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Packing the carGetting Ready: The last few days before your holiday are always the most stressful.  The children always wear the clothes you wish to pack, so you have to wash them again and the man in your life... ….. well how long have you got!  However over the years we have found ways to make life a little bit easier (see the panel opposite).

Last Minute Tips:  Pack the car two days before you leave so that on the last day you can relax more!  If you are leaving early, adjust your body clock during the preceding week so that you have a chance of sleeping the night before!
If you are really busy on the last day, get a takeaway or plan to have something ready made in the freezer.

Making life easier!   Start with a packing list....  never throw this away - keep it for next year!  Start packing at least a week before the holiday.  Older children can help get their clothes ready, but insist that you pack them to ensure that they have chosen sensibly!  If you're travelling by car, use average sized bags/suitcases, as they are easier to pack tightly.

Make a list for your day of travel – remember soft toys (!), passports, tickets, money... in fact anything essential that you don't want to put in the car overnight.


Finally make a list of last minute food - your picnic and plenty of drinks, including water bottles for the car and flasks of tea and coffee, plus any baking you have prepared to take with you.

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Preparing your home:
- Make arrangements for pets well before!
- Cancel milk.
- Turn off non-essential electrical items.
- Adjust your central heating.
- Turn off washing m/c and dishwasher water.
- Leave a light on a timer.
- Ask a neighbour to park one of their cars on your drive and to move your post.
- Put bleach down the sink and toilets.
- Don't forget the garden/greenhouse and household plants that need looking after!  In order to make this as easy as possible gather your houseplants into the coolest room in large containers such as one or more washing up bowls.
On the last day:

There is nothing nicer than coming home to a clean and tidy house so it is well worth making the effort to clean before you go.  The last day is perfect for this as you have finished the packing and have little else to do!! This can sometimes be a way of keeping the children occupied – ‘we’re not leaving until your room is tidy!’