It is summer. Many women are planning to go somewhere to relax. Getting ready to go on vacation can be stressful, especially if you have a family. There are so many things to do! Stress is not good for health. Having a plan can relieve some of the stress of going on a trip. Organizing for successful vacation involves planning, creating a checklist, making a place for everything you take with you, and putting a limit on how much you take.

Personal Story

My family loves to go to the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. We enjoy the outdoor hikes and bike rides, as well as the indoor games and movie watching together as a family. It has taken a lot of planning and to get our big family ready for vacation. Getting organized has been a large part of our success.

Plan

Decide what you want to do for vacation. Do you want to go to the beach? Or are the mountains calling to you? Perhaps, you’re doing a “staycation” this year. Here are some things to consider:

• Dream a little
• Set a budget
• Plan your destination and activities

.You can have a fun at “stay-at-home” vacation by considering yourself a tourist and seeking out “new to you” activities and places to see.

Create a Checklist

Checklists help! These are the basics I put on my family’s travel checklist for our summer mountain vacation:

• clothing
• toiletries
• vitamins/medicines
• water/food
• biking/ hiking/ back packing/ camping
• to do before the trip

After you create your basic checklist, you can adjust it a bit year after year, depending on where you are going on vacation.

A Place for Everything

Whether you are traveling by car, plane, train, or bus, you will want to pack according the space you have available to you.

I find that creating zones in these areas are helpful:

• luggage- pack “like” things together in plastic zip-locked or cloth zippered bags
• car-consider accessibility when assigning zones
• reserve room for purchases or souvenirs.

Put everything in its place during each leg of your journey.

Limit What You Take

Evaluate what you are bringing and see if you really need each item. Do you really have time to read five books? Consider these things:

• the amount of time you are traveling
• how many activities verses down time at your destination
• whether you can buy items at or near your destination

Remember, the less you pack, the less you must keep track of as you travel from place to place.

Action Step

Get organized and have a wonderful vacation this summer.

May God bless your healthful endeavors!

Joni

P.S. What tips do you have for getting organized for vacation?