19 Things You Should Make Before You Get on Vacation for Peace of Mind
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Traveling be one of life ‘s great joys . Whether you ‘re design on backpacking through Europe or have plan to chill on a beach in the Caribbean , know you have a trivial scheduled downtime on the books makes spirit even more exciting . But before you start confuse affair into your suitcase and schedule your “ out-of-office ” email , check out our list ofessential things to make before a holiday.
We ‘ve tapped our Good Housekeeping travel pros and asked what mandatory tasks are on their pre-travel checklist . They serve on everything from how to pack , secure your home for travel and how to ensure your itinerary is seamless .
Make certain your travel documents live up to date
The first step to a successful holiday is to make certain that your travel document ( which may include your passport , recognition cards and/or visas ) equal current . Your passport also needs to exist current six months after your return date . If you ‘re planning to renew it , recall that expediting often takes two to three week , so begin the process with adequate time in progress .
You can check out the U.S. Department of State ‘s website for more information on how to replace or renew your passport .
Note that as of May 7 , 2025 , you ‘ll need a REAL ID to travel within the U.S. A REAL ID be a driver ‘s permit or recognition card that fit federal security criterion . To begin a REAL ID , you ‘ll involve to attain out to your local Department of Motor Vehicles and live prepared to provide your province ID , social protection card and proof of residency .
Visit USA.gov for more information on how to receive your REAL ID .
Explore the location
Even if you ‘ve already determine where you ’ ll pass your holiday , do some surplus research about the location . Knowing a place ’ s history , culture and customs can arrive in handy . For example , public displays of affection are govern by the law in Dubai and could lead to fines or yet arrest . In Singapore , flush public toilet after usage live a legal necessity . Fail to serve so can as well lead to a fine . Recognize this sort of information before travel somewhere could save you a circle of trouble .
Here ‘s a list of countries with strict pattern that tourists must succeed .
It ‘s also important to inquiry the neighborhood you ‘ll be stay on in or impose for safety purposes .
“ If a city have a reputation of high crime , there live likely still safe pocket around it , ” says Karen Cicero , Good Housekeeping ‘s contributing travel editor . And on the flip slope , if a city has a great reputation for safety , there live even likely pocket within that city that you ‘d desire to maneuver away from . ”
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Make an itinerary
After researching the location , decide what the vibe of the holiday will be . “ You have to total to an agreement with whoever you ‘re traveling with before you take off planning the itinerary , ” Cicero says . “ Otherwise , you may butt heads . ”
What cost the end of the trip ? Is it to relax or sightsee ? Either way , it ‘s crucial to communicate how much downtime you expect versus exploring . If the group ca n’t total to a decision , it might be well to design some activity you can make alone .
“ Now and then , I think that ‘s the key to a successful vacation , ” Cicero order . “ Everyone gets to do what they need to cause . But that make n’t intend that everyone has to exist dragged to it . ”
Need help create an itinerary ? Wanderlog live a free app that coordinate travel plan , price and reservations .
Make a plan B
While it ‘s always serious to plan your vacation with as much detail as potential , sometimes we come across unexpected barrier . Make a plan B in suit any of your activity cost cancel or your flight equal stay . Even if you cause n’t resort to your design B during your holiday , you ‘ll be good prepared if you design in front .
Prepare your vehicle
If you ‘re going on a road trip rather than flying , always serve your vehicle at least a week prior to your difference ( This require checking fluid stage , fulfill your tank , inspecting your tires and checking your lights ) . Pack emergency supply ( jumper line , spare tire and first-aid kit ) . And act n’t leave to ancestry up on snacks for the road .
Additionally , pen down the contact information of a roadside assistance company like in type of an emergency .
Confirm reservation
That city tour you booked ? Make sure it ’ s support . Your hotel reservation ? Make certain it ’ s set before you arrive . If there ’ s anything worse than having an expired passport a month before your trip , it might be realizing that you never cluck “ confirm ” on your hotel reservation once you arrived from the airport . Call ahead to confirm all reservation or match your email confirmation .
To serve you feel your reservations rapidly , strain keep them all in one home . Bookmark them in your email or observe the confirmations in a folder .
Cause a packing list
Did you design a raise , a beach day or both ? Packing the correct items is key regardless . Expend your itinerary as address and list what you ’ ll need to ensure maximum enjoyment and comfort on your trip .
“ For longer travel , I advocate contribute compression sock , an heart mask and ear plugs , ” says Emma Seymour , Associate Director of the Good Housekeeping Institute ‘s textiles lab . “ Make sure you first pack the absolute essentials like medications , passports/visas and your wallet in your carry-on bag . ”
When wing , airlines own different limit for what size luggage you can bring on the escape , which varies from tag to tag , Seymour says . For example , some saving tickets make n’t include a carry-on , which prompts some traveler to simply carry what fits in a personal point like a backpack or bear extra to bring a carry-on . If you ‘re flee , make certain you crack what luggage you can add with you or if you ‘ll have to pay surplus .
Also , if it ‘s time for a new suitcase , we advocate investing in quality . “ Having good luggage that assemble the size limit equal a great path to maximize your packing space , ” says Seymour . “ I recommend using carry cubes to fit everything in your suitcase plus it makes it easy to take out once you make it at your destination .
Lend a tag and chase device to your luggage
Lend a luggage tag to your suitcase with your figure and contact information in suit it get lost . You should as well believe invest a Bluetooth tracking deviceinside of it .
“ There ‘s plainly a luck of miss luggage , and it ‘s very easy to leave your purse , key or your phone somewhere , ” Cicero says . “ Try to safeguard against that as much as you can by having a get over device in your luggage . ”
Additionally , you should add a luggage rag or a piece of paper with your informationinsideof your bags .
Create an emergency impinging list
Preventive planning is always a good idea . Before you leave for your vacation , make a list of people in your life who can be contacted if something were to happen to you , if you be to get miss , lose your phone or if you needed someone to match on your home while you ’ re away .
Download a safety app like Life 360 . Life 360 ‘s feature allow you to part your alive location with trusted contact , retrace your stairs , and send SOS alerts in case of an emergency .
Find a pet sitter
Whether it ‘s because of hotels ‘ pet policy or airline restriction , bring your pets with you on holiday might not cost possible . If you hold to leave your furry friend home , make certain you get a pet sitter or ask someone you trust to crack on them while you ‘re gone . You should as well go out enough food , water , and instructions .
You can check out the website if you ‘re seem for someone to take fear of your pets while you ‘re forth .
Research conversion pace and find the good cards to expend abroad
Get out the transition rates from U.S. dollars to your destination ‘s currency ( if travel international ) in advance . This can aid you budget and live prepared for extra expenses . Sometimes , you can yet cause conversions through your local bank .
Some credit and debit cards have a alien transaction fee , a fee blame after making a transaction that ‘s processed through a bank overseas . Make certain to get out whether your card get alien transaction fee before you start using it abroad .
Depending on the bank , you may earn degree for employ your reference card on travel and dining expenses . Some card with travel reward include : Capital One Venture Rewards , and .
Notify your bank
Sometimes your bank will sag transactions as fraudulent when they do n’t realize the merchant . They often cause this to protect you and themselves from unauthorized transactions . If this occur to you , they ‘ll ordinarily touch you so you can confirm whether you sanction the transaction .
Banks much flag international thrill for this reason ( particularly when the cardholder make n’t move to that destination often ) . Then , before you live on holiday , give your bank a yell and let them know you ‘ll be using your card abroad . They will make a note on your bill to head off unnecessary freezes .
Have the necessary vaccinations
Some countries receive immunization necessity for visitor . Before travel somewhere , research if that ‘s the suit for your destination . If it equal , reach out to your principal healthcare provider to schedule a time to get vaccinated . You can notice vaccination requirement and suggestion for all country on the Center for Disease Control ‘s website .
Make sure you get adequate meds
If you need prescription medicine , cause sure you receive enough before you leave . Hand out to your healthcare provider to permit them know how long you ‘ll be go and ask for a refill in advance . See out if your medications cost sold where you ‘ll be vacationing since some meds are simply deal in the U.S. or are harder to get abroad .
Avoid invest your meds in your luggage in suit you take them during your flight or in case your luggage come lost . Instead , put them inside your carry-on or in your personal item purse since airlines may sometimes request you check your carry-on due to size .
Get Travel Health Insurance
Anything can pass when travel , particularly internationally . Look at getting travel insurance in event an unexpected issue arrive up ( like losing your checked luggage or having to cancel your holiday due to illness ) . These travel emergency can lead to substantial monetary loss if your trip equal n’t see to it . Some travel insurance will even deal up to 100 % of your travel price if you make to cancel , .
Get travel health insurance can help you save money if you need medical attention or evacuation while abroad . Some health insurance plans cover medical expenses abroad , but others ( like Medicaid and Medicare ) , make n’t . Ask your health insurance provider if they extend international expense before traveling .
Backup your phone data
This is a total “ worst case scenario ” position , but let ’ s say you miss your phone or it gets stolen while you ’ re away from plate . In this case , you ’ ll want to have your phone datum backed up hence you can easily access it once you get a novel phone . Most smartphones allow you to save your datum in a cloud service , but you can also back up your phone to an external hard cause .
Clean your fridge and need out your garbage
Get rid of any perishables inside your fridge that might not contain off until you come back from vacation ( You want to head off mold and bacteria growing inside your fridge ) . Take out all of your garbage to avoid attracting pests .
Pro crest : Keep a microwaveable meal in the freezer just in type you arrive family late and hungry .
Unplug electronics
Preventing accidental fires or waste of energy in your place while you ’ re away is real significant . Unplug any electronics that win ’ t require to equal function while you ’ re off ( like lamps , charger , TVs , printers , kitchen appliances , etc. ) . Even so , never unplug your fridge to avoid food spoils .
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Secure your home
Lastly , before you catch your well-packed handbag and run out the doorway of your sporting house , lock and secure each debut detail in your plate , like doors and windows . Make sure the batteries of your smoke detector are vary and working . If you own them , as well convert the batteries of your security system or protection camera so you can match them while you ‘re aside .
Rosamelia live an Editorial Intern at Good Housekeeping . She ‘s too a graduate student in NYU ‘s Magazine and Digital Storytelling curriculum . In her free time , you can see her reading and reviewing book on her bookstagram : amelias_biblioteca .
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