Checklist

Preparing a checklist is not mandatory. It is a worthwhile tip which you can apply in your travel planning to make it complete. It is very useful when you have some things to pack at the last minute. There are always few items to pack that cannot be packed early and need to wait till the day of departure to add them to the luggage e.g. snacks, medicines, underwear, slippers etc. Some people are prompt packers, which means they start packing their luggage from the moment they book the tickets. Then there are some who leave their packing till a day or two before departure. We fall into both these categories. There are some rare gems who always keep a travel luggage ready! Do you know any such traveller?

Initially, like any other newbie, even we did not make checklists. The consequence of this was that we often missed packing some very important items and were disappointed when we reached our destination and needed the thing. Camera cells, chargers, adapters, slippers and once even undergarment. Believe us when we say, it was not adventurous. We suffered. Some things can be bought while some you need to do without!

Need of Checklist

Anyways, a checklist makes your task very easy because you do not actually have to pack things and keep checking again and again. Generally what happens is after our research and bookings part, we know what we are required to carry. And we start packing them into our luggage one by one. But it may happen that you already kept something and forgot. Later, you are looking all over your place for the thing to pack again. It becomes a hassle. So instead of starting to pack from the word go, we can first make a list of things that we should carry for the trip. This checklist should have detailed items so that there is no scope for missing even the smallest thing.

The checklist has to always be flexible and you may keep adding to it as and when you remember to pack a thing. When you start to pack or at after you have packed everything and are ready, you may crosscheck with your check list and tick off the things you have already packed. This way you will be reminded to keep the things you might have left for the last minute, if any.

Checklists are especially useful for those last minute packings. Once, you have ticked off all the items from your checklist, you know that you have not missed anything and there will not be any unpleasant surprises on the trip. You will be relaxed all through your trip. Actually, this tip was suggested by a dear friend and has been our life saver. To check in detail what would you need to pack, you may check out this post.

How to make a checklist

A sample checklist can be as under:

• Documents
  • tickets
  • passport
  • visa
  • bookings
  • photo Ids
  • permits (optional)
• Clothes
  • enough sets of tops and lowers or dresses
  • hats/caps
  • jackets/raincoats/umbrella
  • gloves
  • body warmers
  • undergarments
  • socks
• Toiletries
  • sunscreen
  • shampoo
  • body lotion
  • makeup kits
  • sanitizers
  • other toiletries that you use.
• Medicines
  • prescribed medicines
  • over the counter medicines
  • masks
  • drops
• Shoes
  • slippers
  • boots
  • sandals
  • loafers
• Snacks
  • ready to cook
  • biscuits
  • cakes
  • mixture

The above checklist is only for reference purpose, you may definitely add or remove elements as per your needs.