People are gearing up for family vacations as school lets outfor summer break and great deals abound on the Internet. Leavinglife and work behind is a daunting thought for some, and with somany “I’s” to dot and “T’s” to cross, it’s no wonder vacationersoften leave home feeling frazzled and unprepared. There are a fewsimple things you can do to ready yourself and your family for yourtrip, so take some time to complete the following steps. The peaceof mind you’ll achieve is well worth the effort.

Make a packing list: One of the first things to complete in thebustle of preparing for vacation, packing lists are the best way toensure nothing is forgotten when you walk out the door. Allowyourself plenty of time during a typical day to complete a list.Stress will have less of a chance of affecting your thought processthis way. In addition to being an excellent planning tool, acomplete packing list can also be used to make sure nothing is leftbehind when you and your family are about to begin your journeyhome.

Prepare your house: Another important step best not left untilthe day of travel is preparing your home for your absence for aworry-free trip and happy return. This process includes fortifyingall locks, stopping delivery of mail and papers, checking for anypotential fire or break-in hazards and setting automatic lighttimers. If break-ins are a big concern in your area, considercontacting a home security company like ADT to see about setting up an alarmsystem to monitor your property while you’re away.

Stay in contact with work: Many people have a difficult timetotally disconnecting from the office, even while on vacation. Ifyou find this is the case, be sure to take steps ahead of time tomake it easy to contact your colleagues. Having a high-speedwireless Internet connection like the 4G service available fromCLEAR will allow youto access your e-mails and the Internet while on the go. Be sure tocheck with your phone provider as well to ascertain what roamingand data charges you’ll incur when connecting from yourdestination.

Get your papers in order: If you’re traveling internationally,you will want to make sure several weeks or months ahead of timethat your passport and travel visas are arranged. It’s also a goodidea to contact your bank and insurance companies to alert themthat you’ll be away. Often banks place holds on accounts if theysee foreign or unusual activity, and the last thing you want is foryour credit cards to stop working mid-trip.

Check with your doctor: Find out from your doctor if you’ll needany special shots or medications before you reach your destination.Your physician may also write you prescriptions to combat anypotential health problems that may arise, like food poisoning or aninsect sting. This is particularly important for children as theirimmune systems are very susceptible to the viruses and bacteriapresent in unfamiliar locations.

Vacations can be stressful to plan and carry out successfully,so spend a few moments before your trip to ensure it’s hassle-free.Save yourself potential time, expenses and headaches by preparingfor your travel as soon as possible. You’ll thank yourself asyou’re enjoying your family vacation free of worry and stress.

Courtesy of ARAcontent