What did you wish you'd brought from home for your rental apartment?
Jun 19th, 2006, 10:24 AM
#4
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I was very glad that I brought:
clothes pins
washcloths
kleenex
paper towels
extra hangers
travel alarm clock
I wished I had brought some tea bags. It was cold and our first apartment had tea bags and we got used to having hot tea; the others provided nothing. Tea bags would have weighed next to nothing.
clothes pins
washcloths
kleenex
paper towels
extra hangers
travel alarm clock
I wished I had brought some tea bags. It was cold and our first apartment had tea bags and we got used to having hot tea; the others provided nothing. Tea bags would have weighed next to nothing.
Jun 19th, 2006, 10:27 AM
#5
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Almost without fail, 2 things...
A sharp knife (most rental apartments/villas rarely have a knife that will cut anything firmer than butter)
A frying pan/saute pan with a FLAT base!
And one more thing, that I find I tend to take everywhere these days, whether hotel, apartment or friend's home... MARMITE! I need those B vitamins...
A sharp knife (most rental apartments/villas rarely have a knife that will cut anything firmer than butter)
A frying pan/saute pan with a FLAT base!
And one more thing, that I find I tend to take everywhere these days, whether hotel, apartment or friend's home... MARMITE! I need those B vitamins...
Jun 19th, 2006, 10:34 AM
#6
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I never leave home without teabags, Sweet & Low, extra ziploc bags, and a travel alarm clock. Love the tip about clothespins. I have more than once used a hairclip to close pesky drapes that always gap. Clothes pins would have many handy uses.
Jun 19th, 2006, 11:02 AM
#7
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Long matches for lighting the stove burners!
and
a small scouring nylon pad
small packets of salt and pepper
same of sugar
small dishwashing liquid
These items are sometimes provided but a pain to look for and pay for if they are not.
also if you have the room
air freshner
something on which to play music
paper towels
and
a small scouring nylon pad
small packets of salt and pepper
same of sugar
small dishwashing liquid
These items are sometimes provided but a pain to look for and pay for if they are not.
also if you have the room
air freshner
something on which to play music
paper towels
Jun 19th, 2006, 11:27 AM
#8
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I thought we would be very organized for our Provence rental and so packed some spices, coffee, chopping board, sharp knife etc. At the house we found, inter alia, french press, champagne glasses, two types of coffee, bathrobes, mandoline (kitchen kind), oyster opener, more sharp knives than you would want, a non-stick fry pan that didn't stick!, candles, shower gel.
I think we have been spoilt for next time
I think we have been spoilt for next time
Jun 19th, 2006, 12:09 PM
#9
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I have never rented an apartment in Europe but when we use to rent a house for stays at Bodega Bay (Sonoma Country) I always took a cutting board. Some of those in rentals were very nasty looking.
Jun 19th, 2006, 05:27 PM
#11
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I second the list provided by Missypie.
The washcloth is vital. Tissue you can buy in stores but the others are nice to have along.
In Lauterbrunnen, we can find paper towels. But having a few with you can help, particularly on the train if you buy food at your seat from the passing food cart.
That clock is a must!!
I always have clothes pins, never know what you might need to clamp!!
I was tempted to use one on a loud snoring passenger in the adjoining seat.
The washcloth is vital. Tissue you can buy in stores but the others are nice to have along.
In Lauterbrunnen, we can find paper towels. But having a few with you can help, particularly on the train if you buy food at your seat from the passing food cart.
That clock is a must!!
I always have clothes pins, never know what you might need to clamp!!
I was tempted to use one on a loud snoring passenger in the adjoining seat.
Jun 19th, 2006, 06:20 PM
#12
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We rent a house (gite, villa) and I always bring candles, cute cocktail napkins and my own travel wine glass!! I also now have the kids pack their old beach towels and we bring those little extra absorbent towels for showers. We added this to our list after using the little dish towels that they called bath towels one trip to Italy.
V
V
Jun 19th, 2006, 06:49 PM
#13
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If you like to cook, be prepared to buy locally (not bring):
- A good frying pan (pots and pans even in the most expensive places have been ruined by previous renters)
- A good cutting knife (ditto)
- Cleaning supplies (rubber gloves, VIM, scrubbers etc. - Call me picky, but I don’t like to use strange kitchens, showers or toilets until I have cleaned them myself)
We bring a one-cup Bodum (for my husband) and our own coffee (our local place that roasts the beans fresh every day, until we source good coffee at destination) and tea bags for me (especially when going to France or Italy). An English friend brings his Marmite (yeuch!) every trip.
- A good frying pan (pots and pans even in the most expensive places have been ruined by previous renters)
- A good cutting knife (ditto)
- Cleaning supplies (rubber gloves, VIM, scrubbers etc. - Call me picky, but I don’t like to use strange kitchens, showers or toilets until I have cleaned them myself)
We bring a one-cup Bodum (for my husband) and our own coffee (our local place that roasts the beans fresh every day, until we source good coffee at destination) and tea bags for me (especially when going to France or Italy). An English friend brings his Marmite (yeuch!) every trip.
Jun 20th, 2006, 01:59 AM
#15
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An interesting question! I'm marking this thread for future information.
Two things (some already mentioned) came immediately to mind for me:
1. Ziploc bags. We really wished that we could have easily packed leftoever food (fruit, cheese, etc.) when we left, but had no way to carry things.
2. Binder clips. They're smaller than clothespins, but have the same versatility. I've started using them for everything - from closing the annoying gap in a curtain to keeping the potato chips fresh.
Gayle
Two things (some already mentioned) came immediately to mind for me:
1. Ziploc bags. We really wished that we could have easily packed leftoever food (fruit, cheese, etc.) when we left, but had no way to carry things.
2. Binder clips. They're smaller than clothespins, but have the same versatility. I've started using them for everything - from closing the annoying gap in a curtain to keeping the potato chips fresh.
Gayle
Jun 20th, 2006, 03:56 AM
#16
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We had a 2 week rental in a small village in Italy in May 06. We expected to eat breakfast and 1 other meal in daily.
We brought instant oatmeal, Splenda, cinnamon, creamer, ziplocs - 2 sizes, air freshener, cork screw,baby wipes, washcloths,my down pillow that squashes down into nothing.
We needed:
We never could find PEANUT BUTTER in the two little alimentaries! We really missed our peanut butter. Our apartment had no BROOM, but of course we couldn't have brought that. We really really needed a spatulate. And COFFEE - we ended up having to use Nescafe, which the guys complained about, but I thought was pretty good. Our tiny expresso maker kept falling apart - we tried 2 kinds of coffee in it before we went to the Nescafe.
(Wombat - you were spoiled indeed - where WAS your Provence rental???)
The SOAP was tiny little rosebuds thingies that didn't lather.
We forgot an ALARM CLOCK - as did our friends - but learned to use our cell phone's alarm - not very
We brought instant oatmeal, Splenda, cinnamon, creamer, ziplocs - 2 sizes, air freshener, cork screw,baby wipes, washcloths,my down pillow that squashes down into nothing.
We needed:
We never could find PEANUT BUTTER in the two little alimentaries! We really missed our peanut butter. Our apartment had no BROOM, but of course we couldn't have brought that. We really really needed a spatulate. And COFFEE - we ended up having to use Nescafe, which the guys complained about, but I thought was pretty good. Our tiny expresso maker kept falling apart - we tried 2 kinds of coffee in it before we went to the Nescafe.
(Wombat - you were spoiled indeed - where WAS your Provence rental???)
The SOAP was tiny little rosebuds thingies that didn't lather.
We forgot an ALARM CLOCK - as did our friends - but learned to use our cell phone's alarm - not very
Jun 20th, 2006, 04:00 AM
#17
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Very informative thread for a flat owner! Except for clothespins I'm doing very well! 
look what I just found about washcloths..
http://www.pauldavidson.net/2006/01/...th-conspiracy/
look what I just found about washcloths..
http://www.pauldavidson.net/2006/01/...th-conspiracy/
Jun 20th, 2006, 04:05 AM
#18
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Leonberger
There are zip bags in the larger stores in France anyway. Ditto for the clamps for closing the package of treats.
If you're staying in a small village, you might find it's harder to buy these products.
Blackduff
There are zip bags in the larger stores in France anyway. Ditto for the clamps for closing the package of treats.
If you're staying in a small village, you might find it's harder to buy these products.
Blackduff
Jun 20th, 2006, 04:21 AM
#20
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This and other posts has given me a lot of tips to put into my apartment. Saturday my apartment is reserved for the next three months and hopefully I've found all of these tips.
I have a big bunch of clothspins in the apartment but the renter will have to search. In my case they're kept in a large Chinese steamer container. It looks prettier than a plastic basket but it will surprise the renter. There won't be any dim sum in the steamer.
Blackduff
I have a big bunch of clothspins in the apartment but the renter will have to search. In my case they're kept in a large Chinese steamer container. It looks prettier than a plastic basket but it will surprise the renter. There won't be any dim sum in the steamer.
Blackduff
