This travel packing list, designed for 1 week before departure is designed to help, because let’s face it, the week before we go on a trip is stressful!
There are a lot of positive benefits of travel and I wouldn’t miss it for the world. BUT – the week before you head off is always very FULL! And, for us, the levels of stress rise in correlation with the amount of time you will be away.
Travel is essentially a pause in your ‘real life’ which is why it’s so alluring. You get away from routine, see new things and because it’s “special” everyone is happy!
But because it’s a pause in “home life” it means that all the things that you would normally do, need to be done in advance.
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Having been self-employed for 9 years I’m familiar with the pros and cons of having independent income, which likely I will write about in more detail in another blog. However, holidays always get me; because it’s very hard to put businesses “on hold” – the work doesn’t stop coming.
Even though I have a number of super capable staff and assistants, my tasks don’t disappear because I am on holiday. They just build up. Or, in the case of Social Media, you need to program your posts well in advance. So even though I am relatively well organized, the week before we travel is super stressful!
Also, whenever I Googled Travel Checklists, I couldn’t find one that worked for me. Often it was long lists of clothes or bathroom items. All very useful for the actual day of packing, BUT not useful in getting my life and travel sufficiently organized in advance.
Also check out my posts Family Travel Checklist – 1 Month To Departure , and ‘Departure Day Travel Checklist.
This is my 1 week until departure Travel Checklist. I’d love it if you would drop into the comments if this is useful to you. Or even let me know what I have missed!
| Travel Checklist – 1 week to go | CHECK | Notes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Check the Long Range Travel Forecast | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Travel Items – check they are all working, clean, ready to go | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pram clean and clear of toys | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Slings / Baby Harness | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Suitcase | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| On board bag | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kids Backpacks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Packing | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Packed 5 outfits for each of kids (so they don’t get worn). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Also packed – shoes, underwear & socks | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1 x out of season outfit, a sweater/jumper in summer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hats | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bathers, rashies, goggles | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bathroom | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Shampoo, Conditioner & Travel sized toothpaste | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Medical Kit – check it has got everything | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sunburn cream/ insect repellent | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Specific things to the trip | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| (go through itinerary thinking about what we might need day to day) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kids Activities | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Snacks (sufficient for at least 48 hours) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Reading books (small/light) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Playing toys (small light and compact) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coloring in, drawing) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Card games | School related | Talk to teacher or remind them of trip | Get extra work | Documents | Money/ enough cash on hand/ credit cards ok | is cash easily accessible from ATM card. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Have I printed out booking details? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Flights | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accommodations | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Got tickets? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Insurance | Parking | ** reminder on phone to do online check in 48 hours prior | Personal | Beautician | Hairdresser | Technology | Backup computers, phones, iPads | Make sure I have got enough space on camera cards | House and Home related | Pets – got enough pet food? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Garden Watering – organized? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Check if any bills will be due while away/ pay in advance |
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Plan out meals so all perishables get used up. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tell the neighbors we will be going |
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Travels with Kids
This is a really great list! We’re leaving in 18 days so it’s perfect timing!
Hi Alyssa, I’m so glad that its helpful!
i’m intending to also publish a 1 day prior as well.
good luck with the last 18 days!!!
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You are way more organized than I am, that’s for sure 😉 we tend to be the pack the night before kind of folks, so a week ahead sure would make things less stressful 😉 I’m coming back to this list in a few weeks to make sure I have everything. One thing I AM good about is making a full packing list on my phone well ahead and then checking off things as they get packed. If I try and just pack from memory it’s inevitavlr that something important gets left behind.