A Plan for your List Packing Vacation Planning

1. Plan Vacation

Decide where you want to go. Make a checklist of places based on the following criteria:

- Time Away

- Dates

- Weather

- Holiday Type (sightseeing, beach, cruise, etc)

- People Travelling

- Cost

2. Research

Research the place you want to visit. Tripadvisor is a fantastic, unbiased site giving reviews of all destinations.

3. Passport

Ensure your passport is valid and check whether a visa for travel is required. Some Visas require appointments which usually must be booked weeks in advance

4. Commitments

- Ensure long-term commitments do not clash (eg. Family Weddings)

- If travelling in a vehicle, ensure that it is properly serviced beforehand

- Book pets in to a kennel/cattery

5. Specials

Check to see if there are any specials going for the planned time of travel. Often package deals are much cheaper than trips booked individually.

6. Decision Time

Collate all your travel information gathered. Mark important milestones in your diary eg. Visit gym to tone-up for the beach!

7. Reserve

Book the holiday!

1. Currency

- Ensure that your credit/debit cards are valid past the date of intended travel

- See that you have sufficient funds in your account (emergencies)

- Decide on travellers cheques, credit or both

- Store your pin numbers in a safe place

- Buy a small amount of foreign currency cash for the day you arrive

2. Documents

Find out if your driver’s licence is valid in the country you’re travelling to

3. Insurance

Obtain Travel insurance if not already covered (make sure you are covered for the full duration of the trip)

4. Research

Some items purchased abroad can be much cheaper. Do some research if you are thinking of buying something (eg. electronics, music)

5. Household

- Have a neighbour check your home occasionally and collect the mail

- Use timers for the lights in the evening.

6. Arrangements

Arrange for car to be started every week you are away

7. Shopping

Check your wardrobes and compile a vacation list packing list (remember that you will also buy things when on holiday, so keep it short!). Make sure your luggage is acceptable to travel with.

1. Food

Don’t buy perishables that will expire while you’re away

2. Luggage

Haul out the luggage and make sure you have enough security tags and locks

3. Medication

Check prescriptions for necessary refills; bring a list with the drug’s generic name listed since the brand names available can differ in other areas

4. Errands

Complete all outstanding errands eg. Pay bills

5. Reservations

Confirm all reservations are still in place

6. Documents

Make copies of all important travel documents ie. Passport, Credit/Debit Card, Drivers Licence, Travel Insurance. Travel with one set and file the other set safely at home

7. Shopping

Go shopping using the list packing vacation list compiled a week earlier!

1. Weather

Check the weather to see what to pack

2. Packing

Pack for the list packing vacation (use a list from the site)

3. Household

- Water plants

- Empty fridge

- Put regular deliveries on hold eg. Milk

- Put petrol in the car and check oil and pressure

- Set timers for lights and tv/radio

- Give keys to neighbour/friend

- Set your recorder to record tv programmes

- Complete all washing and ironing

4. Clothing

Lay out your travel clothes for the trip (especially if its an early start)

5. Travel

Confirm your travel arrangements to airport, train, ship. Eg. Do you need to book a taxi?

6. Double-Check

Double check everything is packed that you wish to take with (remember 50/50 Rule!)

1. Household

- Turn hot water down or off (if on a timer, program it to come back on a few hours before you arrive back home)

- Set the automatic timer for lights and tv/radio

- Leave the curtains as you would normally do

- Lock all windows and doors

- Turn off all electronic items not in use (if recording tv, don’t turn the tv off! Has happened to me!)

- Flush the loo’s and pour bleach down them and all drains

- Leave the house clean and tidy so you will not need to do much tidying on return

Set the alarm. Lock the front door!!