Did You Lock Up? And Other Considerations Before Jetting Off for Holiday Travel

Planning a family trip can have so many moving parts, it feels like you need a list for your lists to keep it all together. Every well-traveled family knows staying organized is key, but you also want to relax. Set yourselves up for success, ease your OCD worries and plan to have it all together well before heading out the door.

Do one more run-through, one more check and one more once-over before jetting off for holiday travel with the whole crew using this helpful list of panic-reducing measures.

Enlist Help

Maybe a tricky one, depending on how friendly your neighbors are, but lining up a helper to collect your mail, check on your property while you’re away and contact in case of emergency can really reduce stress. Having a contact at home can be a gamechanger for long trips — so much so you may want to seek out a local house-sitting professional.

Download Apps

Download any app associated with your family vacation to stay updated on weather, travel itineraries and hotel information. Having an app to refer to for your Airbnb, airline boarding pass and everything in between can be a real relief. If you’d rather have the hard copy in your hand, make sure you print confirmation codes, reservation reference numbers and anything else you might need for your trip and have it handy in your carry-on.

Speaking of Carry-on …

Pack your bag for worst-case scenario. As it’s a busy travel season, over-sold flights, checked bags and any other surprise situation can render your family without a bag or two for a couple days. Make sure you have all the necessities in your carry-on to avoid being completely upstream without a paddle.

Unplug

Yes, definitely walk around the house making sure everything is unplugged a couple times, but also try to unplug from tech. Having some connection to home, whether texts or social media, can put a strain on your vacation and lets your mind wander elsewhere.

Check Those Lists

Yes, this advice again, but lists can really help ease stress. Make a list for what your family needs to bring, and what your family needs to check before leaving the house, well before your departure. The stress of running out the door can cause even the best travelers to slip up, but if you give yourselves enough time, you can be thoughtful in checking those lists, outlets, locks and windows a few more times for good measure.