Your Holiday Checklist: Before And After Your Trip

When you’re about to go on holiday, there’s a huge amount to remember. Have you packed your suitcases and ensured that each family member is ready to depart? What about your flight details—do you know exactly when it leaves and from which gate? Sometimes, planning for a holiday can feel like a full-time job. It’s no wonder that an increasing number of travellers are overwhelmed just from planning their trip.

Indeed, you can sometimes be so caught up in planning a holiday that it’s easy to forget what comes after. There’s a lot you need to do once you return as well, and since you’ll be tired and burnt out from the stresses of a lengthy holiday, you might neglect this aspect. You’re not alone—many holidaymakers have realized too late that there was something they should have done upon their return. Here’s a handy holiday checklist for both before and after your trip.

BEFORE - Airport parking

We won’t necessarily cover the completely obvious in this guide—you should already be thinking about passports, suitcases, etc. Instead, we’ll focus on the things that don’t immediately spring to mind.

• Airport parking is definitely important.
• You want to ensure your vehicle is safe and sound for your return, but you also don’t want to pay through the nose.
• Many travel packages include airport parking, so make sure you’ve arranged this aspect of your journey before you fly.

AFTER - Documenting your trip

You don’t want to forget the happy memories you’ve created while on holiday, do you? It’s likely that you’ll take many holiday photos, as your friends on social media will want to see them.

• You’ll want a good way to crystallize all of those memories and make sure they’re not just floating around on cameras or on your phone.
• A site like PixaPrints can do the trick.
• From cushions to phone cases, PixaPrints is a great place to go for making your memories permanent.

BEFORE - Entertainment

Flights can be incredibly long and boring affairs. While there are many options out there, even the in-flight movies can run dry sometimes, leaving you with nothing to do.

• Make sure you pack plenty of activities for you and your kids ahead of time.
• If there’s a games console they love, there’s no harm in letting them bring it.
• Whether you’re a gamer, a reader, a cineaste, or a puzzle enthusiast, ensure you’re covered for entertainment.

AFTER - International mobile phone package

It’s not uncommon to leave your international mobile package on even after you’ve returned home.

If you do this, you’ll likely be paying a huge amount more than you need to.

• Make sure that you return your mobile phone to regular service after you get back.
• Making calls and sending texts affordably while overseas is great, but you don’t want to keep paying through the nose just because you’ve forgotten to adjust to life at home.

BEFORE - Downloads

It’s common to think that the internet speed will be just as fast wherever you’re going as it was at home. Unfortunately, this is often not the case.

• There’s a chance that Wi-Fi will be nonexistent where you’re headed, and your 4G signal may suffer dramatically.
• Make sure you download important stuff—maps, guides, etc.—as well as movies or games before you go.
• If streaming isn’t possible, you don’t want to be stranded in the middle of nowhere with no recourse.

AFTER - Check your email

There are probably going to be a lot of people trying to get hold of you while you’re away, especially if you’re working for clients without a way to let them know you’ll be absent.

• It’s very important to check your email when you get back.
• You might already have been doing this—if you’re the workaholic type, there’s a chance you haven’t even been enjoying your holiday because of it—but if not, make sure you clear the cobwebs out of that neglected inbox.

BEFORE - Take toiletries

We’ve lost count of the number of times we’ve been caught out without shower gel, shampoo, or toothpaste.

• While most places will have airport shops where you can buy these essentials, they may be massively more expensive than simply bringing them from home.
• Naturally, make sure you don’t fall afoul of regulations when you’re boarding a plane.
• Still, there are plenty of plane-ready amenities that it’s well worth buying before you set off.

AFTER - Get some rest

You’re probably not going to be ready to launch yourself back into work the day after you return from a holiday.

• Believe it or not, there are lots of processes that take a real toll on your health while you’re travelling.
• Jet lag, a different diet, emotional stress—all of these can be factors when you’re returning to work, and they might mean you need some time to recover.
• Make sure you’re properly rested and ready to resume your normal life before you do so.