In this Skycap News™ installment, we thought it might be a good idea to make a list of “TO DO’s” that you may need when planning your vacation. Some of these tasks involve smaller things such as what to pack or how to ensure that things are taken care of while you’re away. Others involve more significant things, such as increasing your level of security while away from your home or office.
Travel “To Do” List Tips
- Pack lightly but specifically. As we have mentioned in a previous post, you don’t want to overload your packing so that you are overburdened with extra luggage. But you need to make sure you include all of the essential items that you’ll need. For additional travel tips, please refer to our previous article Do Leave Home Without This! Remember to pack plenty of clothing changes, but remember, you can do laundry while away, which will decrease the amount of things you need to pack. Don’t forget the significant things such as medications, diabetes kits (if applicable), and other health care products. You may not be able to get these things easily while on vacation.
- Take care of pets. The last thing you want to worry about while you’re away is the health and well-being of your pets. If you have birds or other caged animals, you may only need to leave a little extra food and water in order to solve the problem (unless you are going to be gone for an extended period of time). In that case, you may need someone to take care of them in your absence. Many people leave their furry (and non-furry too) friends with a PetsHotel, veterinarian, trusted friend, or leave a key to their house with someone in the family who could check on them during your vacation.
- Check security issues. Law enforcement officers say that you should give the appearance of being at home, even when away. You can do this in a number of ways. One way is to install a video doorbell mechanism. These are a relatively new item but well worth investing in. Amazon has them for sale currently for around $300. They require the person to ring the outside doorbell within the unit that you install outside your door, then it will trigger an app on your phone to show you who is at your door. This way, you can monitor who comes to your door, even when you are gone. Timers, such as lighting timers and timers connected to a mobile app for your home automation are also excellent. Finally, having a home security system also gives you ultimate control of your home environment at all times and gives the illusion of being at home. Other things you can do are to stop your mail until you return, temporarily stop your newspaper subscriptions, and have someone mow your lawn while away. Just a few ideas.
- Arrange for errands. If you have specific things that need taking care of while you are away, you will need to have someone assigned to do these things while you’re gone, or they will not get done. One example (for those who are still old school and pay bills in person or with a stamp) is collecting mail on a daily basis. A bulging mailbox is a sure sign no one is home and makes for a tempting target to a thief. If you cannot find a neighbor friend or family member to assist, it’s better to spend a few extra dollars (babysitter or lawn-care professional) to ensure that bills are paid during your vacation. Another option is to put your address on Hold Mail Service, then step into the 21st Century and pay your bills online.
- Organize your house. I hate coming home to a messy house. By taking some time to organize and clean before you depart, you can save yourself a lot of time and trouble when you come back. If you have someone “house sitting” during your vacation make sure they are responsible and can be trusted. There have been many comedy (perhaps, more like horror movie to the homeowners) Hollywood movies written about epic house parties where partying teenagers wreck a home while the owners were away.
These are 5 Tips to Keep You Organized While on Vacation you can do to make you more worry-free, ensure that things are taken care of while away, and leave you feeling refreshed, not stressed upon your return. If you think of other tips you think we should share, send us an email! Happy trails!