Going on an Extended Vacation? Tips for Getting Ready

Are you and your family thinking of taking an extended vacation this year? Summer break is the perfect time of year to take off somewhere far and just spend time as a family for a long period of time. The kids don’t have school and you’ve got some time saved up you can use. If you’re going to be gone for more than a week, you’re going to want to take extra precautions when preparing. Here are some tips you should find helpful.

Safeguarding the Home

When you’re traveling for a long time, you want to make sure that your home is safe. There’s nothing worse than coming back from vacation to find out your home has been robbed. Before you leave, make sure that any access points in the home are secured. If there is a vulnerability such as a bad lock or a crack in a window, get it fixed prior to leaving for vacation. Other things you can to do secure the home:

Let security company know – contact your home security company to let them know that you will be away from the home for a while. This way, if the alarm sounds, they won’t hesitate to contact authorities.

Secure the mail – mail piling up in front of your door is the quickest way for robbers to detect that you’re not home. Since you won’t be there to get the mail, you might want a digital mailbox. Companies such as iPostal1 provide digital mailboxes. You can review incoming mail, have it delivered to where you’re vacationing, and more 24/7.

Let a neighbor or family member know – having someone check on the house periodically while you’re gone will provide peace of mind. Ask a family member to drop by from time to time. Anyone who may have been thinking about robbing you won’t because they’ll see someone stopping by.

Before You Leave

Prior to leaving for your extended family vacation, there are some other things you’ll want to do to prepare. Remember, you’re going to be gone for a long time and you want to make sure that you’ve tied up any loose ends and prepared for anything that might happen while you’re away. Here are some things to complete before leaving:

Research the destination – Don’t just blindly take off for vacation without first knowing a bit about where you’re going. If you’re traveling abroad for instance, do you need a temporary license? Get to know a bit about the local laws and regulations so you’re not blindsided once you arrive.

Print out everything – Unless you plan on packing your printer, make sure that you’ve printed everything you might need while on vacation. This might include your plane tickets, tickets to attractions that you may have purchased online, your itinerary, maps, etc.

Be practical with your packing – There’s no need for the entire family to pack outfits for every day you’re on vacation. Depending on how many members in your household and how long you’re going to be gone, that’s a lot of packing! Not to mention, the more you pack, the more you pay. Try to keep it to one carryon bag and maybe one suitcase. Pack items that can be mixed and matched to create new outfits. For instance, black shorts can be paired with any color shirt so it can essentially be worn more than once.

Bring entertainment – Chances are you’re not going to be out and about every day while you’re on vacation. During your scheduled downtime, it’s important to have some entertainment, especially if you’re traveling with young children. Make sure you have plenty of board games, cards, toys, and even a gaming console to keep you and the kids entertained when you’re not on the move.

Getting away from it all for a while is something everyone needs. If you and your family are planning an extended vacation this summer, be sure that you follow all of the above tips. Doing so will ensure that you have a fun-filled, stress-free vacation that everyone will enjoy.