Ultimate Holiday Checklist

What are the things you can't do without? From the big stuff like passports and tickets, to your favourite flip-flops and suntan lotion - here's a quick list of items that people often forget:

• Passport - It's a classic! Don't be that cliché
• Covid documents - Make sure you have everything ready to show border staff
• Face mask and hand sanitiser - Keep yourself and other travellers safe.
• Booking confirmations - Everything you've booked - hotels, transfers, attractions, car hire, travel - make sure you have all of these somewhere safe.
• An umbrella or raincoat - You just never know.
• Swimwear - Even if this isn't a beach holiday, there may be a hotel pool to take advantage of and swimwear takes up very little space in your luggage.
• Travel socket adaptors - Don't get caught short with your electrical devices.
• An extension cord - Simply attach your adaptor to the end of a 4-way socket extension cord and get plenty of power for phones, cameras, hairdryers and all your other mod-cons.
• Phone charger - The last thing you want is to be caught with a dead battery.
• First aid kit - Bumps and bruises can be picked up anywhere and sometimes all you need is a quick plaster. A travel first aid kit can be a handy little companion on your holiday.
• A laundry bag - Dirty clothes are a reality of holidays, so rather than accumulating a pile of them in the corner of your room, bring a simple bag to pop them in. You can even make a tote bag out of an old t-shirt to keep your clean clothes separated.
• Toothbrush and toothpaste - It's likely that your hotel will have these if you do forget, but it's worth bringing your own.
• Sun cream and lip balm - Make sure you look after yourself while you're out in the sun, nothing can ruin a holiday like chapped lips and the lobster look.
• Painkillers - Whether it's for the morning after an enthusiastic night out or just a little too much hiking, painkillers might help!. Just make sure you're aware of local laws regarding certain medications.

Generally speaking a handbag would count as a personal item and not as hand luggage. You should be allowed one personal item like a handbag, laptop bag or other similar small bag as well as your hand luggage, but make sure to check the specific rules for your airline.

Yes, you can have clothes in your hand luggage – just make sure your carry-on conforms to any restrictions that your airline may have on cabin luggage. Top tip: Wear your heaviest clothes on the plane to free up some space in your hold luggage.

It should only take 3 weeks for you to get a passport, whether it's a brand new one or a renewal of an expired one. If you don't fill in the forms correctly or they require more information it can take a little longer to get it, so it's best to do this well in advance of your holiday. There are some costs involved in getting your passport – if you apply online it's £75.50, or you can fill in the paper form (get this from the Post Office) which costs £85.00.

If you need to renew your passport in a bit of a rush there are a few options:

Online premium: Book your appointment online, apply for your passport and pay the fee of £177.00. Turn up to your appointment with the required materials and you'll be given your passport there and then. Appointments last up to 30 minutes.

Paper premium: You can get the form from the Post Office but you'll still need to book your appointment and pay the £177.00 fee online. You'll then need to take your completed form and any required documents to the appointment. You'll usually get your passport within 4 hours of your appointment.

1 week Fast Track: You'll still need to get a paper form from the Post Office and book an appointment online as well as pay the fee of £142.00 (£122.00 for a child passport). You'll still need to take everything to your appointment but rather than having to wait around for your passport after the appointment, it's posted to you within 1 week.

Absolutely! In fact, it's very useful to keep your phone charger in your hand luggage if you're using your phone to keep yourself entertained on a long flight.

• Any liquid in a container over 100ml (3.4 oz) - This is the case even if the container isn't full.
• Sharp objects - Including knives of any length, scissors, razor blades, hypodermic needles (if these are required for medical reasons they're allowed but you'll need to show proof).
• Tools of any kind - Including multi-tools and penknives.
• Sporting equipment - Anything from ski poles to darts.

Being prepared is key to a great holiday experience and you certainly don't want to run out of clothes while you're away.

A lot will depend on the type of holiday you're planning, whether it's a beach holiday, two weeks of glitz and glamour or living it up in a ski resort. But below we'll give you a rough idea to get you started based on a 2 week beach holiday.

• Swimwear - 4-5 sets should see you through comfortably, particularly if you won't be swimming every day.
• Underwear - 1 pair for each day of your holiday. It's probably worth packing some spare socks if you plan on doing any hiking or long walks, though.
• Trousers/jeans - 2-3 pairs of something casual and comfortable but smart enough to wear on nights out to the restaurant if you feel like being a little fancy.
• Shorts - 1-2 pairs of comfy shorts should be enough for the days where you might like to take a tour of the local towns or do something aside from relaxing on the beach.
• T-shirts/shirts - 8-10 of these depending on your plans and potential washing facilities. A combination of t-shirts, tank tops and shirts/blouses should prepare you for most eventualities.
• Dresses - 3-4 evening dresses and a couple of light summery dresses should do the trick.
• Jumper/cardigan/hooded top - It's certainly worth bringing one of these just in case the evening turns a bit chilly!
• Sunhat - Protect yourself from sunstroke and look fashionable while you're at it.
• Sunglasses - We'd suggest bringing a couple of pairs just in case your main set gets lost or broken, a backup is definitely better than squinting for the rest of your trip!

For items like t-shirts, jeans, swimsuits, underwear and pyjamas, it's better to roll than fold - you'll save plenty of luggage space doing so. Bigger, bulkier items like jumpers are better folded; as are button-up shirts as these are likely to crease and crumple when rolled.

Choosing the right suitcase can be quite the task. There's plenty to consider - size, style, colour, not to mention finding one that you feel comfortable carrying.

Depending on what type of trip you're going on, a 2 or 4-wheel case might be right for you:

2 wheels - classic upright | Great on rougher terrain, going up and down curbs and over cobblestones.

4 wheels - the spinner | An absolute whizz around the airport, on smooth floors these suitcases glide along.

Both styles of suitcase have their advantages and disadvantages: