There are many tasks that you will need to preform before your travel departure date. Home owners, renters and parents traveling with kids can all understand the need for a travel checklist. We refer to a checklist before setting off on any trip, whether its a packing list or a to-do task list before departure.
Listed below is a broad version of our personal international travel checklist. These lists will cover the needs of round-trip travelers like homeowners or renters. Of course, if you travel full-time, solo or without kids, you will want to amend the list to suit your needs.
Checklist for International and Domestic Travel
2-4 months before departure
- Get a Bank card that doesn’t charge ATM fees. Start this one early as it can be time consuming.
- If traveling internationally, find a carrier that covers international roaming
- Check which of your credit cards charge No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Set up electronic bill pay
- Find a pet sitter
I also recommend taking a look at the 15 Essential Things to Do before Traveling Abroad List by the Savvy Globetrotter.
1-3 Weeks before departure
- Hide jewelry, computers, cash and/or other valuable items
- Arrange for a friend to move your car if your city fines for street sweeping or lack of vehicle movement.
- If packing a laptop, move files to the desktop for access without WiFi like movies, docs, or spreadsheets
- Arrange for a neighbor to pick-up your mail and keep an eye out for suspicious activity
- Arrange for someone to water plants
- Provide dates of travel to credit card companies.
- For bills that are not paid electronically, make sure to send advance payment
- Get enough destination currency to get you to your accommodations or a decent ATM
24-hours pre-travel checklist
- E-Check In and/or seat upgrade
- Bottle and freeze extra meat, fruits, and vegetables for soups, green drinks or smoothies for use upon return.
- Bottle and freeze milk, yogurt, juice for use upon return
- Make sandwiches and healthy snacks for travel
- Download YouTube videos
- Take out the recycling, compost and landfill trash
- Move your car if your city fines for street sweeping or lack of vehicle movement.
- If your carrier does not cover International roaming, turn off roaming
- Test security cameras and point towards access points
- Lock sheds, washrooms, back houses, etc.
- Water plants
- Lock windows
Day of Departure
- Lock refrigerator ice/water panels
- Turn off ice cube maker
- Consider lowering the water heater temperature
- Set alarms
- Unplug certain electronics like computers and external hard drives
- Turn off heat or air conditioning
- Close curtains or blinds and all doors in the house
Upon Arrival
- Get a local SIM card
- Get local currency
Upon Return Home
- Thaw the milk. I LOVE that I don’t have to go grocery shopping straight after returning home from vacation. If you like milk for breakfast or in coffee, it will be ready with 24-hours and wonderfully cold.
Carry-on Necessities Travel Checklist
We tend to travel fully carry-on or at least mostly carry-on when we travel. If we remember to pack the following items on the ‘General’ list, our travel will go well, at least for the parts we can control.
Carry-on – General
- Computer or handheld device with downloaded Videos, movies or books
- Books or eReader
- Refillable water bottle multiplied by number of travelers
- Thermos – optional for bringing coffee on the plane and keep water cold in travel
- Sandwiches and snacks
- Headphones
- Hard drives
- Socks for cold feet or TSA shoe removal requests
- Cover up, jacket and/or blanket or shawl
- Travel pillow
- Eye mask
- Ear plugs
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Straws, fork, spoon and cup to avoid plastic onboard.
- Chemical-free soap and other toiletries for use during air travel
- Reusable Bags and/or extra folding folding zip-up bag if I need to shift weight at the gates.
Carry-on Bag if traveling with a Toddler / Baby
- Change of outfits for parents and children
- Pacifiers (if used), lollipops or such for landing / take-off
- A dozen small toys tied with ribbon, books, stuffed animals
- Snacks
- Books, games or reader
- Bottle (if used)
Carry-on Bag if traveling with older Kids
- Change of outfits for parents and children
- Lollipops, xylitol gum or such for landing / take-off
- iPad and/or computer with downloaded YouTube Videos, movies or books
- Books, puzzle books, or eReader
- Cards
- Refillable water bottle multiplied by number of travelers
- Sandwiches and snacks
- Headphones
- Media hard drive
- 2-way or 3-way spliters to allow kids to watch movies at the same time
- Socks for cold feet or TSA shoe removal requests
Items I Often Forget
- Corkscrew or beer bottle opener
- Sunglasses
- Bathing suits
- Hats
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Lipgloss
- Moisturizer
- Hand sanitizer
- Deodorant
Now, I did not include things like phones, cameras or glasses on any of the travel checklists because obviously you wouldn’t forget those items! I probably did leave out something important beyond my usual bottle opener or toothbrush though, so if you see something missing, please let me know in the comments.
Have a wonderful journey! – xo Bar