You scroll absent-mindedly through the photos on your phone, smiling at the snaps of Christmas morning, of going to see Santa with the kids, of one too many at the works Christmas do… then there’s the photos from October half-term, and before you know it you’re scrolling through sunny days, welly walks and Easter breaks in Cornwall.
It only seems like yesterday but here we are and it’s already nearly February – time you started looking ahead and getting an Easter holiday booked.
But it’s not just a case of making the booking – there’s the food, the kids’ toys, the household stuff, the paperwork, not to mention the clothes and shoes. There’s nothing worse than arriving at your holiday home and discovering you’ve got nothing to wash the dishes with, or (even worse) you’ve left your phone charger at home on the dining table.
Thankfully it doesn’t have to be a last minute rush around – with our handy checklist (which you can download here) you’ll have everything you need for your break away this Easter.
6 weeks before:
Have you arranged travel insurance? In the unlikely event that you get injured, are unwell or have a family emergency before your holiday which makes it impossible to travel, you’ll be glad of the cover.
5 weeks before:
Who will look after the cat? Do you need someone to pop in and feed the goldfish and water the plants while you’re away? If you haven’t already, now is a good time to call in a favour from neighbours, family or friends.
(Don’t forget to bring them back a Cornish cream tea, some clotted cream fudge, or a bottle of Cornish ale to say thanks!)
4 weeks before:
Dig out the suitcases from under the bed, in the loft, or in the garage and check them for mould, old luggage labels and lost socks from the last time you went away. Put them somewhere you can easily get to them and start packing day-to-day items such as towels, washing up liquid, soap, dish cloth and surface cleaner as you think of them.
While you’re there, check the kids’ wellies still fit and their waterproofs are clean and dry – there’s nothing worse than getting to your holiday park, heading off for a walk in the woods and discovering the wellies don’t fit anymore…
3 weeks before:
What toys and games do the kids want to bring away with them? This is the perfect time for the younger members of your party to start gathering together a few small favourite things for the holiday – not only does it help with the organisation, but it also builds the excitement which is all part of the fun!
Any bedtime stories, favourite teddies, board games or activity sets can be set aside in a separate pile ready for packing.
2 weeks before:
Time to starting thinking about food. What will you eat on the journey to the holiday park? What meals will you cook during your stay? What emergency snacks are essential to have on-hand for long journeys and days out?
Stock up on the essentials in advance to spread the cost, and to give yourself plenty of time to remember all the extras you’re bound to forget.
There is a well-stocked shop at Monkey Tree Holiday Park and a supermarket just a few miles away, but you’ll probably want to bring some store cupboard supplies from home for the first couple of days.
1 week before:
This is the moment when your youngest announces they absolutely must take their favourite Minecraft t-shirt on holiday and you discover it’s still covered in mud from the weekend, screwed up on the floor in the corner of their bedroom.
Cue mad panic to get it washed, dried and ironed in time for departure. Ensure all other holiday clothes are in the system ready for packing.
The day before:
Double check you have your booking confirmation, and put it ‘somewhere safe’. Add all the last minute items to the suitcases including shampoo, hairdryer, clothes, shoes, boots, coats and chargers for tablets and mobile phones.
All that’s left to do is pack the car, find the holiday park, and open a bottle of wine once you ‘ve unpacked….. you’ve earned it.
Don’t forget to download your holiday marketing checklist to ensure you tick all the boxes and keep stress to a minimum this Easter.
