You know me, I like to prepare for my family holiday early on. And anything else for the matter.

There’s a lot to think about, and leaving everything for the last minute just doesn’t do it for me. If I need to buy something or other, or need to make a plan, I get it out of the way real quick.

3 weeks in advance, I’m planning for something else which will help me avoid post-holiday stress entirely. I won’t spoil it for you, because there’s a whole other blog post about it over here.

Once the holiday is a few days away, I can focus on the packing and leaving the house in a good state for when we return.

But, right now, there’s a handful of things I can take care of.

Here goes.

1. I organise a plan for someone to check in at home daily

Or every other day. My poor plants need to be watered and the doors and windows need opening up for some fresh air inside the house.

2. I make sure my security cameras are working fine

My AXIS home security cameras are pretty much problem-free, but you know how it goes – if something has to go wrong it will when you most need it. I ensure that they’re actually recording fine, and format the SD card justtt in case – because it’s something I like to do once in a while.

3. Suitcases & the like

It’s been a year since we’ve all travelled together, so I prepare for our family holiday by quickly take stock of our suitcases, hand luggages and padlocks. I also prepare our luggage tags. A great tip is to check about the airline’s luggage allowance if you’re flying. They do change from time to time, and they vary from airline to airline. Don’t wait until the last minute to discover that your carry-on is too large.

4. Passports of course!

I’ve already had a look at these and got Nina’s renewed, but my OCD gets the best of me each and every time! I have another look to make sure that they’re not expired (oh my!), and ensure they’re all gathered together in their safe place.

5. Medication

This is a must, especially when travelling with kids. I have a good look at my medicine stash and see what else I need to buy. This time around, we’ll be going on a cruise, so I’ll make sure we have sea sickness medication for the kids and the adults. Yep, I’ll make sure I have extra for the rest of the family – you never know!

5. Other products

Summer holidays mean sun and mozzies. So I make sure we have a great 50+ sunblock which is non-greasy and waterproof, and mosquito prevention and treatment. You’ll love my blog post titled ‘Genius things to pack for your family holiday (which you probably didn’t think of). It’s one the most-read blog posts to-date!

6. Clothes

7 days on a holiday in the throes of summer means we all need swimsuits and beach coverups, a day outfit, and an evening outfit daily. Now I’m not saying I’m going overboard and we’re never wearing a pair of shorts twice, but with the heat, you need to get changed quite a bit. Add the gelatos onboard and I might even need to change the kids’ outfits a day or two!
I like to have a look at our wardrobes and see if we have enough shorts/t-shirts combos, light dresses or pants to avoid any last minute shopping runs.

7. Rehash our plans

There’s not much I need to get done this time around, but more often than not we’re renting a car and driving around from place to place, which takes quite a bit of planning. So I have a look at some restaurants in the areas we’re visiting, check that all our bookings are in place, print out any tickets or reservations that need to be printed, and put everything together with our passports. I print two sets of everything, just in case we lose one batch. Oh, and I also carry a copy of our passports, and our driving licenses with us, just in case.

8. Get insurance sorted

Our bank covers our travel insurance as a perk, but I always check to see if I need any additional cover or need to insure any specific belongings, such as my camera or laptop. This I take care of the instant we confirm our holiday, in case anything comes up in the days leading up to our holiday. In case you’ve not already, now is a good time to look into it.
If you’re travelling in Europe, apply for, or check validity of your EHIC card. This will give you access to free to subsidised healthcare in case of emergency while you’re travelling.

9. Don’t forget about the money, honey

Sort out your VISA, withdraw the cash, and exchange any money if you need to. Keep in mind that when renting a car, or travelling on cruise liner, only CREDIT CARDS are accepted.
It is also super-important to contact your bank and advise of your travel dates & destination, so they do not block your card as a safety precaution when you’re on vacation. It’s simple to do this – I just send them a message from my internet banking account.

Phew! Those are the 9 ways I prepare for our family holiday. That’s a load off your chest! Now you can really take the time to enjoy every second leading up to your trip!

PS: Join me live on Wednesday as I talk about how to keep the house (reasonably) tidy with toys on the cards. This live was originally planned for last week, but with the social media tech glitches, I could not broadcast. I’ve been getting LOTS of messages about this live, and it’s coming mama 🙂 You can catch me on the Mama Manual Facebook page at 4:30pm Malta time (GMT +1). See you there!