Travel Tips: Get Organized For Family Travel
Summer's here and school's out: it's time to take to the road!
Summer vacation travel can be enriching, enjoyable and exciting--but only if you're organized. The family that fails to plan for summer travel can end up frazzled, frustrated and longing for the quiet comfort of home.
This year, get ready! Whether it's car trips, plane travel or close-to-home "stay-cation" picnics or camping trips, we've assembled OrganizedHome.Com's best, easiest tips to organize summer vacation travel:
What To Know Before You Go
A smooth, stress-free vacation begins well before the trip. Use these ideas to streamline vacation travel planning and preparation:
- Establish Travel Central. Whether it's a new divider in a Household Notebook notebook, a dedicated section in a paper planner, or a Vacation category in your handheld organizer, keep all travel information in a single location. Include contact information for airlines, car rental agencies and travel agents, passport and frequent flyer numbers, and itineraries.
- Three most important factors for vacation planning: lists, lists and more lists. Filed in Travel Central, vacation lists can include personal packing lists for each family member, a "before we leave" checklist, instructions for house-sitters, packing checklist, picnic planner checklist or camping checklist.
- Enter the packing zone. As you plan and prepare, set aside an area to gather travel essentials. In addition to tickets, passports, and travel documents, add travel-sized toiletries, tissues, travel appliances and personal care items. Moving from "list" to "packed" is easier if all your gear can be viewed in one place.
Pack It Light, Pack It Right
Packing prowess separates veteran travelers from the armchair variety. Keep these ideas in mind as you pack for vacation travel:
