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It’s that time of the year again – that rare, rare time when you can see not one, not two but twenty of your favourite bands all in one place. Oh, and indulge in some through-the-night partying too!

Image by partie traumatic.

But whilst an extended weekend of music and booze sounds like heaven, you won’t be having a good time when you’re soaked through, covered in mud and there’s no shower in sight. Oh, and it’s only day one – I hope you brought clean socks!

So to help you get the most out of festival season I’ve put together a list of the top 7 items every partygoer must take with them…

Image: MGSpiller

1.       Flag

You think you’ll remember where you pitched your tent – it was over in the corner, next to the yellow one, right? – but when you get back to the campsite at 3am in a varying state of drunkenness, and find yourself armed only with a small torch in front of a sea of near-identical tents, you’ll be lucky if you don’t end up sleeping in a bush.

Buy a unique flag, the taller the better, and pop it up next to your tent for easy campsite navigation!

2.       Clothes With Pockets

Lots of pockets. You could take a bag but expect it to get crushed or broken when you’re getting equally crushed and broken at the centre-front of the crowd in front of your favourite band!

Don’t dress to impress – your favourite jeans are only going to get splattered in mud anyway, so pop on a pair of cargo trousers and a roomy jacket with zip-up pockets here, there and everywhere.

Image: GorillaSushi

3.       Toilet Paper

If there’s one thing and one thing only you take to a festival with you, make it toilet paper! Despite years of festivals, the organisers don’t seem to have cottoned on to the fact that people need more than two sheets each over a three day period and it will invariably run out in every portaloo after five minutes.

In fact, there’s no such thing as too much toilet paper at a festival. By Sunday everyone will be so desperate that if you have any spare you can barter with it and get free drinks!

4.       Hand Sanitiser

Following on from point three, you’ll be lucky to find a semi-hygienic sink (and you really don’t want to make the mistake this guy did) so take along a small bottle of anti-bacterial hand gel – it’ll fit perfectly in one of your many pockets!

Image: Elliot Moore

6.       Neck Lanyard

Unfortunately, crime is rife at festivals and there’s nothing worse than losing your camera and all those cool photos you took on it! Neck lanyards can be used to keep your camera, your phone and even your wallet safe and secure – wear under your clothing where possible.

7.       Ear Plugs

I know, I know, it’s super old ladyish of me to remind you that you do need to get a good night’s kip but, well, you do. Just imagine how much more you’ll enjoy the next day’s set when you’re feeling fresh and revived and you’ve slept your hangover off!

Of course, not everyone listens to my advice and there will be those who go on partying well into the wee hours, so ear plugs are an absolute essential.

James Duval is a music festival addict who’s learnt from experience that forgetting to bring toilet paper is a real party killer! He blogs for IDPro, suppliers of neck lanyards and other ID products.