Your vacation is finally here, but before you leave your home, be sure to double check this last-minute vacation checklist! You’ve planned your itinerary, packed your bags, and you’re ready to finally embark on the vacation you’ve been planning for weeks or even months. You think you have everything prepared, but even the most seasoned travelers can get caught up in the excitement (or frenzy) of last minute vacation prep and accidentally forget an essential item before they leave the house.

We’ve been there ourselves. Despite careful planning, packing, and (what we thought) was careful attention to detail, we’ve overlooked important factors. Once, we were in the car, ready to head to the airport for a long weekend trip, and I realized (at the very last minute) that I had forgotten my toiletry bag on the bathroom counter. We were luckily headed to NYC, so we wouldn’t have had much trouble replacing necessary items, but my last-minute epiphany allowed me to grab my essential toiletries at the last minute.

To help you from being like me and only remember forgotten items when you’ve left your house, we’ve created this checklist of essential items to double-check that you have ‘Before [you walk out of] The Door’.

Double Check That You’ve Packed…

Your Purse/ Wallet

These items are probably the most important thing that you’ll bring. Simply put, most aren’t easily replaced and you won’t get far with out them. Be sure you bring:

• • Driver’s License/ Identification– Note that if you’re flying, you’ll need to make sure that your ID is compliant with Real ID as of October 1, 2020. Otherwise, you won’t make it past the TSA checkpoint!
  • Passport (for international trips)- I’ve met plenty of seasoned travelers who have arrived at the airport only to realize they forgot their passport. Always double check that you have it before you leave, and always keep it on you (such as in your purse or personal item) in a safe and secure location. Don’t accidentally pack it in your checked luggage or even your carry-on in case it gets gate checked!
  • Credit Cards (at least two)- We like to have a main card (we use the Chase Sapphire Reserve) and then a backup card in case something happens with our primary card.
  • Debit Card– Although we usually carry limited cash at home, we always like to have cash (in the local currency) when traveling. We almost never exchange money beforehand, finding that most ATMs offer better exchange rates. (We use Capital One 360 debit cards to travel, which uses the AllPoint network, and have found free ATMs all over the world. Worse case scenario, even if we have to pay a withdrawl fee, it’s still usually a better deal than the currency exchange at the airport.)
  • Cell Phone– These days, your phone is one of the most critical items you’ll need to bring. We regularly use our phones to view our plane boarding passes, pay for items through contactless payment, navigate around our destination, and take photos. Bonus Tip: Make sure you bring your charger too!

Your Luggage

In addition to your purse or wallet, double check that you have your:

• Carry-on Luggage: Chances are, you won’t forget this essential item by overlooking it. Instead, our experiences are that luggage can be forgotten because one person assumes the other already loaded it into the car, when it’s still sitting in the closet. Do yourself a favor, and double-check that your carry-on luggage is where you think it is!
• Toiletry Bag- I mentioned above that I’ve forgotten my toiletry bag before, and while it’s usually not the end of the world, it’s not a fun feeling.
  
  • Bonus Reminder: If you use prescription medications, contacts, glasses, etc., triple check that you have these items packed away. You can usually purchase a toothbrush or razor if you forget it, but prescription items aren’t going to be as easily to replace in a pinch.
• Checked-Luggage (if applicable)- See above for carry-on luggage. Miscommunication is probably more of a culprit behind leaving luggage at home than forgetfulness.

Double Check That You’ve Prepped Your Home

Don’t let the excitement of your impending trip let you skip properly ‘closing up’ your home before you leave. At minimum, take care of the tasks below. If you live in a larger home, check out this Vacation Home Prep List before you leave.

• Lock your doors and windows- We like to do a final walk through of every room before we leave to check for unlocked windows or doors.
  
• Adjust the thermostat– If you’re not going to be in the house, you likely don’t need the thermostat set on your typical ‘at home’ temperature. Just be sure to keep the thermostat set at safe temperatures to avoid frozen pipes in the winter!
• Unplug your electronics- Many electronics still suck power when plugged in but not in use, so save some energy and money by unplugging these items before you leave home.
  
• Take out trash and recycling- You’ll thank us when you come home to a fresh smelling home. 🙂
  • Bonus Reminder: If you’re leaving for five days or more, you’ll want to clean out the refrigerator and throw out any perishable items that will spoil before your return.

Double Check Your Itinerary

Even though you’ve (hopefully) confirmed all of your reservations well ahead of your departure, there are still a handful of itinerary issues to look out for and confirm in the final hours before embarking on your vacation. Keep an eye on…

• Travel and drive times– There are few things worse than having a perfectly planned trip almost ruined by getting stuck in traffic on the way to the airport. Although we always leave plenty of buffer time to get to our airport, we still keep an eye on traffic patterns starting an hour or two before our planned departure to make sure we don’t have to leave earlier than expected.
  • Bonus Reminder: It also doesn’t hurt to keep an eye on the weather at both your departure location and your destination to make sure you don’t have to make last-minute adjustments to your plans or packing!
• Flight status- Make sure the plane is running on time, especially if you have connections. If you run the risk of missing a connection, it’s best to be proactive and research your options to reschedule rather than waiting until it’s too late, and you’ve already missed your flight. We like to use FlightAware to track our flights, but most airlines will also notify you via text or email in case of a delay.
• Hotel directions– Again, hopefully you’ve confirmed the actual reservation a few days before your trip. However, you may want to double-check the directions to your lodging to ensure you can get there efficiently once you reach your destination. When flying, I usually map out directions from the airport to my hotel ahead of time so I know where I’m going. Once, a Washington D.C. taxi driver misheard the hotel I was staying at and starting driving in the wrong direction. Since I was familiar with the route, I was able to quickly recognized that he was taking me the wrong way and clarify my hotel name  before we arrived at the wrong place.
• Print/ download your itinerary- If you haven’t already done so, make sure you have a copy of your itinerary (with confirmation numbers, reservation details, etc.) that is accessible without an internet connection. I usually download an electronic copy on my phone AND print off a copy to keep on us. That way, we’re covered even if our phones run out of battery.