Top 10 tips for preparing for your holiday trip

By Rita R. Robison

When my friend comes to pick me up to go to the airport to go on a trip, I’m usually just finishing up all the tasks I need to do to get ready.

What can you do to prevent last minute frenzy?

1. Make a list of what you want to take. That way, you won’t forget important items. I’ve lost track of the number of times I’ve forgotten to take a sun hat for a visit to Miami.
2. Arrange well in advance to have neighbors or friends take care of your plants and pets. It’s stressful when the person you had in mind says she’ll be on vacation, too, and you have to scramble to find someone else at the last minute.
3. Print out your ticket and put it and other travel documents in your purse or backpack several days before you leave. You want to avoid the disaster of forgetting your passport if you’re headed overseas.
4. Have all your yard work caught up. One time, I was worried about my gutters just before I went to visit my daughter. Since I was ready a half hour early, I decided to check them out. I found they needed attention. I spent an hour quickly cleaning them. I arrived at the gate just before it closed to passengers.
5. Don’t get distracted by projects that can wait until later. Concentrate on having everything done on time. Another time, when I first started blogging, I thought I had to write my two daily posts before I could finish packing. I completed the posts at about 11:45 p.m. I finished packing into the early morning hours. I only got a couple of hours of sleep before my ride came.
6. Don’t worry about leaving your house spotless. Vacuum your house and mop your kitchen floor several days before you leave. Put away things as you go about your packing.
7. Plan out what clothes you’ll need well in advance of your departure date. That will give you plenty of time to get them washed, dried, folded, and packed. Don’t leave the packing to the day before you leave.
8. Put lotions, sun screen, vitamins, toothbrush, floss, toothpaste, and other items in a canvas bag or other small bag as you think about what you’ll need. That way, they’ll be ready to be popped into your suitcase, reducing your chances of forgetting something.
9. Start early with your holiday shopping. Put the presents you’re taking all in one place so you’ll get an idea of the space they’ll take. If the pile is too big, you may need to buy an additional suitcase.
10. Take a grab and go breakfast to eat on the way to the airport if you’re rushing to meet your deadline. This can help you save valuable time.

Good luck with your holiday travel preparations. I hope you have a great, safe trip.