What to Pack for Your Summer Holiday

Most people are pretty sure they know exactly what to pack for a holiday, but it’s almost inevitable that something will be left behind! It happens to all of us, and that’s why B&M have put together this helpful holiday abroad checklist - offering up top holiday packing tips and suggesting useful and fun things to take on holiday to make your time away as easy as possible!

1. Boarding pass, passport, travel money… and somewhere to put them!

Ensure that all your valuables are safe while you travel. Our gorgeous and discreet travel pouches come in three different designs – Flamingo, Cactus and Berry – and serve as the perfect place to stash useful holiday items, tickets, paperwork, cash and more.

2. Packing cubes, separate bags for shoes and accessories… and something to downsize into!

One of the biggest mistakes we all make when figuring out the best way to pack a suitcase is to have everything perfectly organised for the flight over, then struggle to find a way to cart things around once you’re there. One of B&M’s top holiday packing tips is to bring a secondary, highly portable bag such as this fab foldaway shopping trolley. It’ll help you to carry everything you need to complete the day’s activities without having to make several trips back to the hotel in-between!

3. A book and a pillow for the flight… and entertainment for the kids!

Restless kids can be a real handful on a long haul flight, and while grownups may be perfectly happy to settle down with a good book or take a nap, it’s easy to forget that young attention spans are a little more difficult to manage! We highly recommend taking along a portable DVD player for the journey. Our Goodman’s 7 inch model is light and easy to pack, and comes with headphones for peace and quiet!

4. Your best clothes for an exotic night out… and a way to keep them looking fresh!

Long journeys stuffed into a cargo hold can prove a nightmare for the beautiful outfit you bought specially to enjoy a night out under the stars. One of the most useful holiday items you can pack is a trusty travel iron – we love this one from Russell Hobbs – as it will keep all of your clothing in tip top condition!

5. Your phone and other devices… and a way to charge them!

Naturally, no one these days will advise you on how to pack a suitcase without strongly suggesting that you bring a charger for each of your devices – and maybe even a few spares! However, it can be easy to forget that not all overseas sockets will take the plug or USB on the end of your cables.

It’s definitely worth investing in a good travel adaptor – and one that features a USB port will always be hugely beneficial. You should also look into a portable charger for those long days out.

6. Your swimsuits… and other equipment for your spot on the beach!

The next in our list of holiday packing tips is an important one: the photos you saw online of the glorious stretches of beach near your hotel may look idyllic but remember, wherever you go, it’s always very difficult to predict the weather! You won’t be able to get a good idea of how windy the cove is until you’re there, so it’s best to be prepared with a good windbreaker.

Without knowing how crowded the beach is going to be, we strongly recommend setting up your pitch with useful items such as children’s and adults’ camping chairs – doubly useful holiday items as they’ll provide you with comfort and a spot to sit that isn’t covered in sand.

Remember to respect the others on the beach and make sure your group doesn’t take up an unreasonable amount of space, of course. On top of all this, don’t forget your towel or your sun cream!

B&M Top Tip: We think the best way to pack a suitcase is to select all the practical items you need from our Holiday Shop and keep them to hand, then fill your bags up (respecting the size and weight limits, of course!) with all your other fun things to take on holiday. Place the practical items in afterwards in accessible and memorable places.

You should also keep a holiday abroad checklist each, so everyone knows what they have in their own bag - plus you can go through it to make sure you have everything before you head home again!

Share your favourite holiday moments with the B&M Community via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.