
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- Razor – 18 percent
- Phone charger – 17 percent
- Sunglasses – 14 percent
- Wellies – 10 percent
- Shampoo – 9 percent
- Toothbrush – 9 percent
- Deodorant – 8 percent
- Tweezers – 8 percent
- Hairbrush – 8 percent
- PJs – 7 percent
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