Jessica
When you are planning on getting out of town for a while, it’s a good idea to make sure you have things at home in order first before you travel. However, between making your travel plans and dealing with airlines, road trip details, and more, you may find it challenging to know where to begin. Here’s our list including 8 things you need to take care of before you travel.
1. Fix Leaks and Other Problems in Your Home’s Roof
A large number of roof repairs may require you to get in touch with a local professional roofing company. Other more minor problems may be able to be tackled with a bit of research and elbow grease. Regardless of the extent of your roof’s damage, it’s always a good idea to take care of these kinds of problems before you travel. The last thing you probably want to is to have to worry about leaks and other issues in your roof when you’re planning on getting out of town for a while. Even worse, you probably would hate to come home to some form of more serious damage done to your property because you failed to take the action needed to correct roof problems before you traveled.
In most cases, if you contact a roofing contractor and inform them of your situation, they will be happy to offer an estimate, or even come to take a look at your roof in order to assess what work may or may not need to be done. Getting a roofing contractor hired with plenty of time to spare before you travel can give you the peace of mind you need when traveling. After all, there’s nothing quite like knowing that all of your home’s problems are taken care of so that you can focus on enjoying your time away.
2. Take Care of Your Home’s Plumbing Problems
Plumbing problems are no fun for anyone. It doesn’t matter whether you have a huge hole in your septic tank or if you are just suffering from a leaky pipe, these kinds of problems are definitely some that you want to handle before you travel. Plumbing repair can range from simple and straight forward to complex and expensive. Because of the wide range of different problems that you may be dealing with, it’d be wise of you to get in touch with a local company that specializes in plumbing repair before you travel. They will be able to give you confidence in your home’s plumbing system so that you can travel without having to worry about whether or not your plumbing will be operational when you do return to your home.
If things are really bad, then you may even need to seek out emergency plumbing services. Sure you can always try to tackle some smaller issues by yourself, but when it comes to any significant problems with your home’s plumbing system, it is almost always a far better option to contact a professional who knows exactly what to do. The last thing you probably want is to wind up causing yourself even more plumbing issues before you travel.
Some plumbers may want some in-depth details on the state of your home’s current plumbing problems. Others may be happy to examine the issue themselves. In any case, it’s always a good idea to work with plumbers who have a strong and positive reputation in the community. Of course, you can always ask around to see if your friends, neighbors, coworkers, or other members of your community can recommend a plumber that they know and trust. In addition to this word of mouth method, you can always go online and read some reviews of local plumbing companies before you travel. When it comes to getting plumbing work done on your home, it always pays to spend a bit more time upfront in order to be sure that the person you end up hiring is well worth your time and money. Taking care of this challenge before you travel will give you the mental space and clarity that you need in order to fully enjoy the time you spend traveling away from home.
3. Consider Your Travel Options
Most people don’t really like the idea of rushing to make their last-minute travel plans. This is why you should always explore the many different travel options that are available to you before you travel. Doing so can not only lighten your mental burden, but it may also end up saving you some substantial amounts of time and money in the end. Look at some common airplane charter deals for example. Many of these companies will agree to offer some generous discounts on flights and travel plans if you are willing to schedule out your trip in advance. With more of a time notice given to these companies, you benefit from having your travel plans set in stone before you travel. Sure, you may like the idea of having a totally random and spontaneous travel adventure. But it doesn’t hurt to have some structure set up in advance so that you don’t have to end up adding any unwanted stress to your life before you travel.
If you’re traveling by car on a big cross country road trip, then you can also benefit from some forms of pre-planning. For example, try mapping things out in detail so that you know what types of places you may want to stop along the way. Once again, the random occurrences that happen on the road can certainly bring some unexpected joy and create lasting memories for you, your friends, and the members of your family. However, a little bit of planning can go a long way towards saving you from wasted time, added stress, and excessive financial expenses. Regardless of your trip or your transportation methods, you should do your research and weigh out all of your different travel options before you travel. It will save you a lot of time, money, and effort in the vast majority of cases.
4. Get Your Vehicles Inspected and Repaired
If you happen to be one of those people who have plans to travel by car, visiting an auto repair center before you travel can save you from a world of hurt. Far too many people go to embark upon an epic road trip, only to get a few miles from home and suffer some form of mechanical malfunction with their vehicle. Even if you think you have taken every last detail into account, you never know what kinds of problems might pop up once you depart. Furthermore, the stress and wear that a long trip can cause a vehicle can create a whole new host of potential problems for your travel plans. When you take care of these issues by visiting a professional auto repair shop before you travel, you can place full confidence in your car’s ability to get you and your travel companions from point A to point Z without any major issues occurring.
While mechanical troubles can certainly pose a problem when you’re on the road, you also have to consider the possible legal ramifications of not taking proper action to ensure that your car is ready for a trip before you travel. If you’re anything like most people, then you would probably prefer having to deal with a mechanic in a repair shop rather than finding yourself in a situation that requires you to seek out the legal services of a car accident lawyer. Nevertheless, in the event of an accident on the roads, a lawyer who focuses on car accidents can act to defend your rights, speak with car insurance companies on your behalf, and do the kinds of heavy lifting that may be required in order to reach a settlement or go after any kinds of compensation that you may be entitled to after a car accident. Again, the good news is that most of these problems can be avoided by making sure your car is ready for the roads before you travel. With a proactive mentality, you shouldn’t have to worry about running into any problems when you’re on your trip.
5. Wrap Up Any Home Renovation Projects You Have in Progress
Having any sort of unfinished business around the house creates the perfect recipe for stress and anxiety once you’re traveling. If you know that you have some form of major work or whole home remodeling project that’s halfway done, then you’ll likely find it swimming around in your head the entire time you’re away. Rather than having these kinds of worries on your mind, do your best to wrap up any loose ends before you take off for a road trip or a family vacation. Contact any necessary contractors that may be working on your home, and see if they can give you a realistic timeline for completion. Some contractors may only need to be reminded once before returning to a worksite and giving it the proper time and attention that’s needed to finish the job. As an added bonus you’ll have a nice new addition to your home once you return from your travels. Which brings us to our next point…
6. Clean Your Home Up (Inside and Out) Before You Leave
When you return from traveling, you probably will be feeling a bit exhausted and out of it. With all your luggage in tow and your weariness from the road, it’s likely you’ll want nothing more than to collapse into your own bed and get some much-needed rest once you return. Nothing puts a wrench in this kind of return to home than a filthy environment. Sure, even if you don’t have piles of moldy dishes in the kitchen sink, the slightest bit of clutter can really hamper the joy that may otherwise come with returning home after some time away. Rather it’s been a few months away or a few weeks away, you’ll be so happy that you cleaned your home up before you left for your travel adventures.
Try to clean your home as though you were about to be visited by a real estate photographer or a possible buyer. Vacuum the carpets, clean the floors, take care of any loose ends that may need tidying up. But while cleaning the interior spaces of your home is certainly important, that doesn’t mean you should neglect your yard, driveway, patio, and other outdoor spaces. When you pull up to your home after a long time away, it feels so much better to see that things are looking clean and in order. Nothing welcomes you home like a clean living space both inside and outside!
7. Create a Detailed Packing List
Before you travel, it helps to know how much luggage you plan to take. It may seem easy enough to eyeball things and give yourself a ballpark estimate. But it’s far easier to write everything out by making a detailed packing checklist. This checklist can include everything from your clothing and outfits to your personal hygiene products. Planning to go somewhere where the climate is quite different from the one in your home town? Don’t forget to accommodate for this. For example, if you’re choosing to visit a sunny environment, then be sure that you’re packing plenty of sunscreen, sunglasses, and pool loungewear. After all, were you aware of the fact that studies show that Americans prefer sunny vacation spots? This may because vitamin D has the ability to improve mood. On the other hand, if you’re unlike most people and you’re planning on visiting a place that gets lots of cold weather, snow, and ice, then be sure to pack the appropriate footwear and cold weather gear. Nothing eliminates the stress that comes with travel like having all of your details arranged beforehand.
8. Get Your Money Sorted Out
Finally, anyone planning to travel shouldn’t forget to arrange the financial details of the endeavor. We don’t just mean you should make a budget either, although that is important. Be sure you sort out what kinds of payment methods you plan to use in your travels. Are you looking to gain some frequent flyer miles or rewards points with a certain credit card on your trip? Then make sure you remember to put your expenses on this card. Alternatively, those who are planning on traveling to other countries should also be sure to check that their preferred payment methods will work there. It’s also not a bad idea to make plans for getting your nation’s currency converted to the currency of the country you’ll be visiting. It’s never harmful to have a bit of cash on hand just in case you need it.
You should also notify your bank and credit card provider of your travel plans. Banks like to know when to expect unusual charges so that they don’t have any reason to suspect nefarious activity on your accounts. Most banks make this process incredibly easy in the modern world. In most cases, you won’t even have to call. Just use your bank’s mobile banking app or website to notify them of your upcoming travel plans.
As you can see, there are lots to get in order before you travel. Have fun out there!
