Hints For Packing When Planning A Holiday

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29389, 16 December 1960, Page 2

Hints For Packing When Planning A Holiday

Articles forgotten or left behind in the rush of family packing can often ruin a holiday at the beach. If you are planning to spend a fortnight or so away from it all this summer, remember these hints and check before closing the suitcases.

High on your list, if you have made one, should be extra large bottles of sunburn and suntan lotions and insect repellant. Next to this should be a small emergency first aid kit to cope with scratches, and other accidents, as they happen. Then come soap, facecloths and toothbrushes for each member of the family, even if it means buying a new se* a week beforehand. Small, Isolated country stores stock nearly everything from a needle to an anchor, but they can be relied on to have sold out of the very article you need.

Perhaps your country cottage or bach was advertised as being fully furnished. Check this also, to make sure such essentials as knives and forks are supplied. Few rented cottages have linen supplied so remember to pack it and check on the blankets. There will be odd bits and pieces of household equipment you will need such as soap powder, tea towels and a pot scrub—any of these will be sorely missed if they are forgotten. Remember to take one reasonably good outfit for each member of the family in case you are Invited to someone’s house or stop for a meal at a restaurant on the way. Make sure you have included most of your standard make-up with an eye to this. Clothes When packing clothes plan for each member of the family separately to avoid confusion. Spme families arrive at their destination and discover that the 10-year-old son has four pairs of pyjamas with him and the eight-year-old has none. Work right through each list and pack into one suitcase, with clothes for the youngest on the top, working down according to age. Fold summer frocks and skirts carefully so they will look fresh even after several hundred miles of travelling. Uy the skirts lengthways in the suitcase and then fold the tops back over a rolled up jersey or cardigan. Pack all shoes at the very bottom of the case and stuff them with socks, stockings and cosmetics.

Put all the swimming gear in a large plastic bag with some of the oldest tox.els. This can be carried by itself and will save

room in the cases. Remember to pack a sizeable picnic lunch to have on the way. Also put in a selection of fruit to give the children between meals or if they become cross and tired on the journey. You may find, if you are leaving just after Christmas day, that you will have to be firm about the number of toys that are taken along. Many smaller treasures are bound to be lost or left at the cottage and by limiting the number of toys to three a child, tears and disappointments later will be avoided. To compensate for the limit on toys, slip in a few favourite story books making sure they are long and interesting. These will fill in the evenings when the children may get bored and restless in the cottage.