Vacation Pre-Planning
I just returned home from my annual two-week trip to Hawaii.
A few days before I left town, I taught my first "Organizing with Laura: Real Life Strategies & Techniques" class in my home.
The class was a hit, but knowing that I would be teaching the class and then leaving town two days later - I needed to be prepared and packed.
Here are a few things I do to help us prepare for upcoming trips - maybe they'll help you next time you get ready to travel:
1. I keep a file labeled with the "place" and "dates" of the vacation. In it, I store airline, hotel and car rental information as well as any other information I may need about activities while I'm away. When I'm ready to leave, I grab the folder and I know I've got everything I need and can slip it in the outside pocket of my carry-on bag.
2. I establish a location in my office to place all non-clothing and toiletry associated itmes. Some of these include: my reading materials, computer accessories, my iPod and charger, my camera and its charger, stamps for postcards I plan to send and so on. This way, as I run across something I know I will take with me, it's sitting there waiting for me to pack.
3. When possible, I try to pack all clothing needed for my vacation a week in advance - it save a lot of last minute headaches of trying to figure out what to wear and ensuring that the clothes are clean.
4. At least two weeks before my vacation, I review the toiletries in my kit. I try to keep it packed at all times, so that the only think I need to include the date of travel is makeup. If I determine I need to replenish anything, I make a shopping list for the next time I'm out and replenish when I get home.
5. Depending on the location of my vacation, I make a list of additional accessories I may want to take; such as a collapsable cooler, water bottle, laundry detergent (in a leak proof bottle) seasonings so I can cook, etc...
There are always last minute things that come up at home or at work that need attention and take time away from packing - so getting a head start helps eliminate my chaos before I leave town.
A few days before I left town, I taught my first "Organizing with Laura: Real Life Strategies & Techniques" class in my home.
The class was a hit, but knowing that I would be teaching the class and then leaving town two days later - I needed to be prepared and packed.
Here are a few things I do to help us prepare for upcoming trips - maybe they'll help you next time you get ready to travel:
1. I keep a file labeled with the "place" and "dates" of the vacation. In it, I store airline, hotel and car rental information as well as any other information I may need about activities while I'm away. When I'm ready to leave, I grab the folder and I know I've got everything I need and can slip it in the outside pocket of my carry-on bag.
2. I establish a location in my office to place all non-clothing and toiletry associated itmes. Some of these include: my reading materials, computer accessories, my iPod and charger, my camera and its charger, stamps for postcards I plan to send and so on. This way, as I run across something I know I will take with me, it's sitting there waiting for me to pack.
3. When possible, I try to pack all clothing needed for my vacation a week in advance - it save a lot of last minute headaches of trying to figure out what to wear and ensuring that the clothes are clean.
4. At least two weeks before my vacation, I review the toiletries in my kit. I try to keep it packed at all times, so that the only think I need to include the date of travel is makeup. If I determine I need to replenish anything, I make a shopping list for the next time I'm out and replenish when I get home.
5. Depending on the location of my vacation, I make a list of additional accessories I may want to take; such as a collapsable cooler, water bottle, laundry detergent (in a leak proof bottle) seasonings so I can cook, etc...
There are always last minute things that come up at home or at work that need attention and take time away from packing - so getting a head start helps eliminate my chaos before I leave town.
