Whether you are traveling by plane, train or automobile, your vacation doesn’t have to be stressful. As a frequent traveler, I’ve devised a packing and to-do list that I use for all types of vacations. You can do the same. Consider the following:
Plan ahead. Where are you going? Flying on an airplane? Check out Seat Guru to help you plan the perfect seats.
Book all reservations (hotel, plane, train, car) well in advance. Get seat assignments. Check-in online 24 hours in advance of your flight. Most hotels will gladly let you print boarding tickets from their computers (for your return flight).
Research and book reservations for restaurants and/or activities. Did you ever wait on an activity only to find out you couldn’t book it once you got to your destination because it’s so popular? Same thing with good restaurants. Use Trip Advisor for recommendations.
Schedule the house sitter and/or dog sitter. Make sure to leave a medical release form for all pets and give the vet a credit card number for emergencies.
Use a zip folder to house important travel documents – itinerary, passports, hotel information, reservation confirmations, tickets, activity and/or restaurant information. Share this information with several close family members and/or friends in case of an emergency. Leave this with the house sitter and/or dog sitter as well.
If you are traveling by car, make sure to have it serviced prior to your vacation. Do you have a spare tire? Do you know how to change it? While a Plus AAA membership is valuable, cell phones don’t always get signals in remote areas. Don’t forget to use AAA’s fuel cost calculator which will help you budget for the trip.
Think about your medical needs. Do you need compression socks for a flight? A smaller, compact breathing machine? A travel pill box? Always carry medicine and medical devices in your carry-on bags (plan for a few extra days, just in case). Create a small first aid kit for flights, too. I always have a kit in the car, vacation or not. Do you know how many times band-aids and scissors have come in handy?
Clean out your purse/wallet. Take a limited number of cards. Make photo copies of all cards in case they are stolen.
Check the weather. What types of clothing will you need to pack? Does the hotel have laundry machines or services? Remember the saying, “don’t pack the kitchen sink.” It’ll cost you if you do! Take pieces you can use more than once. Stay in the same color families. Limit the number of shoes. The only exception: a hair dryer. Hotels have inexpensive hair dryers that don’t dry quickly so it’s best to bring one you can count on! I also buy inexpensive items on site. Swim and sand toys take up space so I buy cheap ones on site and leave them behind for the next guest or cleaning staff. Don’t forget to cross-pack in case of lost luggage (pack at least one outfit in your carry-on bag or another family member’s suitcase). On the day of airplane travel wear flip flops to speed you through security check points, especially if you have children.
Limit bags. Mark bags so they stand out. I tie ribbons on mine. Use TSA locks on all baggage. Do not pack anything valuable inside checked baggage. Always throw in extra baggies! Leave spare room in your carry-on bag for items you take as well as items you may purchase on vacation. You might also consider shipping your bags in advance. I use Fedex and UPS, but you can also try out Luggage Concierge or Luggage Free.
Always take more cash than you think you’ll need.
Remember, “vacations are too valuable to waste time planning on the fly. The planning is almost as much fun as the trip itself.” Advance planning makes for a stress-free and FUN vacation! Try it and you will see.
Just as you might organize your child’s “stuff” in the car, you’ll want to organize their “stuff” when you eat out or wait for appointments. You can use a variety of containers to house the “stuff” – clear baggies, old tin lunchboxes, Altoids tins, Pringles containers, pencil pockets or Tupperware. I often recycle clear, plastic toy containers. One of my favorite clear containers is the GAP’s child underwear package. It’s compact with a zipper, perfect for storing crayons, pens, notepads and other goodies to entertain a child. Having a variety of small containers that you can pick and choose from keeps your child’s interest at a maximum. I have a container of 
Planning a trip with a baby doesn’t have to be stressful. Using a checklist makes packing quicker. It also ensures you don’t leave anything important behind. Here’s my baby go to list:
