Does the thought of planning a vacation make you want to pull out your hair? You’re not alone. I want to help you enjoy stress free vacation planning.

Book the Important Things First

Lots of people wait until the last minute before they book their flights and hotels. And there is nothing wrong with that, if that’s how you function. However, it just won’t work for stress free vacation planning.

For last minute deals, there’s nothing you can do. When it comes to normal trips, though, secure your transportation (airfare, etc.) and your accommodations (hotel) as soon as possible. Once those two things are taken care of, 75% of your trip is taken care of.

Make an Itinerary

Create a document with all your travel information. If traveling by train, include your departure and arrival stations. Be sure to also include departure and arrival times.

If traveling by airplane, include the airport, airline name and your flight numbers. Don’t forget the departure and arrival times as well. This also includes the names and contact information for all your hotels.

Making a custom Google Map is an alternative to an itinerary. You can physically see the distance between all your destinations. Also add contact info and notes about each destination. I show you how to do this in my post “How to Make Custom Google Maps.”

Don’t Overpack

Stress free packing is all about packing based on actual outfits. Don’t just throw in items you hope to wear. If it’s been sitting in your closet for months, chances are, you won’t wear it while on vacation. This will prevent the stress of having a suitcase that is over the weight limit.

These are just some of the tips that I live by. Find even more tips for reducing stress, especially during (gasp) air travel on my post “Reduce the Stress and Anxiety of Air Travel.”