10 Things to do Before you Leave for Vacation

10. Call your cell phone carrier.  Find out what your coverage will be if you are travelling to another country.  Often cell phone carriers offer coverage in other countries such as Canada and Mexico at no additional cost, and a small cost to add other countries to your coverage on a daily basis.  Know the costs before you travel and get a huge bill you weren't expecting.  

9. Clean out your fridge.  Nobody wants to return to a stinky fridge after a week away.  Clear out leftovers, produce, milk, and other products that will expire.  Coming home to a clean space after vacation will make the transition to regular life that much easier.  

8. Set up your 'out of office email.'  Whether you will have full access or no access to your email while you are away, set up an out of office email to let people you are away.  A client of mine recently included a note that she was going to be mostly disconnected from her inbox and would embrace the 7 forms of rest.  I love this!

7. Add travel alerts to your credit card. I truly appreciate that banks take security on credit cards very seriously and will protect my accounts in the event of fraud - but nothing can be more frustrating than having your card decline when you are legitimately trying to use it because the bank isn't expecting you to be out of the country.  Alert your bank of travel plans, and also carry more than one credit card -I  don't recommend you carry all of them, but having more than one card may help get you out of a bind.  

6. Set up a House/Pet Sitter.  If you'll be gone for an extended period of time, having someone to look after your house can give you peace of mind and also be an easier transition for your pet to be in their own space than staying somewhere else while you are away.  Make sure someone has a key to your house in case of emergencies - you never know!

5. Double check your required identification.  Know what type of identification you need - do you need a passport?  Do you only need a state issued ID and a birth certificate?  Make sure you know what you need well in advance and check the expiration date.  Some countries require that your passport be valid 6 months after your dates of travel - don't be denied entry because you didn't check your passport expiration date!

4. Compile your list of emergency contacts.  In the event of emergency, you don't want to have to scramble to find your contacts.  Have your list ready and keep it with you but also give it to a trusted person who will be at home.  If you are traveling out of the country but you are leaving your kids at home, make sure you have left insurance information with whoever is looking after them, and it's also a good idea to look into granting their caretaker power to make decisions in the event you are not there to make them - you never want to plan for a child to get sick while you are gone, but having a backup plan will give you peace of mind in the event something does happen.

3. Download useful travel apps and maps.  Download the apps for your airline, cruise ship, hotel, Uber/Lyft, local travel guides, etc. Often times Airports will have an app that will help you navigate to your gate. If you are traveling to Alaska or the northern hemisphere, download an app that will tell you if there is a chance of the Northern Lights being seen where you are.  If you are going to be sailing on a cruise ship, download an app that will help you map the stars!  

2. Make a packing list.  Well before it's time to walk out the door, write down a packing list of all the things you will need for your trip.  If you are going on a road trip, write down what you will want handy/easily accessible.  Make sure you include things like medications, extra shoes, etc.  Have a packing list for your carry on luggage and your checked luggage.  Don't get to your destination and have to do some extra shopping because you forgot some of the essentials!

1. Consider travel insurance/protection.  We are living in a post 2020 world where we saw the entire travel industry get turned upside down when Covid made it's appearance.  The importance for travel protection/insurance has grown exponentially and we know even more how important that is.  There are options to purchase travel protection through a third party company, or you can often add it to existing packages.  Consider the possibility of pre-existing conditions that may affect your ability to travel later.  All of these things play a role in when you should add your travel protection.

Bonus item.... book your trip with me!  I'll make sure you have these tips and tricks, and I'll be your personal point of contact for the trip.  No need to be on hold on the phone for hours to get through to ask questions to a difference person every time.  I'll take the time to get to know you and your needs!