Packing light is another key to travel pleasure... Resolve to be a carefree traveler and not a harried clothes horse. You will cease being a prisoner of porters and taxicabs, forced to stay at the first hotel you see, unable to "shop around". If you have taken too little, you can always remedy the deficiency at the destination. But meantime, you will know a kind of travel ease that only light packing can bring about.

Arthur Frommer

Departures

Before You Leave

This site is mostly about what to pack (and what not to). I would be remiss, though, if I did not include mention of those important but easily forgotten tasks that people often neglect to take care of before setting off on their grand adventures. If it's been a while since you last refreshed your memory about how to survive a hotel fire or how to survive a plane crash, this would be an excellent time to do so; few items of knowledge offer such potential benefit!

And here's a list of additional things you might want to do before leaving (depending on the duration of your trip):

  • Make sure that someone knows your travel plans, and can deal with emergencies (do they have a key?) in your absence.
  • Suspend your mail delivery, or have it forwarded appropriately (to a rented P.O. box if a long trip makes it necessary).
  • Cancel your newspaper delivery.
  • Inform your credit card issuer(s) of your travel dates & locations, else they might suspend your account(s) when unexpected charges appear from far afield.
  • Make arrangements for the care of any pets in your charge.
  • Adjust your thermostat settings as appropriate.
  • Clean your toilets, and anything else prone to "growing" stuff when you're not around.
  • Water your plants.
  • Check your refrigerator & other storage locations for food that could spoil.
  • Schedule the payment of any bills that might come due during your trip; switching to on-line payment options can facilitate this. If using a cellular telephone with a prepaid plan, ensure that it has sufficient remaining time.
  • Inspect all your doors and windows to ensure that they are secure; garage doors can be "locked" by inserting a large bolt through one of the tracks in which the door rides (there are usually holes for this; if not, drill one). If you use an alarm service, notify them of your plans, and let them know who to contact for emergencies.
  • Unplug things (don't just turn them off); your gadgets will be safer and more rested, and why pay for electricity to keep Don't forget!remote controls functional while you're away?
  • Turn off taps, on washing machines and anything else that could leak or freeze while unattended.
  • Dispose of your garbage.
  • Clean the gutters; water is not always your friend.