When you’re nearing an upcoming vacation—whether it be a short trip in-state or a getaway across the country—it’s pretty hard to focus on anything else. The excitement of traveling to a new place and seeing new things, all while not having to worry about work or school while you’re away, can cause you to lose track of some of the important tasks that need to get done both in preparation for your trip as well as immediately following.
Stay on track while you’re away from home by remembering to do these 11 things before you leave:
1. Pay bills early or schedule automatic payments for anything due during your trip. Traveling can be expensive, so there’s no need to accrue any late fees or penalty costs as a result of missing a payment on a credit card, adding extra costs to your list of travel expenses. A good way to avoid this by making your payments for that month ahead of time or by scheduling your payments to be paid on or a little before their due dates.
2. Order and retrieve medications in advance. If you’re on regular medications, don’t forget to order and pick up your prescriptions before you leave. It’s easy to forget, but oh-so important for remembering if your health depends on it.
3. Put a hold on mail or newspaper deliveries. If you still have newspapers delivered to your home, one easy way to let your neighborhood (and complete strangers) know you’re on vacation is to have a pile of them on your driveway. And, if you’re away long enough, your mailbox may start to overflow. Manage your newspaper subscription online and notify USPS to put a hold on your mail until you return, and you won’t have to worry about a thing while you’re away.
4. Make copies of important documents, and take them with you. No matter how careful we might think we are with our documents, at one point or another, many of us have lost or will lose a piece of identification, credit card, passport or other important materials. If this happens to you, it’s helpful to have a copy of these documents readily available in case you need to provide one of them at any time.
5. Withdraw some cash to have on hand. Even in busy cities where credit cards are generally accepted everywhere, there are always certain places that only accept cash as payment. It’s always good to have some cash on hand in case there’s an unexpected problem with a credit or debit card, especially if you’re traveling out of the country.
6. Clean out your refrigerator and trash cans. This is an easy one to forget about. But the consequences of not throwing out perishable items can stink—both figuratively and literally. Be sure to plan a good clean-out session the day of or night before leaving for your trip, so you have the cleanest house to come home to. *Tip: A good way to prevent a lot of food waste is to try making most or all of your meals for the week prior to your trip with as much of the fresh ingredients as you can that are currently in your refrigerator or pantry.
7. Unplug appliances and electronics in your home. Conserve both money and energy by not just turning off, but unplugging your appliances and electronics. Plus, it’s safer to unplug these items, which prevent any chance of starting an accidental fire.
8. Bring a first-aid kit with you. This is especially important for those traveling with children or animals. If you’re planning a road trip, you may run into a situation where there aren’t any pharmacies or other places to stop for medical supplies for miles at a time. Some people are more prone to motion sickness, high-climate fevers or headaches, which can easily be remedied with proper medication. And you never know when someone is going to trip or fall and need a little bandaging up.
9. Pack for the official weather forecast. It’s easy to assume that you know what the weather will be at your vacation destination based on your knowledge of the area’s climate during that time of year. But in places like Orlando, Florida, it can go from 100-degree weather to 40-degree weather in a matter of days. Make sure you know what the official weather forecast is in order to pack the appropriate clothing for your trip.
10. Put liquid items in sealed plastic bags. A quick tip for preventing unnecessary spillage in your luggage is to place all bottled liquids in a sealed plastic bag. Plus, it keeps all toiletries and similar items in one place so they are easy to find.
11. Set your thermostat to a designated “away” temperature. Most of us remember to set our thermostats up or down before leaving for a vacation, but not many of us know what the good rule of thumb is for setting an exact temperature. Generally speaking, four to five degrees around your regular set temperature will keep your home cool, yet won’t waste too much energy while you’re away.