6 things to bring to a festival – and 6 things to leave at home

Festival season is upon us.

And we couldn't be more excited. From Bulmers Forbidden Fruit to Electric Picnic and from Metropolis to Body&Soul, we are practically chomping at the bit to get our wellies on. If this is your first year at an Irish festival (or your tenth) then we've got the lowdown on how to pack properly. Here is our ultimate guide for what you need to bring and what you need to leave at home. You can thank us later. Bring: Plastic bags Bring a whole roll. Trust us on this one. Plastic bags are your ultimate festival survival item. Want somewhere to put your mucky clothes? Plastic bag. Your wellies are leaking? Use a plastic bag. You've run out of clean clothes... you get the idea. Hand sanitizer Hand sanitizer is the only thing that makes using a porta potty worth it. It's also really good to use on your armpits to get rid of BO (sorry, but it happens). Warm fluffy socks They are a complete game changer. Nothing beats coming back to your tent and changing into a nice warm pair of fluffy socks. If you've got cold feet you will be miserable so bring plenty of pairs. Portable charger Save yourself the hassle of queueing to charge your phone and invest in a portable charger instead. If you buy a good one it should last you all weekend and you won't have to worry about missing any Instagram opportunities. Waterproofs (plural) As much as we like to pretend that the Irish weather will clear up during festival weekends, unfortunately, it very rarely does. Don't make the mistake of just bringing one rain jacket because once it is sopping wet you won't want to put it on again. Bring a few different jackets and even some waterproof bottoms. Yes, you might look like a fisherman back from the sea, but at least you won't be cold.

Leave at home:

Wheelie suitcases Repeat after me, wheelie suitcases do not belong at festivals. They're heavy, bulky and they will just get covered in muck within the first five minutes. Leave them at home ladies. Sandals Unless you're off to Coachella you can leave the sandals at home. Anything expensive  Realistically, most of your clothes are going to come home covered in muck and soaking wet. Don't ruin something expensive by bringing it to a festival you will only regret it. A cheap tent That €20 tent might seem like a bargain at the time but it will inevitably leak. Buy yourself a decent (waterproof) tent and it will make your whole festival experience so much better. A guitar Seriously? Don't be that guy who whips out his guitar at 3 am for a rendition of 'Wonderwall'. Nobody likes that guy. Umbrellas Most festivals do not allow umbrellas in the main arena. Save yourself the hassle and just leave it at home.