AKA How to avoid coming home to dead plants and old milk in the fridge 🙂
Below is our countdown check list of everything we make sure to do before leaving on a trip. Not everything is specifically for the trip itself, but to make our lives easier when we return, so we can focus on getting over the jet lag and post-holiday blues.
I promise, future-you will thank you!
I’d suggest starting this list at least 2 weeks before you go on holiday but we all know us ADHDers love leaving things till the last minute! Knowing this, I’ve left off any timescales or countdowns that we all know we won’t follow!
You can open / download a shortened google sheets version of the checklist here to keep track of, and gamify, the process for maximum dopamine 🙂
1. Set Up Easy Offline Bookings & Reservations Access
Save all your bookings, reservations and important documents into the Notes app to access them offline while travelling. Click here for a step-by-step guide on how to do this.
This has been an absolute lifesaver for us on more than one occasion!
This has been an absolute lifesaver for us on more than one occasion!
2. Get Keys Cut & Distribute to Emergency Contacts
If you haven’t already – get keys cut and make sure your emergency contacts have a set!
Last year, we cut an extra 5 emergency keys for our house and gave these to our parents, our siblings and Taco’s favourite dog-sitter.
TIP – Get some custom keychains made so people can identify your key quickly if needed.
We also have a key lockbox outside our house with a set in that can be accessed by a code. This has come in handy SO many times as I’m always leaving the house without my keys 🙂
Last year, we cut an extra 5 emergency keys for our house and gave these to our parents, our siblings and Taco’s favourite dog-sitter.
TIP – Get some custom keychains made so people can identify your key quickly if needed.
We also have a key lockbox outside our house with a set in that can be accessed by a code. This has come in handy SO many times as I’m always leaving the house without my keys 🙂
3. Order Currency
Unless we’re off to a cash free country like Iceland, we find it’s always handy to have a bit of local currency with us. I typically order online for the best rates. The pro is that it gets delivered to your house. The other pro is that you can avoid that awkward small talk at the post office.
4. Wash Clothes
This is the point where you need to start thinking about what you want to wear on your trip, and more importantly, what you need clean to pack!
I’d say the sooner the better, but I’m also the person who has gone to the airport in slightly damp jeans because I forgot to wash them until the night before. Oops.
I’d say the sooner the better, but I’m also the person who has gone to the airport in slightly damp jeans because I forgot to wash them until the night before. Oops.
Download Apps and Content
Flights are tough when you have AuDHD. It’s too noisy, smells weird, you’re stuck in your seat, can’t get comfy, tired but not enough to sleep, can’t concentrate enough to watch a film and overall, just painfully BORED as hell.
To help alleviate some of this, we make sure we each have a variety of games / puzzles on our phones, plus a few series’ downloaded so we can chop and change between them.
Definitely try and download these before you go and not on the runway before take off. Ahem. Some other really useful apps we like to have are Google Translate (works with images too!) and some local travel apps – this could be for trains, metros, Uber, Lyft, or even Lime Scooters. 😉
To help alleviate some of this, we make sure we each have a variety of games / puzzles on our phones, plus a few series’ downloaded so we can chop and change between them.
Definitely try and download these before you go and not on the runway before take off. Ahem. Some other really useful apps we like to have are Google Translate (works with images too!) and some local travel apps – this could be for trains, metros, Uber, Lyft, or even Lime Scooters. 😉
All the charging!
If you’ve got a hefty power bank, it’ll take a day or so to fully charge. Use this time to dig out or order any travel adaptors you’ll need and cables to go with it.
Our go to is a universal plug with USB plugs in it. This way, we can charge both of our phones, and the power bank (if needed) overnight. The UK plug input also allows any other electronics to be used, such as hair straighteners (if you use them).
Our go to is a universal plug with USB plugs in it. This way, we can charge both of our phones, and the power bank (if needed) overnight. The UK plug input also allows any other electronics to be used, such as hair straighteners (if you use them).
Time to Pack Your Suitcase
I’ll be honest, we don’t usually use a suitcase. We do a lot of moving around during our trips so it’s usually just easier to strap a backpack on and get walking. A well set up backpack won’t hurt your shoulders and will free up your hands for your phone and the all important google maps!
We’ve put together a list of must-pack items for your main bag and carry on which can be found here.
We’ve put together a list of must-pack items for your main bag and carry on which can be found here.
Prepare Your House (Home Alone traps optional)
We have never been so intensely cold as when we returned from a 2 week trip at midnight in November, and realising the heating had been off the entire time. It was FREEZING! Luckily, we’ve not made the same mistake again.
We’ve got some smart plugs for our lamps set up with Google Home and the App which turn off and on at set times. We also make sure to set a minimum temperature on the heating so that it kicks in if it drops below the threshold.
Other things that we make sure to do include making sure all the windows and doors are locked, and that any plugs not in use (including the oven, dishwasher, washing machine etc) are turned off at the wall.
We’ve got some smart plugs for our lamps set up with Google Home and the App which turn off and on at set times. We also make sure to set a minimum temperature on the heating so that it kicks in if it drops below the threshold.
Other things that we make sure to do include making sure all the windows and doors are locked, and that any plugs not in use (including the oven, dishwasher, washing machine etc) are turned off at the wall.
Water Plants
The only plants we seem to keep alive are the ones that thrive on neglect. That aside, *if* they get watered before a trip, we like to give them a proper soak with the shower in the bath.
This will usually last them about 10 days, but don’t blame me if they die before then! If we’re going to be gone any longer than that, I will ask someone to come and water them. I’ve killed too many plants over the years :’)
This will usually last them about 10 days, but don’t blame me if they die before then! If we’re going to be gone any longer than that, I will ask someone to come and water them. I’ve killed too many plants over the years :’)
Clean House & Change Sheets
Prioritising this one can be tough since the gratification is delayed until after the trip, but it is SO worth it!
There is literally nothing like coming home to a clean house, taking a shower, and getting into your own, freshly made bed.
We aim to check off as many chores as possible from the following, including: emptying the fridge, taking the bins out, emptying the dishwasher, dusting, hoovering, wipe down kitchen surfaces, general tidy up and the all important sheets.
Although it might initially appear overwhelming, we typically tackle these tasks over a couple of days – mainly when we should be focusing on other things!
There is literally nothing like coming home to a clean house, taking a shower, and getting into your own, freshly made bed.
We aim to check off as many chores as possible from the following, including: emptying the fridge, taking the bins out, emptying the dishwasher, dusting, hoovering, wipe down kitchen surfaces, general tidy up and the all important sheets.
Although it might initially appear overwhelming, we typically tackle these tasks over a couple of days – mainly when we should be focusing on other things!
Organise Your Wallet
One of our main rules for travelling is “Travel light” and this applies to our wallets too. The less clutter, the better.
All you really need is your driving licence, debit card, cash and a credit card.
We both have debit accounts with Starling as they don’t charge foreign transaction fees. If you’re worried about losing your debit card, you can also take out a specific travel top up card instead.
If you’re hiring a car, a credit card is a must have. Most hire companies request one and will block out a deposit which you definitely don’t want coming out of your holiday spending money! We’ll usually look for a card with 0% foreign transaction fees as well as 0% on purchases for a few months – just in case we decide to splurge.
All you really need is your driving licence, debit card, cash and a credit card.
We both have debit accounts with Starling as they don’t charge foreign transaction fees. If you’re worried about losing your debit card, you can also take out a specific travel top up card instead.
If you’re hiring a car, a credit card is a must have. Most hire companies request one and will block out a deposit which you definitely don’t want coming out of your holiday spending money! We’ll usually look for a card with 0% foreign transaction fees as well as 0% on purchases for a few months – just in case we decide to splurge.
Pack Backpack
Time to pack your carry on! We’ve created an essentials packing list here for your backpack. Everything we bring with us on the plane, we’ll usually keep on us for the entire holiday so we always know where things ‘live’.
We pack our carry on the night before so we can double check everything off the list and then leave it in front of the door so we literally can’t forget it!
We pack our carry on the night before so we can double check everything off the list and then leave it in front of the door so we literally can’t forget it!
RELAX!
Set your morning alarm, put your phone on charge, take a bath and try not to run through the checklist a million times in your head!
Last but not least – enjoy it! This is all part of the holiday experience so embrace the chaos and just think about how sweet that airport pint will be at 6.30am. Or is that just a British thing?! 🙂
Last but not least – enjoy it! This is all part of the holiday experience so embrace the chaos and just think about how sweet that airport pint will be at 6.30am. Or is that just a British thing?! 🙂