One of the perks of being self-employed is that our schedule is pretty flexible.

Sure, we often have deadlines to meet, and my evenings are typically filled with working, but overall, it leads to a pretty flexible lifestyle.

However, leaving town can get a bit stressful – making sure you have everything squared away can feel like a job in and of itself!

Since I’m sure a lot of our readers leave town every now and then, I thought I’d share a list of all the things you should do before you leave on vacation (some of which I learned the hard way!).

Let me know if I missed anything!

Put your mail (and newspaper) on hold

Once upon a time, we left town for about a month. We were living in Utah at the time, and I thought I had put our mail on hold.

Well, I didn’t. And we came home to a notice in our mailbox saying that the house was vacant and all mail had been sent back to the sender.

I just about cried, as we had several checks that had come during the time, as well as Christmas cards. I was so devastated, and I felt so silly for not holding my mail!

You can always have someone come pick up your mail, but if you will be gone for longer than a few days, I do recommend putting a hold on your mail through USPS, as well as pausing your newspaper (if you get one). Nothing screams, “I’m not home!” more than a pile of newspapers on your front porch.

Still, I would recommend having someone keep an eye out for packages from places like USPS or FedEx! You can have a security camera monitor this as well, so you can send someone over if something arrives.

Make a Checklist

I always forget something unless I make a checklist. No matter how on top of things I am, I will always leave something important behind if I don’t make a list.

My mom would always put a list on the door before we left, and we wouldn’t leave until every item was checked off. I’ve started doing the same!

Consider Home Security

When we bought our home, we were bombarded with offers for home security. And to be honest, it was pretty tempting.

While we live in a pretty safe neighborhood, I’d be lying if I said I was 100% confident when we left town that our house was totally safe. However, I’ve always been wary about signing up for an expensive home security plan.

Fortunately, we live in a time where there are many affordable home security options (and no, I’m not talking about building a moat around your house ;-).

Put Lights on Timers

I think it’s important to give the illusion that someone is home, even when you are gone. While I don’t recommend keeping your light on at all hours, I think it’s a good idea to have your lights on some of the time.

There are different smart switches you can buy or smart lightbulbs that make putting your lights on a schedule even easier. We use the GE Smart plug, which is great and compatible with the LG Smart Security app.

Find Someone to Check In

Whether you are having someone get your mail, water your plants, or just keep an eye on things, I think it’s good just to let someone know you are going out of town.

For instance, whenever our neighbor leaves, he lets us know, just so we can be aware of any funny business that might go on. I think it’s just helpful to have someone paying a little extra attention.

Put a car in the driveway

This obviously won’t always be a possibility (for instance, if you just have one car), but if you can, move a car into your driveway. My parents always did this when we would leave town when I was growing up. Again, just back to the idea of giving the illusion that you are home.

Call your bank and check your bank account

It’s always good to call your bank when you are leaving town. We’ve had a few instances where we’ve been out of town, and they put a hold on our account for a bit for “suspicious” activity. Super grateful that they are so vigilant, but it can be inconvenient having to verify your purchases with them!

My bank has a place in their mobile app where you can conveniently tell them you are traveling!

You should also make sure you have enough money in your bank account, and also withdraw some cash. Traveling without cash is not a good idea!

Paper Copies of Itinerary

There has been a time or two where our phones have died before we had a chance to look up where we were staying. While we usually have a charger, it doesn’t always happen. It’s good to not always just rely on technology.

Have Copies of Important Documents

Birth certificates (if you are flying with a lap child), passports, etc.

Cut the grass

Turn down the thermostat

There is no reason to pay for heating or air conditioning while you are gone. We have forgotten a time or two, and it’s never fun to pay a huge heating bill during the winter when you were gone for three weeks!

Of course, make sure that you don’t turn it down too low. No one wants to deal with frozen pipes! But turning it down a bit is a great idea. There are smart thermostats nowadays that you can use to control the temperature from your smartphone while you are away, so that’s another thing to consider.

Unplug Appliances, etc.

Unplug anything that doesn’t need to be plugged in! It decreases the risk of fires happening while you are away, and it helps you conserve energy.

Check the dishwasher and washing machine

You do not want to come home to a smelly house or mildewy clothes. Make sure everything is out and put away.

Pay your bills

Do you want to worry about paying bills while you are on vacation? Of course not! If your bills aren’t on autopay, just pay them before you go.

Clean Out Fridge

Same thing as the dishwasher and washing machine thing – if there is any food that will spoil or rot while you are away, throw it out.

Take out the Trash

Tidy Up and Make Bed

Coming home to a messy house is never fun. You don’t have to deep clean everything before you leave, but I think it’s a good idea to at least make things feel comfortable. I don’t think anyone wants to come home – probably exhausted from traveling – to a huge mess.

And really, there’s nothing better than the first night back in your own bed!

Charge Electronics

Turn email to auto response

If you don’t get a lot of emails, this isn’t a big deal. But if you do (especially if you work), it’s just common courtesy to put up an away message!

The post Vacation Checklist: 19 Things to do Before Leaving on Vacation appeared first on Magical Family Travel Guide.

We’re getting ready to head on a road trip in a few weeks, so I’ve been busy making sure our family is prepped.

Road trips can create some wonderful memories – but they can also be really long and drag on…especially when you have children!

So, I thought I’d put together a list of the best road trip tips and hacks so your next road trip will be even better!

A special thank you to the following brands for collaborating with us on this post:

Audible / T-REX Tape / Cube-Tastic / IHOP / Chops Beef Jerky

Entertainment

Every good road trip will have some kind of entertainment – well, multiple forms of it! Make sure you are well-equipped for entertainment for all ages.

We personally LOVE audiobooks for road trips. Forrest and I have listened to many books over the years as we’ve driven across the country, and it’s something we look forward to doing. It’s so fun to find a book we haven’t read before so we can listen to it.

We like using Audible because of their great selection, and because it is super easy to use on our phone.

Even Jack loves audiobooks – here is a great list of audiobooks for kids of all ages (that are available on Audible). They have SO many books, and it’s so easy to use the mobile app to listen to your favorite ones while traveling. I think it’s a much better form of entertainment than staring at a table or phone all day! You can get a free one-month-trial from Audible, which is perfect for when you are leaving on a trip!

I recommend having plenty of non-electronic entertainment for everyone. Not only is it good to give the brain a rest from screen time (especially on a long trip), but it’s better to have things that don’t require a battery or electricity to run.

We have been loving the Cube-tastic! 3×3 Puzzle Cube. It’s really fun and challenging for all ages to figure out – and if you don’t have an electronic device, it even gives you step-by-step instructions on how to solve it. What kid doesn’t want to impress their friends after summer vacation with this?!

It helps with solving skills, improving memory, and develops hand-eye coordination. The design is always very sleek and durable, made with non-toxic and BPA free materials. Perfect for all ages.

You can get 15% off Cube-tastic using the code CUBETRIP at checkout!

Here are a few other entertainment ideas:

• Road Trip Games
• Bring CDs (just in case your phone runs out of battery!)
• Journals
• Road Trip Activity Chain

Food

Ah, food. What road trip is complete without food?!

I recommend loading up your car with high protein, high fiber snacks that will keep you satisfied. One of our favorite road trip snacks is beef jerky – our boys love it, too, so it’s a snack we can all enjoy and not feel about indulging in a little bit 🙂

We personally love Chops Snack Jerky – it’s not really tough like some beef jerky, and the flavor is spot on. They use USDA Choice & Select Beef Brisket and are 100% all natural. It’s the perfect salty snack to satisfy any salty cravings that are sure to surface during a road trip!

You can get 20% off your first order with Code 5CHN79Z7Q1BE on at www.chopssnacks.com.

I also recommend buying gift cards for nationwide restaurants. It makes for easy eating out and convenience, plus, it can help you from overspending!  While I love trying out local fare, sometimes it’s a good idea to just go somewhere that you know is trusted nation-wide.

We personally love IHOP – they have breakfast served all day, every day, and they are often open all hours of the day. They just turned 59 years old on July 18th, and they offered guest a 59 cent short stack of their classic buttermilk pancakes. I love when companies do things like that! You can find IHOP restaurants nationwide, and you can always expect the same great flavors and service at every store.

Here are a few other tips for Road Trip Food Success:

• Pack a bag with utensils, plates, napkins, etc. If you are eating on the go (either with food you brought or bought from a fast food restaurant), it will make for a slightly less mess trip!
• Wet Wipes – you need these for more than just eating, but they are are very helpful, especially when you have little ones in the car!
• Flip top containers are excellent for storing snacks to prevent spillage
• Sort snacks into serving size sized bags – this can help prevent overeating.
• Licorice is great for preventing road trip/travel bloat
• Pack lots of fruits and vegetables for healthier snacking
• Keep small snacks in a tackle box/rainbow loom box

Apps

There are some great Road Trip apps everyone should know about:

• Gas Buddy – love this for finding the cheapest gas along your routes.
• Audible – Make sure you download your free trial!
• Sit or Squat – not a big fan of bathrooms on the side of the road? Download this app to find which bathrooms are the highest rated!
• Bank Account App – always download your bank’s mobile app. It can help monitor your account while you are gone more easily!
• Waze – this is a great map and traffic app. It is user reported, so it has the most up-to-date information on
• TollSmart – if you are driving across the country, you will inevitably encounter tolls. This app can help you plan ahead for how much they cost, and if they only accept cash!
• iExit – know what’s coming up at the next exit with this app!
• ParkMe or Park Mobile – these are both great apps to help you find the best parking spots and to know how much they cost before you get there!
• Priceline – This is a must-have for finding hotels on the go. Make sure you read my post about Priceline tips to get the most bang for your buck!
• Uber or Lyft – I learned the hard way a few months ago – you never know when you are going to need this.
• Urgent.ly – This is great for roadside assistance (though always check with your car insurance first to see if you have it through them!).
• Avenza Maps – these can be used without an Internet connection.

Preparedness

It’s always good to be prepared for emergencies. Here are a few things to keep on hand in the hand:

Emergency Kit  – for car

• T-Rex® Tape – this is the best utility tape you could have in your car (and everyone needs utility tape – it’s the universal fix-it-all solution). It’s an extremely strong tape that is thick, and it’s made with sun-resistant material. It is made of three layers:
  • Layer one: a tough, thick polythylene skin to help protect against the worst weather.
  • Layer two: this is a thick thread that has een wound tightly and securely as an inner cloth.
  • Layer Three: This uses a new technology called “co-extrusion.” It is a double-adhesive layer that is melted through the threads that bonds with the tape skin.
  • This tape can be purchased here.

• Jumper Cables
• Flares
• Tire gauge
• Fix-a-flat
• Foam Tire Sealant
• Gloves
• Rags

Emergency Kit – for People

• Blankets
• Emergency food (MREs, granola bars, etc.).
• Water bottles
• First aid
• Rain Poncho
• Utility Knife
• Crank Radio
• Wet Wipes
• External Battery Charger

Important Document Folder

• Insurance cards (car, health, etc.)
• Emergency contact information
• Passports, birth certificates, etc.
• Map for where you are going

Instructions for Common Car Repair

Make sure your have instructions (maybe even visual instructions) for common car repairs, such as changing a flat tire, changing oil, how to jump a car, etc.

Bring Cash

Always have cash when you are traveling! You never know when your debit/credit card might stop working or if you’ll encounter a situation (such as a toll road) that only accepts cash! This happened to us once, and we had to track down an ATM in the middle of the night in West Virginia because we literally could not get through any other way, and they only accepted cash.

Other Tips

• Take a screen shot of your smart phone GPS written directions in case your phone dies or loses service
• Use a shoe organizer for back-of-seat organization
• A shower caddy is a great place to store food while eating
• Use a binder clip to attach your smart phone to your air vent (for directions – not to watch movies while driving!)
• Bring frozen water bottles in your cooler – they can act as ice packs, and it’s also great for when you need a new water bottle to be able to pull out a cold one!
• Use a cereal container with a plastic grocery bag as a car trash can
• Pack a “useful item” kit for easy access – extra diapers and wipes, cash, a few first aid supplies, lotion, tissues, etc. If you have kids, it might be helpful to have one for each row!

Other Road Trip Posts You May Enjoy

• Dollar Tree Travel Hacks and Tips
• Road Trip Tips with a Baby
• Road Trip Tips with a Toddler
• Road Trip Survival Kit

The post The Best Road Trip Tips, Hacks, and Apps! appeared first on Magical Family Travel Guide.