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With summer in full swing, it’s time to be thinking about your upcoming vacations. Whether you’re planning to hit the beach with the family or travel abroad for some historical education, it’s important to be prepared. Don’t be stressed during your break from reality. Use this summer vacation checklist to keep you organized and prepared for your time away from home.
1. Pack Essential Clothing
Consider your destination’s climate and pack accordingly. It’s alway a good idea to bring a jacket and long pants, even if you’re going somewhere hot. You’ll also want a variety of shoes for a variety of occasions. Try to pack light, but also keep your bases covered.
2. Don’t Forget the Chargers
There’s nothing worse than getting halfway around the world and realizing that you left your electronics’ chargers at home. Make sure they make it into your bag before you leave.
3. Record Important Phone Numbers
In the event that your data plan is out of range, and you need to get ahold of the airline, car rental place, or hotel, have those numbers saved in your contacts.
4. Call a Neighbor
If you’re going to be gone for more than a few days, it’s always a good idea to ask a trusted neighbor to keep an eye on the house for you. You might ask them to go into the home and leave a different light on every night or just keep an eye out for suspicious activity. That way you have added protection from burglars.
5. Suspend Newspaper and Mail
One of the biggest things burglars look for when robbing a home is piled-up mail or newspapers. Call the post office and newspaper and ask them to suspend the service until you return.
6. Clean the House
You definitely don’t want to come home to a messy house when you return from your vacation. You also don’t want it to take on a foul odor because you didn’t take the trash out or run the garbage disposal before you left. Clean out the refrigerator, give away food that will spoil while you’re gone, and take out the trash before you leave. You’ll be tired from traveling when you get back, and it will be nice to walk into a clean, relaxing home.
7. Arrange for Pets
Don’t wait until the last minute to arrange for pet care. Make arrangements for your pets at least two weeks in advance. That way, you have plenty of time to find someone else if your usual providers can’t do it.
8. Get Shots
If you’re traveling abroad, check with the CDC to see what kinds of shots you might need before leaving the country for that destination. Getting shots takes time, so it’s best to plan ahead on this one.
9. Call the Credit Card Company
If you’re traveling a sizable distance from home, let the credit card company and bank know. That way, they won’t suspend your credit or ATM card when you’re trying to use it on your vacation.
10. Copy Important Items
It’s always a good idea to bring copies of your important documents – driver’s license, the photo page of your passport – before you leave. That way if you need to leave a copy with anyone, you won’t have to leave the original, and if you lose the document you’ll at least have the critical information like your passport and license number.
