Pre-Travel Checklist

A great vacation begins with leaving all your worries at home.  Ease your mind that everything is in order before you leave with our pre-travel checklist.

General Home Preparation 

• Water plants before leaving home or arrange for a neighbor to care for them while you're away.
• Unplug any appliances sensitive to power surges, such as computers, microwaves, and television sets.
• Dial your thermostat up or down to match the temperature of the season.
• Stop all home delivery services (mail, newspaper, milk, diapers, and so on) or arrange to have item picked up by a neighbor.
• Arrange for pet care at a kennel or in your home.
• Mow the lawn if necessary.

Security 

• Lock all windows and doors securely and remove any keys hidden outside the house.
• Tell neighbors that you'll be away and how they can reach you in an emergency.
• Turn on telephone answering machine. You may want to change the message on your answering machine at work to let your business contacts know you are out of town.
• Set lights and a radio on timers. Turn up the radio loud enough to be heard outside.
• Close blinds and curtains.

Kitchen

• Store food in your freezer to prevent running to the grocery store as soon as you return home.
• Remove perishable items from your refrigerator.
• Empty all wastebaskets.
• Run the garbage disposal to eliminate the possibility of unpleasant odors.
• Wash the dishes. (You'll be sorry when you come back if you forget this!)

Arrange for Transportation to and from Departure Airport 

• Check departure times and arrival times.
• Leave information on flights with Transportation Company.
• Leave appropriate contact telephone numbers with appropriate person.
• Give yourself ample time to arrive, international flights require more time to check in and clear security.

Personal Preparation 

• Schedule a medical check-up before the trip. Ask your doctor about necessary vaccinations, and have any medical procedures done before you go.
• Update any personal identification so that it contains current information and photograph.
• Pick up cash, change, and traveler.s checks at the bank.
• Get a telephone calling card and take it with you.
• Fill out and send in your tax return form if you will be out of town at the deadline.
• Fill out an absentee voter form if you will be out of town at election time.
• Tell your friends where they can write to you at your vacation or out-of-town address.
• Pay the rent and other bills. If you.ll be gone for an extended period of time, arrange for a friend or relative to pay the bills.
• Wash clothes that you.re not packing so that you.ll have a clean set of clothes at home when you return from your trip.
• Break in new shoes to prevent blisters.

Sanity Savers 

• Make a "fun bag" for yourself and include games, books, toys, and snacks.
• Print address labels of people to send postcards to. It.s much lighter to carry a sheet of labels than your address book.