Top 30 things travellers do before every holiday - and it takes longer than you think

Holidaymakers have shared the top 30 things they do before every trip - and the list is long. It includes getting their haircut especially for the trip, obsessively checking the weather, and arranging plant care.

Other key activities include doing a large laundry load, packing snacks 'just in case', and changing the bed linen so they return home to fresh sheets. Repetitive packing, purchasing new underwear, and multiple checks to ensure their passport is packed also feature on the list.

The study disclosed that loading tablets or e-readers with films, books, games or podcasts, cleaning out the fridge, buying travel-sized toiletries, and repeatedly weighing suitcases are also common pre-holiday tasks.

The survey found that those who do any preparation ahead of a holiday will spend an average of seven-and-a-half hours doing so, with over a third stating they actively enjoy it. Many have even taken time off work specifically to get everything organised ahead of their holiday.

This is particularly prevalent among younger adults, with 77% of Gen Z and Millennials confessing they have taken time off for holiday preparations. Millennials, on average, spend the longest time preparing for a holiday, clocking in at nine hours and 14 minutes.

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Zoe Fidler of lastminute.com, who organised the study, commented: "Between work, childcare, DIY projects and endless life admin, actually booking a holiday often ends up as a last-minute task – bringing with it the stress of wondering if you've missed out on the best deals."

The study revealed that 54% consider themselves to be someone who gets everything sorted well in advance of a trip. However, 25% tend to overpack 'massively' and 21% leave at least some of their pre-getaway prep to the last minute.

For a quarter they selflessly prioritise the needs of others over their own when preparing for a holiday.

Zoe added: "We know that preparing for a holiday can be time consuming, stressful and expensive - but worth it in the end, which is why we commissioned this research to fully understand what Brits need from their summer getaway.

"We firmly believe it's never too late to book a getaway and our booking data shows this happens more often than you think."