While many of us are spending the holidays at home, there are many who are packing it up for road trips to visit family or heading down south.  Regardless of where you’re going or how you’re getting there, this pre-trip checklist should come in handy.

• Cancel prearranged deliveries: newspaper, milk, book-of-the-month, etc.
• Cancel any appointments for while you’re away, including standing appointments with housekeeper, babysitter, chiropractor, etc.
• Schedule pre-trip appointments: haircuts, wax, mani/pedi
• Make sure all your dry-cleaning is done in time to pick up before the trip
• Make arrangements for pets (For fish you can buy food that lasts for a week or so)
• Make arrangements for mail & flyers
• Speak with cell phone company to understand roaming charges and possibly purchase package for while you are away
• Make sure you have an emergency contact who will be in town while you are away (for the alarm company)
• Prepay bills that come due while you are away
• Fill any prescriptions (remember creams, puffers, etc) for the length of time you will be away.  Bring copies of prescriptions if needed
• Bring eyeglass prescription along with you- glasses can get lost or broken while away.
• Set out-of-office assistant to auto-reply to email
• Place valuables in safe or safe deposit box
• Synchronize your PDA
• Backup hard drive & store backup in safe or safe deposit
• Return Videos &/or library books
• Set timers for lights (outdoor & indoor as well, if you wish)
• Adjust household temperature
• Shut off Gas valve(s)
• Lock garage
• Lock cars, if in driveway
• Check that all entrances to house are locked
• Unplug appliances
• Close water valves to laundry machine
• Turn off all lights
• Turn on alarm

If leaving the country:

• Make copies of passports & leave with someone trusted
• Advise credit card companies of travel dates if leaving country. Card usage can be blocked in a different country if you used your card earlier that day at home (even if it was at the airport!)

Do you have any other to-do’s to take care of right before a trip? Please share so we can add to the list!

Happy packing!

Tanya