Calling all smart and crafty people to plan ahead for a trip. Here is how to make planning a vacation less hectic before departure. After all, no one wants this exciting day filled with undue stress. Follow these tips and you will thank yourself later.
Off to the Magical World
Let’s say you and your kids have always wanted to visit Walt Disney World; the place where millions of visitors claim this is the place of dreams. As the day approaches, have a checklist prepared. This way you can be certain there aren’t any extra surprise glitches and you can experience the relaxed, dreamy atmosphere, too.
- Note – we have already discussed and highlighted how to make this trip on a budget in an earlier post. Thus, check out all of these details, too. You will find the inside scope of topics; such as incredible lodging options, peak and value travel times, exceptional transportation, airfare rates, meal ticket plans, fantastic offers on Disney tickets (including special events) and more all at a discounted price
- Long Term Parking Arrangements
The above tips will assist you with much of your planning details; however, here is one more extra tidbit of savings for you. Let’s imagine, you are taking off from New York at the LaGuardia Airport. Before take-off, schedule your LGA parking reservations. Here you can compare to get the cheapest rates for long-term parking. More importantly, you can find out their reputations by reading the reviews from previous customers. In addition, amenities include security cameras, 24/7 shuttle service, and free cancellations.
Dreaded Packing List of Forgotten Items
A helpful list of items to include is essential. The problems begin when your mind begins to wander and worry. You see an item checked off the list, but did it really get packed? Now you find yourself scrambling through a series of bags. Instead of trying to figure out which item went into a specific bag, take your organization skills to the next level.
Lay out your bags. In each one, place a list of items to include. This will shorten your double checking searches. Let’s face it, we all can doubt our ability to trust our checklist when busy, especially when it comes to that favorite pair of shoes or that treasured toy. You get the picture. Of course, create a master checklist. This is where you will break down your list and notate which item will go into which piece of luggage or backpack.
Balancing Between a Work and Vacation Mindset
How do you prepare to transition from work time to play time? At first, you might brush this idea off. I mean seriously, who plans a trip for relaxation only to find themselves traveling back to what is going on at the workplace or home. You know the latest motto, turn off electronics while spending time with your family (or your alone time). Similarly, distance yourself from what’s going on at work or in the neighborhood. Business Insider has a terrific article with suggestions on this topic about how successful people prepare for vacation. It is worth the short read.
In addition to disconnecting, a short recap includes what to do the evening before your vacation begins.
- Change your work voicemails and emails to an out-of-the-office message. Simultaneously, confer with your co-workers the status of your vacation dates.
- Charge all electronics. Yes. We already talked about stepping back from these devices, but the reality of a total shutoff is delusional. We all need access to our cell phones.
- Double check the status of all reservations. This includes airline flights, parking at the terminal, hotel, and more.
- Gather all of your important documents such as your airline tickets, entrance tickets for special events, etc. Don’t forget to have a copy of everyone’s ID’s, too.
Until next time, all you smart and crafty friends, it is time to say Bon Voyage. Take plenty of pictures of all your memorable fun. Later, you can sit back to cherish and relive the memories. I hope you have found valuable insight with some of these suggestions about how to make planning a vacation less hectic before departure.
