Are you planning to go on vacation very soon, or do you prefer to prepare for everything in advance? Preparing for a vacation, we devote most of our time to handing over work and planning the details of the trip, sometimes completely forgetting about other equally important things. We have prepared for you a preparation checklist of the most important things to do before vacation. Make your vacation preparation easy and comfortable with a ready-made vacation to-do list.
Money and documents
If you are planning a trip abroad, check your passport and other important travel documents. So you save yourself from unnecessary nerves and worries.
During the trip preparation, contact your credit card company and let them know that you plan to leave the country. This way, they will not be suspicious of overseas transactions, and they will not block the card due to suspicious activity.
Pay all your bills, so you don’t have to pay late fees after your family vacation. In addition, the time after a vacation is often very difficult financially: paying off accumulated debts can be quite problematic.
In the event that the trip turns out to be unplanned and you do not have time to set aside the required amount in advance, one of the options to resolve this issue is to get a loan online. For a short last-minute trip, a same-day loan is an excellent solution even for people with bad credit. For example, Payday Loans in Virginia are often approved instantly, and you can get up to $500 in your bank account the same day with no credit check.
Many people think of Florida and California during a beach holiday, but here in Virginia there is an amazing beach that is accessible and affordable. To spend as much time on the beach as possible, plan to camp at First Landing State Park in a tent or on wheels. There are also many amazing resorts right along the beach if you don’t feel like hiring one. In addition to water and sand, Virginia Beach also has a nice boardwalk with restaurants, rides and shops, as well as a range of winter activities like whale watching. Don’t miss the Virginia Aquarium, the Air Force Museum, and the Virginia Museum of Contemporary Art while you’re here.
Property
During vacation preparation, leave your house spare key and car keys with another family member, friend, or good neighbor you trust. Be sure to leave your phone number and the phone number of the person to whom you gave the keys to the concierge, the chairman of the house, or the neighbor – this can be very important in case of accidents and other unforeseen situations.
Park your car in a safe place. Even better, if you take the car to the yard to a trusted person, put it in a garage or in a guarded parking lot.
Household worries
Wash all clothes in advance so that nothing remains in the dirty laundry basket: firstly, for hygiene reasons; secondly, it will be very disappointing if some clothes from your wardrobe that you expected to wear on vacation suddenly turn out to be dirty.
Carry out general cleaning in the apartment. This will protect your home from unpleasant odors and the accumulation of a large amount of dust during your absence. And it will be much more pleasant coming home.
Turn off Electrical Devices
During your preparation vacation, carefully analyze and double-check what electrical devices your house can do without in your absence. For example, the water heater, air conditioning, microwave, and oven must not be left plugged in.
We do not notice how much electricity the so-called passive connection spends. This will not only help keep your home safe from possible electrical problems or short circuits, but it will also save you money by lowering your electricity bills.
Fridge
If you are leaving for a short time (for 1-2 weeks), the refrigerator can not be defrosted and turned off. Provided, of course, that you have a working refrigerator and reliable electrical wiring. Before leaving, be sure to remove all perishable food from the refrigerator compartment.
Before a long vacation, the refrigerator will have to be disconnected from the mains. Therefore, it is necessary to pull out all the products, defrost the fridge and wash it well. To avoid unpleasant odors, all doors are left ajar.
Make sure that you can eat something after returning from vacation and not run immediately to the store.
Pets
If your pet stays – be sure to find a person to whom you can take him for this time. Or someone who can come and regularly feed and give pet care.
If you plan to take him on a trip with your family, find out in advance what conditions your airline has for transporting pets, and also consult a veterinarian regarding the health of your pet. You must be sure that the animal will easily and comfortably survive this journey.
While most national parks in the US don’t allow pets on trails, Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park does. You can take your four-legged friend on a hike as long as you keep him on a six-foot leash and avoid the handful of trails that aren’t pet-friendly.
Make sure the hotel or accommodation you choose is pet friendly too.
Houseplants
On the eve of departure, water the flowers, dust them, or wash them gently in the shower. Remove them from the open sun on the windowsills and balconies – bring them deep into the room.
Leave some water in the trays to keep the moist ground longer. If you are not planning a long trip, then this is enough – your plants will calmly wait for you to return home.
Safety
Through the vacation preparation, do not neglect safety. Yours and other family members. Here are a few tips to help you get a good night’s sleep:
Protect Yourself
If you are planning to travel alone or have chosen a family vacation in remote places close to nature, take care of your safety. Let one or more people know your exact destination and for how long.
Agree that you will report your movements and at least once or twice a day get in touch and report your location. In this case, if something happens, someone will immediately go in search of you, and the chances of salvation will be much higher.
For example, Virginia’s natural landscapes make it easy to get outside and experience the beauty of the environment. One of the best places to do this is the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest. In addition to peaceful hiking through tall trees, there are also excellent opportunities for fishing, camping, caving and hang gliding. The forests extend along the Appalachians and into West Virginia and Kentucky. In winter, skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are popular. For camping, there are more than 50 campsites and three weekend getaway cottages in these state forests.
Learn More about Destination
If you are planning a trip to Virginia Beach or just to a city where you have not been before, take the time to learn more about its laws and customs.
This can be not only interesting and useful but also protect you or save you unnecessary trouble.
Travel Insurance
Take out medical insurance from a reliable insurance company.
Read the information about the host country. If you need vaccinations for a trip to an exotic country, do it in advance: firstly, you need to get vaccinated when you feel good, without stress and haste; secondly, most vaccinations require a certain amount of time to develop immunity.
First Aid Kit
Choose the bare minimum of medications you may need, which are headache, indigestion, and allergy medications that usually work for you. If you are taking any prescription medications, take the required amount of medications with you, preferably with a margin. It makes sense to stock up on plaster and disinfectant, as well as insect bites.
Home Security
Do not talk about your trip to everyone in a row, and even more so, do not write on social networks. If someone has to report it (for example, the concierge), try not to give the exact travel dates. Leave the light on in one of the rooms and curtain the window a little – this way, you will create the illusion of your presence. Also, set an outdoor lighting timer if possible. This will give the appearance that someone is at home.
If possible, arrange for someone to pick up your mail – a full mailbox can be a tip for thieves. The most effective way to protect your home is to put an alarm system on your apartment.
A Few Days Before Departure
Check your vacation preparation checklist again and go through each item.
Pack appropriately and weigh your suitcases and measure hand luggage in advance so that you do not have to pay extra for overweight luggage. In order not to forget anything, write a packing list in advance and pack according to it.
If you yourself will get to the hotel in the destination country, then it is also better to order a taxi in advance: as a rule, it costs much less than taking a taxi at the airport.
Charge all gadgets and electronic devices you may need during your flight.
Before leaving home
- Check money, passports, travel insurance, tickets, phones, and chargers. Make sure the electronic equipment is working. Put them in a small bag that will always be with you during vacation.
- Close the balcony door and all windows in the house.
- Shut off the water and gas.
- Throw out the trash.
- Unplug all unnecessary electronics except for the refrigerator (if you leave it running).
- Put your apartment on an alarm.
- Double-check everything on the preparation checklist before you leave the house. Thus, you will definitely be calm and spend your vacation without unnecessary worries!
In Conclusion: Things to Do Before Vacation
Prepare the house and food, and take care of the flight and possible jet lag after it. All these important details should certainly not be overlooked. Think carefully about everything you need to do in preparation for your vacation.
But when the long-awaited vacation date arrives – just sit back and enjoy all the fun things that await you there.
We hope this vacation to-do list was helpful for you and vacation preparation will be much easier and faster. Have fun!
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