The last hour before a trip has a way of collecting every task you meant to do last week. Spread the list across a few days instead, and leave a little for the evening you come home. Copy what fits your household and skip what doesn’t.
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The week before
- Confirm pet care: who, when, feeding notes, the vet’s number and how to reach you.
- Arrange for plants, mail and deliveries. In the United States, USPS Hold Mail can pause mail for 3 to 30 days and can be scheduled up to 30 days ahead.
- Reschedule or pause deliveries and subscriptions that would arrive while you’re away.
- Check that IDs and passports are current. For international trips, check entry requirements for your destination on travel.state.gov or your own government’s travel site, since passport validity rules vary by country.
- Save booking confirmations in one shared place the people traveling with you can reach.
- Refill prescriptions you’ll need while away.
The day before
- Pack, then set out documents, chargers and medications in one spot by the door.
- Check in for flights if that applies, and note departure times and addresses.
- Use or give away food that won’t keep. Take out the trash and recycling.
- Leave the pet sitter written notes and a spare key arrangement you’ve agreed on.
- Run the dishwasher and laundry so you come home to clean basics.
Before leaving
- Do a last walk-through: windows and doors locked, appliances off, faucets closed.
- Set the thermostat to an away setting appropriate for your home and climate.
- Pick up the items by the door: IDs, passports, wallet, phone, chargers, medications, keys.
Keep travel details private
Share your dates, address and booking details only with the people who need them: the pet sitter, a neighbor checking the house, the people you’re traveling with. Keep booking references and passport numbers out of group chats and public posts. If you like to share photos from a trip, you can wait until you’re home.
The first evening home
Plan this evening before you leave, so it doesn’t become a second unpacking project.
- A simple dinner already decided: something in the freezer, or a takeout order you’ve picked in advance.
- Unpack one bag: toiletries, chargers and anything needed tomorrow. The rest can wait a day.
- Start one load of laundry.
- Confirm mail and deliveries are resuming.
- Look at tomorrow’s calendar, then stop.
Your next step
Copy this list into your notes, delete what doesn’t apply and put the week-before items on your calendar now. If work is part of the getaway plan, Close the Laptop covers that side. Sharing the household list? How to Share Household Tasks helps you assign owners.
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