This is a Useful Pre-Travel Checklist for Families

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Every time I travel, I think about all the things I need to get done before we go. It’s more than just putting together a packing list. Once you have the trip booked, think about what has to happen at home before you go. I’ve put together a pre-travel checklist that’s useful for traveling families.

This pre-travel checklist is in no particular timeline order. Instead, I organized this by where these things happen so you can go from room to room before you go to make sure everything is done.

In the Digital World

Buy Travel Insurance – See why we use travel insurance for road trips.
Hold the Mail
Hold the Papers
Check into Your Flight
Alert your banks – some banks may freeze your card if you’re making charges out of the area. In fact, we’ve had a card frozen due to excessive gas purchases while on a road trip.

In the Kitchen

Grocery shop for healthy snacks to travel with. Check out Healthy Snacks here.
Clean out the fridge and pantry
Run the dishwasher
Unplug small appliances
Set up grocery delivery or a meal kit delivery for your destination or your return. We’ve used Dinnerly in the past to have a meal plan with groceries delivered. Click here to get $20 off for Dinnerly Use my code AFENO10X2MENW
Take out the trash

In the Living Room

Adjust the thermostat – consider getting a programmable thermostat like a Nest
Set lights on Autotimers – check out these smart plugs that you can control from anywhere.
Unplug Televisions

In the Bedrooms & Bathrooms

Check your prescriptions – do you have enough medicine to get you through.
Wash Sheets and Make Beds – It’s nice to come home to a clean house.

In the Office

Make document copies. Make copies of passports, credit cards, driver’s licenses, birth certificates.
Print confirmations, or better yet put them in an app on your phone. Read these travel app recommendations.
Create a care plan for animals. Do you have pets? Will someone take care of them or are you boarding them? Make sure they have a care plan for the animals.
Create a house-sitters guide – if someone is coming to house sit and water your plants, let them know what you expect.
Charge electronics
Check and Charge camera batteries
Unplug computers

Outside

Mow the lawn
Lock the Garage/Shed/Barn
Take the trash to the curb
Lock the doors. Check to be sure back doors and windows are locked.

For the Flight or Road Trip

Create your music playlist
Download Audiobooks or check books out from the library
Download movies to devices or your car DVD player.

In Your Car

Restock first aid kit. Click here to see what you need in your first aid kit
Get the vehicle checked if traveling by car. Check oil, fluids, tires.
Wash and vacuum the car
Plan Activities and Entertainment for the kids – click here to create a road trip binder.

Want the free printable for the Pre-Travel Checklist? Click here.