planning

In an older post, I talked about making a project template for trip planning. The goal is to build a comprehensive list of everything I might want to prepare, pack, or do before, during, or after a business or vacation trip. Before I made this template, I was more anxious: Did I forget to do anything? Do I have everything I need? What am I missing? Now I can relax and concentrate on the fun times ahead.

Friends have asked me for my list to use as a starting point for their own, and this is that lightly annotated list. Regrets from past adventures inspired every item. The moment I’ve booked a trip, I copy this template into my to-do app, then delete everything that doesn’t apply this time. For instance, if I’m going to visit family, I can use their pillow instead of packing my own. If I’m going to Chicago in winter, I don’t need swimming trunks. If I’m traveling for personal reasons, I may not take my work laptop. It’s much easier to remove items I don’t need than to scramble to remember the things I do need.

As always, the “update the travel template” action near the bottom is the critical feedback loop that makes this all work. Every time I’ve wished I’d done or packed something, I made a reminder to add it to the list for the next time. If I were to start over with a new template having that as the only item, after a few trips that template would look a lot like this one.

This seems obvious but I always forget. ↩︎
If you don’t do this, your bank may see transactions from an unusual location and freeze your debit or credit card. ↩︎
I’ve never regretted having walking around money while traveling. ↩︎
If I didn’t have something to read on a flight, I’d lose my mind. ↩︎ ↩︎
Yes, the Thai curry native-extra-hot is delicious. Do you really want to be trapped in a plane while your stomach tries to digest it? ↩︎
I take a plug-in charging block and a portable USB battery. If my phone is running low in the middle of a long flight, I can still charge it with the battery. ↩︎
It’s vacation. I want to throw on a hat to step out for coffee or breakfast. ↩︎
Ideal for covering obnoxiously bright power LEDs in hotel rooms, blocking light under the door, etc. ↩︎
If it’s too bumpy to read, it’s nice to have something fun or relaxing to listen to. ↩︎
See “Building the Perfect Dopp Kit”. ↩︎
Hotel curtains never seem to close all the way. Bend them to your will. ↩︎
Ever been rained on, had to walk around a lot in wet pants, and gotten chafed from it? Yeah, me neither. ↩︎
“Ow, these new shoes are killing my feet and I’m walking way more than usual.” ↩︎
Jet lag. Strange hotel. Travel excitement. These add up to difficulty sleeping. ↩︎
Carry at least 2 forms of ID and 2 forms of payment in 2 separate places. If 1 set gets stolen, you still have the other to get home. ↩︎ ↩︎
I have a tiny multi-tool in my EDC bag, and I don’t want the TSA to confiscate it. ↩︎
This is a fun little app that records everywhere you’ve been. ↩︎
Save money not heating or cooling your house as much while you’re away from it. ↩︎
I collect them for my carryon suitcase. This is in here twice in case I have a different layover on the way home. ↩︎
I take notes of things I wish I’d done or packed. When I get home I immediately update the list so that I won’t forget next time. ↩︎
Do it while you still have all the receipts in one place. ↩︎
Once the office has reimbursed me, the trip is officially done. ↩︎

Honeypot.net

planning

My travel project template

As soon as travel is planned

Three weeks before travel

One week before travel

Two days before travel

Day before travel

Night before travel

Day of travel

The day before return

The day of return

After return