Real Life E®

Elizabeth Grace Saunders - Schedule Makeover - Time Coaching - Time Management - Work/Life Balance - Women in Business

  • Group Coaching
    • Divine Time Management
    • Time Management Made Easy
  • Get 1-on-1 Support
  • Why Elizabeth
    • My Bio
    • My Story
    • Client Testimonials
    • Press
  • Books & Resources
    • My Books
      • Divine Time Management
      • The 3 Secrets to Effective Time Investment
      • How to Invest Your Time Like Money
    • Tools & Resources
    • Blog
  • Contact

Best of Real Life E

Comprehensive Travel Check List for Preparing for a Trip

2 Comments

I help my Schedule MakeoverTM time coaching clients break down multi-step

Elizabeth Grace Saunders ScheduleMakeover.com

activities into lists so that they can move forward on them without feeling overwhelmed. (David Allen does a great job of explaining why this technique is so effective in Getting Things Done.)

As a special holiday gift to you, I’m sharing my personal travel check list, including bonus tips for international trips. Bon voyage!

Elizabeth’s Preparing for a Trip Check List

If Driving:

  • Make sure oil changed and any car maintenance done.
  • Make sure up-to-date auto insurance in wallet and car registration stickers on license plate.
  • Confirm address.
  • Get directions or check that comes up on your GPS device.
  • Book hotel and confirm check in time.
  • Put gas in the car.
  • Grocery shop for snacks and/or bottled beverages.

If Flying:

  • Book flight.
  • Book hotel and confirm check in time.
  • Coordinate pick up or transportation after arrival.
  • Confirm flight time.
  • Confirm when you will need to leave for the airport.
  • Get directions or check that comes up on your GPS device both to the departure airport and from your arrival airport to your final destination.
  • Coordinate rides or look into parking options.
  • Grocery shop for snacks. If desired, bring an empty water bottle to fill up once inside the security checkpoint.
  • Check luggage number and size (dimensions and weight) restrictions and fees
  • Decide whether you will check baggage
  • Make sure you have a quart-size Ziploc bag and 3-oz. or less size containers that fit in that bag.
  • If desired, check in 24 hours in advance

 

Packing Strategy:

If driving:

  • Determine how much luggage space is available if you are taking large objects and/or have many people in the car.

If flying:

  • Decide whether you will check in luggage.
  • Follow all airline standards for size and weight and items you can carry on. (An easy way to check the weight is to weigh yourself and then step on your home scale holding your bag.)

 

2-7 Days Before Your Trip:

  • Decide what you will want to wear and/or bring
  • Do any last shopping: food, clothes, toiletries, items to bring on trip
  • Do laundry and/or dry cleaning

1-2 Days Before Your Trip:

  • Check the expected weather conditions.
  • Pack up all of the items in your bags to make sure that they will fit inside.
  • Put liquids into a quart-size Ziploc bag.
  • Go through your purse and other carry on items to make sure that you don’t have any prohibited items (sharp objects like scissors or liquids like lipgloss).
  • Do online check in 24 hours in advance and print out boarding pass.

Morning of Your Trip:

  • Do final packing of toiletries, food, books, etc.

    View from my window seat
  • Double check the flight status and that you have your boarding pass and government id (passport if you are leaving the United States).
  • Give yourself some “buffer time” so if you’re running late or hit bad traffic, you’re still OK.
  • Enjoy!!

Packing List:

Clothes:

Use the weather report and any schedule events/activities to help guide your packing.

  • Pants, shorts, dresses, and/or skirts
  • Shirts, including one that would be nice for an evening event
  • Sweatshirts or jackets
  • Underclothes, socks, nylons
  • Pajamas
  • Work out clothes
  • Shoes: dress shoes, workout shoes, informal shoes
  • Swim suit and cover up (and if necessary, towel and goggles)
  • Accessories: scarves, hats, gloves, jewelry, and watch
  • Plastic bag for dirty clothes

 

Toiletries:

  • Floss, tooth brush, tooth paste, mouth wash, skin care, moisturizer, deodorant, glasses, contacts, contact case, contact solution, and perfume
  • Hair brush, curling irons, flat irons, gel, hairspray
  • Makeup
  • Vitamins and/or medicine

If not staying at a hotel or have particular preferences:

  • Soap, shampoo, conditioner, razor, shaving cream, face wash, blowdryer

Miscellaneous:

  • Wallet and government id
  • Cell phone
  • Camera (including extra battery and if applicable, device to upload photos to the computer
  • Calendar/Planner/Notepad
  • Books or other reading material
  • Gum or other snacks or necessary foods
  • All chargers for phones, computers, cameras, other electronic devices
  • Print outs of insurance policies and all other travel documents
  • Umbrella, boots, hats, gloves, scarves, sunscreen, etc. (depending on the weather)
  • Computer
  • Pens, paper, stamps
  • Emergency contact numbers and addresses
  • Any school work or other work materials
  • Gifts and thank you cards for anyone who is hosting you
  • Collapsible bag that you can use to bring home extra items

International Travel:

  • Exchange money
  • Double check passport up to date & visa OK
  • Tell credit card company that I will be abroad
  • Cell phone, calling card rates
  • Access code for the country
  • Give contact info to parents and roommates
  • Go to travel clinic for immunizations, medicine and food precautions
  • Ask about local customs in terms of acceptable/unacceptable dress and activities
  • Ask about converters for electronics–voltage and/or plugs
  • Buy travel insurance & emergency medical insurance
  • Check that your carry-on items are allowed in each airport where you need to take a flight. (Restrictions can be different for different countries.)

I hope this helps you to have a Happy and Stress-Free Holiday Vacation.

Feel free to leave your tips!

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is the founder and CEO of Real Life E® a time coaching and training company that empowers individuals who feel guilty, overwhelmed and frustrated to feel peaceful, confident and accomplished through an exclusive Schedule MakeoverTM process. Real Life E® also increases employee productivity, satisfaction and work/life balance through custom training programs.

Elizabeth has appeared in Inc magazine, The Chicago Tribune, and on NBC. She was selected as one of the Top 25 Amazing Women of 2010 by Stiletto Woman and as a member of the Young Entrepreneurs Council that includes HootSuite CEO Ryan Holmes and Ramit Sethi of I Will Teach You To Be Rich fame.

About Elizabeth Grace Saunders

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is the founder and CEO of Real Life E® a time coaching and training company that empowers individuals who feel guilty, overwhelmed and frustrated to feel peaceful, confident and accomplished through an exclusive Schedule Makeover™ process. She is an expert on achieving more success with less stress. Real Life E® also increases employee productivity, satisfaction and work/life balance through custom training programs.

McGraw Hill published her first book The 3 Secrets to Effective Time Investment: How to Achieve More Success with Less Stress. Elizabeth contributes to blogs like Lifehacker, Harvard Business Review, Forbes, and the 99U blog on productivity for creative professionals. She was selected as one of the Top 25 Amazing Women of the Year by Stiletto Woman.

Categories: Best of Real Life E, E Notes, E Tips, Resources, Rest & Rejuvenation, Schedule Makeover Tagged: coach, Elizabeth Grace Saunders, Entrepreneurship, LinkedIn, Personal Time Management, Real Life E®, Schedule Makeover, Time Management Help, trainer, travel, work/life balance, young female entrepreneur

Comments

  1. Tonya says

    February 17, 2012 at 5:01 pm

    This is a gem of resource and help…very much like it’s creator. 😉 Well detailed and very helpful!

  2. reallifee says

    February 20, 2012 at 8:52 am

    Thanks Tonya!

    Bon voyage!
    Elizabeth

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

What's Your Time Management Blind Spot

Elizabeth Grace Saunders is a time management coach, speaker, and author. She regularly writes for Harvard Business Review and Fast Company.

ESbook3d-closecrop

"Direct and powerful and easy to implement. Elizabeth has a key ingredient to your success right here." 

~ Chris Brogan, co-author The Impact Equation

Learn more ❯

Best of…

I’m in the Top 30!

Fresh and Fun

How to Stop Work Overload With a Few Simple Boundaries

Comprehensive Travel Check List for Preparing for a Trip

Shut Up the Voice of Overwhelm

Latest articles…

Rekindle your relationship with better time management

Overcoming Fear of Failure in Your Career

Transform Your Health by Managing Your Time

Job Hunting While Working Full Time

3 Signs You Need Support Managing Your Time

Tell Me My Time Management Blind Spot!

Start Quiz
  • Group Coaching
  • Get 1-on-1 Support
  • Why Elizabeth
  • Books & Resources
  • Contact
© 2025 Modern Traction. All Rights Reserved · Website by ModernTraction.com
  • Privacy Policy
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
Occasionally we may use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For your convenience you will find our site use terms here: OkPrivacy policy