5 Tips to Make Thanksgiving Travel Less Stressful

photo courtesy of pixabay

I always enjoy Thanksgiving.  It’s the one time a year my whole family gets together. It's also the busiest day of the year for traveling. Since that can be stressful, I’ve come up with a few ways to make it a little easier.

Plan ahead. One of the worst stressors in traveling is having to make sure you have everything. One week before you leave, (instead of the night before) write down everything you’ll want with you while you’re gone.  Making a list has a couple of benefits. First, you can actually see it on paper.  That helps you organize your thoughts instead of thinking you’ll just know it all when you leave. It also reduces your stress level because you don’t have to remember everything.  It’s there for you to see when you pack. The third advantage is that you have a list to check things off as you pack, making it more likely you’ll have everything you need.

Medicine. When you make your list, remember your medicine, if you take any. The most obvious thing we think of in packing is, of course, the clothes we’ll wear. But medicine is even more important. Depending on where you go, you may not have access to your doctor. We can’t just run across town to get another prescription when we travel, so we have to make sure we have it all before we go.  Make sure you take everything with you. 

Pack two days before you leave.  Once you’ve listed and laid out everything you need, pack your suitcase(s) two nights ahead of time.  This gives you an extra day to double check that everything’s in there.  If you’ve forgotten something, you have time to stick it in there without rushing at the last minute. 

photo courtesy of pixabay

 Are you flying?  If you are, take a carry-on with you and check the airline’s requirements for what’s allowed and what’s not. Check the weight limit for each suitcase you plan to check.  Weigh each bag at home and adjust whatever’s necessary before you get to the airport. Most flights limit the amount of liquids allowed in a container in a carry-on (a few ounces) and allow only one quart-size, transparent, resealable bag per passenger.  You’ll have to show it to an employee, so keep it out of your bag until you get on the plane.

ALWAYS pack your medicine in your carry-on.  You never know if your luggage will get lost somewhere along the way. Several years ago, I flew from California to Washington D.C. My luggage went to St. Louis instead, so I was left without clean clothes.  The humidity, combined with rain there in the middle of July, made me miserable for 3 days before I was reunited with my luggage. Fortunately, I had my medicine in my carry-on so it was just an inconvenience. 

These are my thoughts.  What other tips would you add to the list?