Preparing For a Trip: A 7 Day Predeparture Strategy & Checklist
A 2-week trip will take you 7 days to prepare for.
You may be thinking “7 days?! I just throw things into a suitcase the night before.”
But think back. How much of your trips have been spent wishing that you had prepped better?
A perfect trip starts with the perfect preparation and here’s the right way to do it.
The Right Way to Prep For a Trip
We’ll go through the 7-days of prep that are needed before heading out on a trip. These are the immediate steps leading up to a trip but there is far more that needs to be done before heading out.
More than a week before your trip, be sure you have these bases covered:
Pet sitters
House sitters
Someone to grab your mail and newspapers
Arrange transportation to the airport
Book your accommodation near the airport
Check your passport/visa requirements
Travel vaccines
Did you know? Even though a passport has an expiration date, to travel internationally it is required that your passport have at least six months of validity beyond the dates of your trip
Now fast-forward to the week leading up to a trip, the excitement is real! It’s time to prepare.
7 Days Predeparture: Itineraries and Sleep
A. FINALIZE YOUR ITINERARIES
The beginning of the prepping process starts at the end of the planning process. Before you can truly begin to prep for your trip, be sure all of your I’s are dotted and your T’s are crossed on your itineraries.
WANDERLOG
One of the best ways to ensure that you have all of your itinerary bases covered is by signing up for Wanderlog. This is one of our favorite ways to stay organized and this isn’t even sponsored.
Wanderlog is a site that simplifies the process of planning your accommodations by allowing you to seamlessly add flights, Airbnb rentals, and more to your itinerary.
You can even set up your email so that your reservations are automatically added to your Wanderlog itineraries. How cool is that?!
B. BEGIN JETLAG PREVENTION PREP
Unless it’s on a beach in Mykonos with a Aperol Spritz in your hand, trips are not meant to be enjoyed not spent asleep! To stay awake despite the time difference, jetlag prep is a crucial step in your 7-day predeparture checklist. As crazy as it sounds, sleep can get complicated. So stay with me here…
EAST VS WEST
Start by thinking about your destination. If you’re traveling east, every time zone is going to be ahead of your current time. If you’re traveling west, it will be opposite! Your time difference is going to be behind your current time.
This matters because if you are traveling east, you’re going to need to start adjusting to an earlier wake up time so that you’re not sleeping in until 3pm and missing out on your trip!
PLAN OUT YOUR BEDTIMES
This may sound a bit elementary but planning out a scheduled bedtime will help you fight off jetlag. The time that you should plan to start winding down for the night is going to depend on the time difference of your destination.
For example, if you live on the East Coast and are headed to Portugal this summer, you have a 5 hour time difference ahead of you. If you plan to be waking up at 10am during your vacation, take this into consideration by planning to wake up around 5:00am by the end of your 7-day jetlag prep. This means going to bed earlier to compensate.
Now, there’s no need to start waking up at 4am to do jetlag prevention prep if you’re typically not waking up until 9am. Don’t stress yourself out!
To make this easier on yourself, plan on waking up earlier in 30-min intervals during the 7-day stretch.
For this example, if you’re leaving on a Wednesday, plan backwards :
6 Days Predeparture: Order Essentials
On this day of your predeparture checklist, you’re going to want to order any of your last minute essentials. Essentials may be a stretch because this could include the cute swimsuit coverup you just saw on Amazon, but regardless, now is the time to order.
A. ORDER DESTINATION ESSENTIALS
Your essentials will vary based on your destination.
Headed to the beach? Hit up the 3 S’s: Sunscreen, sunglasses, sandals.
Going for a hike out west? Mosquito repellent, baseball cap, bear spray?!
This also is a good time to check out what kind of power adaptor or converter you’ll need for your destination.
Order these items online today so that they reach you in time to be packed. Need some inspo? Shop our favorite travel essentials HERE!
B. BEGIN TO THINK ABOUT PACKING
You’re still a bit too far out from departure day to begin packing (just check out the pile of laundry over there). But now is a good time to begin thinking about what specific items you might need to bring.
Are you traveling for a wedding? Do you have your wedding guest outfit yet?
Are you traveling for a business trip? Do you know what you’ll wear to the conference?
No need to get out the suitcase quite yet, but if you haven’t gotten these items yet, it’s time to go shopping!
5 Days Predeparture: Make Reservations
Although you have your itineraries set, have you planned your reservations for restaurants or museums?
A. PLAN YOUR RESERVATIONS
Unfortunately the hot spots in any destination are the ones that book up the fastest. If you haven’t yet, it is time to make reservations.
Trust us, that cliffside sunset cocktails spot in Mallorca that you’ve been dreaming about has a good sized waitlist.
If you’re visiting Europe, download The Fork (Europe’s kind of Open Table) to find new spots and make reservations.
Some museums or attractions still require reservations post-Covid. Be mindful of this and make your reservations now so that you’re not waiting on the cobblestone being pressured to buy bubble-blowers from vendors.
B. CHECK THE WEATHER
While we all dream of perfect vacation weather, this isn’t always the case. By checking the weather 5 days out from your departure, you’ll be able to see an insight into your trip on the 10-day forecast.
Lucky for you, if there are glimpses of some weather in the forecast, you still have time to get an umbrella, raincoat, or pack an extra cardigan.
4 Days Predeparture: Wrap-Up Work
A. OOO
That’s right! You’re this close to being out of office for vacation. Use this day to take a break from home and packing prep to wrap-up things at work so that you have one less thing to think about.
This includes:
Watering desk plants
Creating an Out Of Office automated email response
Getting ahead for the post-vacation slump
Cleaning out the office fridge of your leftovers
B. WORKING REMOTE
Maybe you’re able to work from anywhere and are planning to be a digital nomad during this trip. Lucky!
If that’s your case, the office tasks may not resonate with you, but there are a few things you should still take care of:
Be sure you have wifi at all accommodations or have a work-friendly location nearby.
Do you need a VPN? Check out some recommendations HERE!
Add in an extra converter to be able to charge all devices.
Needing medication abroad? Today is the day to call your doc to get any prescriptions ordered before your trip.
3 Days Predeparture: Housework and Pack
Get ready… this will be the biggest day of preparation. This is the day that you should do all of the things that you typically do the night before a trip that inevitably stress you out.
A. GET YOUR LAUNDRY DONE
This might sound like a demand and that’s because it is. The last thing you’re going to want to be doing the night before a trip is waiting for the dryer to be finished. Getting your laundry done on Day 3 Predeparture will be the ticket.
Incase you need motivation, here’s why your laundry should get done:
This will ensure everything you’re planning to pack is clean.
Doing laundry can add hours onto packing time that you didn’t account for.
Cleaning your sheets will ensure you have a clean bed to come home to.
B. HOME PREPARATION
The ultimate travel hack is to have Day 3 Predeparture Prep be before trash day. Get all of your trash and recycling out of your house so that it’s out on the curb ready for trash day before you leave.
This is the day to dump your bathroom bins, toss out flowers, and get rid of any food that will expire while you’re out that you’re not planning to eat in the next few days (we’ll get to that in Day 2 prep).
While you’re outside bringing the bin to the curb, take a look at your lawn and patio. Does it need one last mow? Is your porch furniture covered?
C. THE OFFICIAL PACKING DAY
We touched on packing a bit in Day 6, but now it is time to put thought into action. Once your laundry is finished, it is time to begin the packing process.
Don’t worry! We’ve made this part fun. Just follow our thoroughly planned out packing system and you won’t miss a beat.
THE TRIPPED PACKING SYSTEM
This system of packing was designed by travelers for travelers to ensure you have everything you need and nothing that you don’t for a streamlined packing experience!
The Tripped Packing System follows 3 main steps:
Pull - Pull everything you need for your favorite day, your most important day, and your travel day.
Push - Push past panic. Keep an abundant mindset. You will be able to take everything you want and need.
Pack - Choose a packing system, categorize your items, and double check.
By following these 3 steps, you will think about the entirety of your trip to be able know exactly what you need to bring.
For a guide to the right way to pack:
2 Days Predeparture: Appointments and Toiletries
A. START PACKING TOILETRIES
If you’re following along with the jetlag prevention program, then today was a pretty early morning for you. Start off your day with a self-care shower and as you get ready, take out all of the toiletries that you use during your day-to-day routine.
As you use your products, put them directly into your Toiletry Set. This way you’ll know that you’ve packed everything that you need for your morning routine.
If you have a separate routine for night time, do this same process again before bed.
You’ve done your packing, but now it is time for everything else to go into your suitcase.
This includes:
Shoes
Coats
Accessories
Hair tools
Toiletries and makeup
B. LAST MINUTE APPOINTMENTS
After a long Day 3 of house prep and packing, you deserve a little “me time”. This is the perfect time to make a hair appointment or go get your nails done.
While you’re out and about, stop by the store for any last minute toiletries you realized you need after packing them up.
C. LAST DAY FOR COOKING
Nobody wants to come home to a stinky fridge after a week of eating some of the best food you’ve had in awhile. Speaking of which, have you ever been to Seoul? Highly recommend doing a food tour there.
Anyway.
Use today to make the last meals with your groceries. The trick is to make a little extra to have leftovers for tomorrow so that you won’t need to cook tomorrow aka last day before departure. Try to get creative with what you have so that you don’t need to make a grocery run.
The Day Before Departure
You made it! The final day before your trip. This is usually the day where your house is turned upside down as you get last minute things done before departure. Not anymore.
You’ve already done the hard work! Finish up a few little tasks, set your final early morning alarm, and have sweet dreams of airport lounges.
A. FINISH UP IN THE KITCHEN
Today is your day to eat up all of your leftovers and finish up foods that will go bad while you’re on your trip. Whatever is not going to be eaten doesn’t go into your kitchen bin. Take it directly to the curb so that there is no waste left in your kitchen.
B. FLIGHT PREPARATION
Now is the 24 hours mark! Go ahead and check into your flight. If you haven’t yet, be sure to download your airline’s app so that you’re notified of any changes to your flight.
CHECKED BAG
If you’re checking your bag, it is always a good idea to weigh it before getting onto your flight. Especially if you packed in compression cubes because you can fit so much more! Double check your airlines weight requirements before the final zip.
ELECTRONICS
Before bed, be sure that all of your electronics have a good charge on them. This includes power banks! While you’re at it, download your favorite show or that movie you’ve been wanting to watch so that you can sit back and relax on the flight.
YOUR PERSONAL ITEM
Pick out a bag to use as your personal item. It’s nice if this bag doubles as a bag that you’ll use during your trip as well. We like to use a Daypack so that our hands our free and we can use it during hikes or excursions.
Be sure that any item that you’ll regularly need on your flight is within reach in your personal item.
This includes:
Chargers
Headphones
Snacks
Books
If you’re in for a long-haul flight, you may want to include a toothbrush set, hairbrush, and a face wipe so that you feel fresh when you land. Include this in your personal item so that it is easily accessible!
Our in-seat best friend for these items? The Travel Pouch.
Prepping For Your Perfect Trip
And you’re on your way! 7-days of prep well worth it for you to have a stress-free trip.
We can’t ensure that your flight will be on time.
We can’t make the person in front of you at TSA remember to dump out their water bottle.
But we can make sure that you’re perfectly prepped for your upcoming trip! Follow our 7-day Predeparture Checklist to make your next trip your best one yet.
