You know I love a Center Parcs hack or two (if you haven’t already seen my list of 6 surprising things I’d take again, it’s really worth a look!) – so when we went back last year, I kept my eyes peeled for more unexpected things I’d definitely pack again… and I’ve found some good’uns!
Wardrobe hanging shelves
I saw these recommended for Disney trips, and thought – actually – these are perfect for Center Parcs! I’ve always found the Center Parcs wardrobe space can be a bit hard to use, especially for kids. The deep shelves, no drawers, and lots of hanging space makes it difficult to unpack, and hard to find all the kids’ clothes (unless you use packing cubes). Not any more! I bought these hanging shelves from Amazon, and they were perfect.
This set can be used as two separate hanging shelves, or zipped together for one big one, and you just hang it from the rail in the wardrobe. Simple! If you’re looking for an extra hack, I’ve seen some people pre-pack the shelves in their suitcase, then just pull them out and hang them up. Which I think is actually pretty genius – I might try it next time!
Link: Similar hanging shelves on Amazon* (our exact ones aren’t available any more)
Projector and screen
If you’re looking for something to make your Center Parcs trip just a little bit more magical, this would be it. We all loved this one, and would 100% do it again. We picked up a small, portable projector (that connects to your phone), and tied up a portable projector screen to the curtain rails in our lodge, and our little living room became an instant, cosy, home cinema. Add snacks and you’re onto a winner!
Once it connects to your phone, you can see any of the apps you’ve got on your phone – like iPlayer, Netflix, Disney+ etc. Or, our favourite was to open the Photos app and look back at all our photos and videos from the trip. The kids LOVED watching videos of themselves on a giant screen, remembering all the things they’d done and laughing at some of the silly ones too. I’d actually say it was one of the highlights of the trip!
Link: Projector on Amazon*
Extension cable
Maybe slightly less exciting or glamorous than the first two, but one of the things I’d definitely pack again next time we go to Center Parcs would be an extension cable. This was a lifesaver for us, as there aren’t many plug sockets in the living room area and it can be a struggle getting things to reach (like the projector above!). But it’s also useful for things like phone chargers, kids’ tablets, or anything else you might need.
If you’re not taking a projector or games console it’s not completely essential, but for the amount of space it takes in the suitcase, I think it’s worth packing just in case.
Link: Basic extension lead on Amazon*
Link: Compact extension lead with USB sockets*
Plug-in nightlight
This is something I wished I’d thought about years ago, especially since having kids. The lodges get very dark at night, but the main lights are so bright (and they switch noisily on and off with a sensor, which can be bit annoying after a while…!) – so our solution on this trip was a plug-in nightlight so everyone could find their way to the bathroom in the night, without tripping over the furniture or blinding themselves with the main light.
This was an absolute winner and worked like a charm. For something so small and simple, it’s definitely a hack I’ll do again next time!
Link: Plug-in nightlight on Amazon*
Read more: 6 surprising items I’d pack again for Center Parcs
You might also like: Our ULTIMATE Center Parcs packing list (it’s over 200 items long!)