Family vacations and travel can be oh so hectic! Are you worn out before even beginning the trip? After you have finally gotten away, probably later than you planned, do you have to turn around to pick up that crucial item that you left behind? Even worse, do you first miss that crucial item or bag when you’re 500 miles away and unpack for your first night? Consider a packing list to smooth out the preparations, eliminate the last-minute frustrations, and better enable you to depart on time.

Prepare a “What do I Need?” list. Put this list on a word processing document so that you can call it up and print it for every trip you take. Also, with experience you will want to add to the list. You will not need everything every trip, but your one list functions as a template.

• Appropriate and convenient luggage, backpack, fanny pack, plastic bags, zip lock bags
• Climate/weather appropriate clothing, including jackets, hats, footwear and recreational apparel, umbrella, raincoat
• Appropriate current personal ID
• Travel documents (consider photocopies that you keep separately from the originals)
• Confirmation numbers, vouchers, reservation details, maps
• Personal hygiene/toiletries, sunscreen
• First aid items, safety pins
• Communication devices, cell phone charger, phone cards, emergency numbers, contact numbers
• Personal medications, prescriptions, copies of prescriptions, insurance cards
• Commonly used over-the-counter medications
• Night light, flash light, ear plugs
• Snacks
• Sports gear
• Travel Journal

The Internet hosts a variety of lists, varying from very specific to general categories. A simple Google search for “trip packing list” will yield more than you’ll want to take the time to study. Quickly scan a few and then choose one that most closely represents your circumstances.

The positive factor is that you won’t have to sit for hours and brainstorm your own list for all the ideas. From one or more templates, create your own list to fit your own lifestyle and needs. Then keep the list to guide you through the preparation and packing stages.

You’ll find the planning stage vastly more simple, the packing stage more efficient, and you’ll be more certain that you have the most important items when you walk out the door.