Staying Organized During Holiday Travel

The holidays can be one of the most stressful times of year for numerous reason, but the foremost seems to revolve around traveling for the Holidays. Last week we mentioned preparing & organizing your travel search to find the best rates & stay on top of your travel plans.

This week, we’re talking about preparing for your days of flight. Staying organized can help get you through the toughest parts of holiday travel. With the large cold front that whipped though the U.S. this week, you can see why it’s important to be prepared for the worst & help keep your stress levels low:

Be An Early Bird

Make travel plans early. Particularly during the busy Christmas season, early birds have more choice of transportation options, and usually pay a better price than the holdouts.

Fly Flexible

Can you be flexible about seasonal travel plans? During a holiday period, the best day to fly may be on the holiday itself, when traffic is light. Busiest days are generally the day before Thanksgiving, the Sunday before Christmas, and Christmas Eve.

Stay Informed

Bad weather, oversold flights or highway closures can all wreak havoc on carefully-laid travel plans. Fight back by staying informed of travel conditions. Check online travel sites or install smartphone apps to alert you to changes in travel arrangements. The earlier you know about travel issues, the easier it will be to find alternatives.

Packing Checklist

The distractions of the season can get in the way of efficient packing. To stay focused, create a packing checklist for each family member, noting all items of clothing and personal care needed for travel.

Try this free printable packing checklist from OrganizedHome.Com, or create your own list on blank lined paper. Bonus: store the lists in empty suitcases for quick reference for the next trip.

Traveling With Gifts

Airline security checkpoints are no place to try to re-wrap a Christmas gift. If you must fly with presents, wait until your destination to wrap them, or place gifts in easy-to-inspect gift bags. Better: ship gifts ahead of time, or arrange for direct delivery to your final destination.

Travel Tips Courtesy of Cynthia Ewer from Organized Home