Must Do Things Moms Do Before Going On Vacation

Whenever I go on a trip away from home I do try my best (honestly I do) to leave a clean house. I remember there was a time not so long ago whenever I was off to parts unknown the husband was there, then he took care of all the domestic stuff. However, with his current traveling schedule lately I am relying on a babysitter to pick up after our three two-legged responsibilities and run the necessary errands.

Before I leave I usually have a plethora of things which have to be done before I can say those wonderful four words, “I’m ready to go”. This is my check off list, but you may find additional items to add which suit your living situation.

Must Do Things Moms Do Before Going on Vacation

Completely clean my house. I’m not going to even lie, this is probably one of the few times of the year that my house gets thoroughly cleaned from top to bottom. Plus, its only fair to leave a clean house for the babysitter.

Complete all the laundry. Again, this is one of the few times per year that all of my laundry is completed and I have an empty basket. AND not only all clean laundry, but I put it up and fold the socks. Again these are all RARE things that happen around here. Hmm, maybe I should go on vacation more often?

Email Teachers and notify the school. I feel this is important, even though the kids will not miss any school, to let the school and teachers know I will be out of town. In the past, my kid’s behavior would change when I was gone. Letting their teachers know this ahead of time helped keep my boys in line. In addition, notifying the school that a different person would be picking up my children is ALWAYS important. That’s the last thing one should worry about 3000 miles away. I also like to let the teachers know my plans, so if they see work is missing, a missing violin, no snow pants, etc. they will understand.

Make a list for the sitter. When I leave my house and entrust our children into the hands of someone else,I want to make sure they have everything they need. I will usually sit down and make a list of things like:

• Put the garbage out on garbage day,
• Bring the mail in,
• Give out medicine and vitamins first thing in the morning,
• Pack Lunches
• What the boys can and can’t have
• Feed the dog
• Make sure homework gets completed
• Video games and TV schedule, etc.
• Be sure to give out the rounds of Melatonin an hour before bedtime

 Leaving a schedule and going over it with both the babysitter and the children is a great way to make sure everyone is on the same page, and to let everyone know what the expectations are when mom is away.

Leave an Emergency list and copy of Insurance cards. While we don’t want to think about the WORST happening while on vacation or on a work trip, it’s definitely a must-do item on every checklist. Always leave contact information of nearby family members and friends that are my back-up people just in case the sitter needs them. I also leave a copy of the insurance cards just in case. Fingers crossed those items are never needed. I also leave information about my flight and make sure my husband has the information about my flight itinerary as well.

Food. Yes, it’s important to leave a well-stocked pantry if you’re going to be away. I want to make the babysitter’s job is as easy as possible. I mean, she is watching MY three boys for 7 days. So, I will go grocery shopping one or two days before the trip. On this grocery trip, even with using coupons and sales I always overspend. I usually overspend because I buy frozen food items, quick dinner meals, frozen pizzas, foods I would normally prepare myself. But when I rely on a sitter, even though she will cook some of their meals, I want to leave her some easy options.

Cook meals in advance– I will usually prepare a few meals in advance. Freezer Friendly meals are the best option when you’re gone. This allows for your children to continue to have home-cooked meals and less work for the babysitter. I didn’t have time to prepare a lot of freezer friendly meals this time around, but I did prepare a hot chicken casserole that the boys absolutely LOVE. I made a big batch of it so it will last about three days. Another meal I made in advance was baked spaghetti. If you need some more freezer friendly meal ideas, I have quite a few posted HERE.

Leave money. It’s always a good idea to leave a little money, especially if you’re going to be gone for over a week. I left some play money for the sitter to use to take the boys to the movies or order out for pizza. The boys also have their own allowance money to use if they want to stop by Speedway for Slushies or pick up their own snacks.

Leave little notes around the house. If you have time to do this, leave your kids little notes and reminders around the house and in their backpacks. This is like having your nagging voice there to remind them to put their clothes in the dirty laundry, don’t forget the violin, remember to turn in your library books, etc. I also like to leave notes that says, “Mom loves you!”or “Be good for the babysitter”.

Well, that’s my list and I’m sticking to it! What are some things that you do before you leave on vacation or work trip? Regardless if you’re going away for a whole week or just a night, leaving a list of the must-do things is important!

Leave me a comment below on some of the things you would leave on your checkoff list below!