Taking a trip over Spring Break is a tradition for many families. How can you organize this trip so that you are not exhausted by the time you leave or return from the trip? Let’s start off by assuming that you have chosen your destination and made any travel arrangements. As you plan to leave your home for a week or more, set up a list of things to check off. Do you need a house or pet sitter? Will you need your lawn mowed? Have you stopped your mail and newspaper or scheduled someone to pick it up for you? Are any critical bills coming due while you are gone? You don’t want your house to look vacant. A few days before departing, check on any reservations you have previously made. If flying over Spring Break, review airline check-in and baggage limits and procedures. If driving, make certain that your car has recently been serviced. Check to see what the weather is like at your destination. If you are traveling with children, have them take responsibility for their own light-weight backpack. Let them choose one outfit, a few favorite toys and books, and a snack to carry. If you are traveling by car, also have a bag with food, snacks, trash bags, sanitizer, wipes, and a couple of surprise activities for the children. Develop an all purpose packing checklist for your family. This will make packing easier and make it less likely that you will forget to pack underwear of the swimsuit. If you keep a copy of the checklist on your computer, you can print it out and highlight the items you pack for this trip. Put the list in a protective cover and slip it into your suitcase. This makes it easier to check to see that everything is also repacked to come home. Include on this list personal items like passports, reservation information and contacts, cell phones and chargers, cameras and iPods. Please share any great tips that you might have for a carefree vacation. Jonda S. Beattie Professional Organizer
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