Please feel free to copy-and-paste this list into a word document. Then you can customize it to fit your family.
General Home Preparation
□ Water plants and mow lawn before leaving home or arrange for a neighbor to care for them while you're away
□ Unplug any appliances sensitive to power surges, such as computers, microwaves, and television sets
□ Dial your thermostat up or down to match the temperature of the season
□ Stop all home-delivery services (mail, newspaper, milk, diapers, and so on) or arrange to have items picked up by a neighbor
□ Arrange for pet care at a kennel or in your home
☆☆ Security
□ Lock all windows and doors securely and remove any keys hidden outside the house
□ Tell neighbors that you'll be away and how they can reach you in an emergency
□ Turn on your telephone answering machine. You may want to change the message on your answering machine at work to let your business contacts know you are out of town
□ Set lights and a radio on timers. Turn up the radio loud enough so it can be heard outside
□ Close blinds and curtains
Kitchen
♡♡ Store food in your freezer to prevent having to run to the grocery store as soon as you return home
□ Remove perishable items from your refrigerator
□ Empty all waste baskets & run the garbage disposal to eliminate the possibility of unpleasant odors
□ ¡¡ Wash the dishes (You'll be sorry when you come back if you forget this!)
Getting Your Car Ready
□ Check your spare tire and jack to ensure they are both in working order
□ Check oil level, tire pressure, and coolant level, and all other fluid levels
□ Pack a first-aid kit and roadside emergency kit into the trunk
Personal Preparation
□ Schedule a medical check-up before the trip. (Ladies, make sure your mammogram and pap smear are up-to-date!!)
°Ask your doctor about necessary vaccinations, and have any medical procedures done before you go
□ Update any personal identification so that it contains current information and a photograph [Make sure your DPA is up to date, too!]
□ Pick up cash, change, and traveler’s checks at the bank
□ Get a telephone calling card and take it with you
° [or at least make sure you bring the charger for your phone!]
□ Fill out and send in your tax return form if you will be out of town at the deadline
□ Tell your friends where they can write to you at your vacation or out-of-town address
□ Pay the rent and other bills. If you’ll be gone for an extended period of time, arrange for a friend or relative to pay the bills
♡♡Wash clothes that you’re not packing so that you’ll have a clean set of clothes at home when you return from your trip
□ Break in new shoes to prevent blisters. [PLEASE remember to bring shoes that are safe for various surfaces!]
□ pack chargers and/or extra batteries (phone, camera, laptop, etc)
Sanity Savers
□ Make a "fun bag" for each child and include games, books, toys, a ¡tape player¿ with headphones, and snacks
□ Purchase postcard stamps to take with you
□ Print address labels of people to send postcards to. [It’s much lighter to carry a sheet of labels than your address book.]
♧ take earplugs (in case your neighbors in the hotel are noisy)
Miscellaneous
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□ Water plants and mow lawn before leaving home or arrange for a neighbor to care for them while you're away
□ Unplug any appliances sensitive to power surges, such as computers, microwaves, and television sets
□ Dial your thermostat up or down to match the temperature of the season
□ Stop all home-delivery services (mail, newspaper, milk, diapers, and so on) or arrange to have items picked up by a neighbor
□ Arrange for pet care at a kennel or in your home
☆☆ Security
□ Lock all windows and doors securely and remove any keys hidden outside the house
□ Tell neighbors that you'll be away and how they can reach you in an emergency
□ Turn on your telephone answering machine. You may want to change the message on your answering machine at work to let your business contacts know you are out of town
□ Set lights and a radio on timers. Turn up the radio loud enough so it can be heard outside
□ Close blinds and curtains
Kitchen
♡♡ Store food in your freezer to prevent having to run to the grocery store as soon as you return home
□ Remove perishable items from your refrigerator
□ Empty all waste baskets & run the garbage disposal to eliminate the possibility of unpleasant odors
□ ¡¡ Wash the dishes (You'll be sorry when you come back if you forget this!)
Getting Your Car Ready
□ Check your spare tire and jack to ensure they are both in working order
□ Check oil level, tire pressure, and coolant level, and all other fluid levels
□ Pack a first-aid kit and roadside emergency kit into the trunk
Personal Preparation
□ Schedule a medical check-up before the trip. (Ladies, make sure your mammogram and pap smear are up-to-date!!)
°Ask your doctor about necessary vaccinations, and have any medical procedures done before you go
□ Update any personal identification so that it contains current information and a photograph [Make sure your DPA is up to date, too!]
□ Pick up cash, change, and traveler’s checks at the bank
□ Get a telephone calling card and take it with you
° [or at least make sure you bring the charger for your phone!]
□ Fill out and send in your tax return form if you will be out of town at the deadline
□ Tell your friends where they can write to you at your vacation or out-of-town address
□ Pay the rent and other bills. If you’ll be gone for an extended period of time, arrange for a friend or relative to pay the bills
♡♡Wash clothes that you’re not packing so that you’ll have a clean set of clothes at home when you return from your trip
□ Break in new shoes to prevent blisters. [PLEASE remember to bring shoes that are safe for various surfaces!]
□ pack chargers and/or extra batteries (phone, camera, laptop, etc)
Sanity Savers
□ Make a "fun bag" for each child and include games, books, toys, a ¡tape player¿ with headphones, and snacks
□ Purchase postcard stamps to take with you
□ Print address labels of people to send postcards to. [It’s much lighter to carry a sheet of labels than your address book.]
♧ take earplugs (in case your neighbors in the hotel are noisy)
Miscellaneous
□
□
□
□
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