Getting organised before you embark on a long-awaited holiday means you enjoy the start much more than you would if you were rushing around, trying to remember something that’s nagging at the back of your mind. You know the ‘I’m sure I’ve forgotten something’ feeling? Well, it’s not pleasant, especially when you remember what it is you’ve forgotten and you’re a few thousand feet up in the air, unable to do anything about it!

This is why I am a big advocate of the to-do list prior to setting off. It might sound horribly organised, but no disaster ever came of being organised!

I’m not talking a major point by point list but just a few general memos to remind you of the important basics.

Home to airport, and vice versa

How you get to the airport and back again is an important one, because otherwise you’re going nowhere! Give it some thought when you book your holiday, and sort it all out at that time, so you don’t have a nagging feeling to remember something! I generally book my airport parking spot through ParkBCP as soon as I have booked my holiday, so it’s all sorted and ready, and I save money this way too.

Insurance

Again, this is something you need to sort out as soon as possible, so everything about your holiday is covered, including possible cancellation. A quick online price comparison search will give you the best results and you simply select the policy that best suits your needs, remembering of course to declare any pre-existing medical conditions!

Check your paperwork

As soon as you receive any email confirmations/tickets/vouchers, check that your names are spelt correctly and that dates and times are right. If you leave it too late, you may end up being charged for any changes to your paperwork.

Passports and visas

You will need at least six months validity on your passport, from the date of departure or return, depending in the destination, so if you need a renewal you need to get onto it ASAP. As for visas, this depends on the country you’re going to, but check the possibility out in good time, as any formal visas may take a while to sort out.

Health issues

Obviously you need to make sure you have enough of your regular medications to see you through your break, but you also need to check whether you need any additional vaccinations or possible anti-malaria medication for your destination. Your GP will be able to advise you on this.

For me, these are the major to-do list entries that are important, the rest can be sorted out at a later date.