What does your pre-trip prep usually look like? When does it usually begin? For me, I typically start making pre-trip preparations that moment I make the final payment. Whether that's in a one-time payment or after completing a payment, my prep starts the moment the trip itself is fully paid off.
Typically, this starts with talking to my boss and getting the time-off - whatever that process looks like for you and your specific employer. Once the time-off request process has been completed and squared away, my next step is to start getting an idea of what things (if any) will need to be cared for while we're away. I previously had dogs, so at that time part of the process was getting someone to assist in their care or making arrangements for them to stay in an animal hotel/with a friend. In my current stage, that would depend on whether it's a family trip or just me and my wife.
In a family trip, it tends to be much simpler. Our littles are in daycare, which makes it relatively easy to get up and travel when we want too. Which makes moving past making arrangements pretty easy. Whereas when it's just a couples trip, we have to make plans to get the littles care for the trip and take the appropriate steps needed. In most cases, we typically have family members watch them - which makes things easy in the event of an emergency. But in the event that we have someone not related to us caring for the littles we prepare a letter explaining that the littles are being cared for, who the person is and their relationship with us, contact with us in the event of some serious emergencies took place but that for anything minor these folks are responsible for the kids during this time.
Luckily, there's been no reason for the letter to be used but it helps set us at ease while we're gone.
Once we get closer to the trip, usually about a week out, I typically start to prepare to pay any bills that will be coming out while we're traveling. I've also developed a plan for someone to cover my work while I'm out and have shared with them a detailed list outlining specific needs for any/all of my tasks. My wife and I will also start to pack, typically my wife will take care of creating the various outfits for all of us - my role is typically to do the laundry we may need for the trip. This timeframe also includes the purchasing of any last minute items we need for the trip - travel size essentials, new clothes/shoes, etc.
As the week turns into days before the trip, the last of the bags are packed - in most cases two days before our trip. Through out the week, I typically do a relatively thorough cleaning of our house. I don't know about y'all but the best feeling is coming back from a trip to an already clean house and being able to continue to relax and readjust home - rather than getting things back in order. We also begin following up with anyone who was assisting us with anything (childcare, tending to things around our house while we're going, etc.) to confirm they are still planning to assist and allowing time for back-up to be reached out too.
The last 24 hours before we leave, we typically clean out our vehicle (if we aren't getting a rental) and load all of the bags into it that we won't need immediately before getting on the road. Since we have littles, we typically also pack up a variety of snacks to help them survive the ride if they're coming with us. I will do a quick walk through of the house to make sure everything is clean, or clean anything that needs it before we leave, and start to unplug things we won't be using while we're gone - this includes shift the schedule in on our thermostat to automatically stop running. We're lucky as we also have an app that controls our AC/Heater from anywhere, so if we are leaving in an unexpected rush we can also make those adjustments through that app.
Finally, just before we hop on the road, we usually try to fill up. Rather start the trek on a full tank than stop early.
I didn't mention this above, but usually when we pack, we try to use one of the packing checklists we've developed. Which are shared in their own blog post - "My Packing List Suggestions".
Thanks for taking the time to read today!
Have a magical day,
D'Vaughn Delpit
Dreams of Wonder Travel Agency
Comments