Before You Leave List-ing

I love lists. When I'm stressed, I make lists. Bored? Lists. Stuck on an airplane? Lists.

While you may prefer witty banter, crosswords, or internet-based pinboards, I think packing is one area where you may want to take a step closer to me.

With the advent of amazing apps, packing lists are even easier than they were before. I use Awesome Note, but you can use a notepad app or (if you are super old-school: index cards).

I have many flavors of lists, from Yoga Conference, Yoga Training, Fancy-Pants Work, Family Holiday, Cabin, and Beach Vacation. Some items will come with me everywhere I go, but you can see that each list is different. I'll give you my unique essentials for each of the trips above in upcoming posts, but here you get two additional important lists: Before We Leave the House and Things We Must Take.

Before We Leave the House:
(night before)
- Check the fridge for anything that will spoil and freeze it, eat it, or toss it.
- Run the dishwasher.
- Remove any extra keys from key rings.
- Pack completely, then unpack only chargers and essential toiletries.
- If you take medications in the morning, consider leaving out pills in a bill box by your toothbrush and packing the remainder.
- Make morning packing list.
- Email itinerary to a friend/mom/whoever will make sure you make it back ok.

If you have a house sitter:
- Make up guest room.
- Leave list of House Rules* on the counter with plenty of snacks.
- Write any special instructions for this time only.
- Print or email itinerary and best contact details for this trip.
- Set out a basket for incoming mail and papers.

(morning of)
- Water plants.
- Check any automatic lights or watering to be sure it will go on schedule.
- Pack any chargers and last-minute items needed.
- Lock all of the windows and doors.
- Change the thermostat.
- Empty the dishwasher (or leave it full of clean dishes, but don't start it as you walk out the door in case it decides to breakdown during your trip).
- Wash any breakfast dishes.
- Grab any refrigerated meals/road snacks/pack cooler.
- Everyone goes to the bathroom!
- Take out the garbage/compost.

Universal Packing List (or the Things We Must Take):
- Credit cards
- Driver's license/passports
- Medications
- Toothbrush kit
- Ear plugs
- Itinerary and/or maps
- Cell phone (and charger) and/or something to read (sometimes the same thing)

Those are my travel essentials, and depending on where I'm headed, I'll add a little or a lot to that list. Check out the upcoming blog posts to see what is added on!

* coming next week!