Are you amping up for a trip this holiday season? Whether you’re traveling just a few hours away to visit family on Thanksgiving, or flying to another country for a holiday getaway, it’s important to keep yourself organized and fully prepped for anything that might come your way. We get people from all walks of life going to all different destinations riding in our cabs, and often times they share their traveling tips and tricks with our drivers (I guess we’re just that easy to talk to). So what did we do? We made a list of seven things to do the night before you travel – brought to you by our expert customers.
1. Change your sheets.
What? You might be wondering why we suggest you change your sheets the night before you’re leaving home. But this is actually one of the more common tips we hear – it just requires a little bit of extra foresight. Not only should you be prepping for your trip away from home, but also for your return. There’s nothing quite as awesome as coming home to a bed with clean, crisp, comfortable sheets.
2. Change your cat litter.
This is another odd one – or, well, it might seem odd if you don’t have a cat. What we really mean to say is that you need to make sure your pets are getting taken care of while you’re away. It’s a great idea to change your cat’s litter, set out fresh water, and given them fresh food for at least a day or two just in case your pet sitters aren’t able to come over right away.
3. Freeze your leftovers.
One sure way to spoil your return home is to leave your leftovers out in your fridge to rot and stink up the whole house. Instead, freeze your leftovers so that you aren’t wasting any food. What if you have random scraps that you don’t have time to cook with before departure? The Everywhereist recommends creating a “freezer stock bag” for your leftover onions, carrots, and other veggies that are about to spoil. When you get home, use these leftovers to create a vegetable stock for cooking. She also recommends freezing a full meal for when you get home – because you know you’ll be exhausted.
4. Do your laundry.
When you get back from traveling, you’re going to have heaps of laundry to do. Cut down on the loads by doing all of your current laundry before you depart on your adventure. It will also make your room smell fresh and eliminate any musty odors when you get back.
5. Take out the garbage.
Speaking of smells, you HAVE to take out the garbage before you leave the house. This is a must, not only for smells, but to keep away pests like mice, ants, flies, and other insects and rodents. You do not want to come home to an infestation, and this will happen if you leave your garbage cans full in your home.
6. Charge your electronics.
With our lives surrounded by gadgets, it’s essential to bring them on the road. You might have big plans for your smartphone or portable DVD player, but they won’t do any good if they aren’t charged for the flight or drive. Charge up all your electronics the day before, and make sure to bring all the chargers with you.
7. Make a list, check it twice.
There’s one thing that helps ensure you get everything done before heading out on a holiday vacation – and that’s make a list. If you’re like most people, you might start making a mental checklist, thinking that you’ll definitely remember it all. But as the list gets longer and longer, we’re here to tell you that you’ll definitely forget something. Don’t risk it – just write it all down, tape it to your front door, and check it at least twice before heading out. Oh, and give yourself enough time to go through it in the morning, too.
Traveling can be stressful, but only if you let it. If you follow our 7 things to do the night before you travel, you’ll be on your way to a stress-free takeoff, and a warm return. And if you are in need of airport transportation to SFO or a taxi in Pleasanton give a call!