Are you planning your next vacation or weekend getaway?
Do you have a trip planning file?
For every trip we make, long or short, we create two trip planning files.
#1 is a regular file folder, labeled for the trip.
In it we put printed copies of the following:
- airline ticket confirmations
- hotel reservation confirmations
- cruise booking receipt, and printed confirmations of all shipboard credits, perks, and pre-purchased items
- train tickets and schedules
- newspaper, magazine and blog articles on things at our destination that peak our interest
- tour and activity confirmations: for example, if we book a food tour and pay via PayPal, a printed copy of the confirmation goes in the file
- maps and directions
- travel insurance card and policy information – either specific policy for that trip, or our annual travel insurance plan
- a copy of our passports
#2 is an electronic file with all of the same details
- We make PDFs of key documents, articles, receipts, etc. mentioned in #1 above.
- We include copies of all confirmation emails
- Mr. Jones creates a quick a .txt “cheat” sheet file with the international 800 #s for each credit card we travel with, as well as the record locator of each flight and the international # of each airline (If you have a flight program or lose/can’t use a credit card, this is what you need for a quick contact with the company.)
- We both use Dropbox cloud storage accounts, and we create a shared folder (NOTE: You can get a Dropbox Basic accounts free with 2 GB of space.)
- We put all items in a shared Dropbox folder, named for our trip, which we can access via our laptops computers, iPads or iPhones
Taking the little extra time to make both a paper and electronic file folder pays off when we travel.
- Paper copies work best with taxi or limo drivers to see an address
- Paper copies often work best in foreign countries where there may be a language barrier
- Electronic copies work best when there is a dispute: i.e. we pre-paid for something not showing as paid. The paper copy is nice, but the electronic copy can be forwarded, if the front line customer service person needs it to rectify an issue
- Paper copies can get lost; electronic copies shared via Dropbox or another cloud service can be pulled up anywhere with internet, and can be saved on an individual device for reading/use offline.
- During our travels, we add receipts and information that we want to keep to our paper file, which goes in the file cabinet for future reference when we return from our trip.
Issues can and do come up when you travel. Our two trip planning file system keeps us and our pre-trip notes organized, saves us from hassles, and streamlines our paperwork upon our return from travel.
How do you keep your trip planning details organized? Please share your ideas in comments below.
Other Travel Tips that you should check out:
- How to Get Your Preferred Dining Seating on a Cruise
- 12 Strategies For Getting the Best Value on Your Next Cruise
- How a Book on Clearing Clutter Made Our Travel Packing Easier
- What is Necessary to Travel by Plane with an Emotional Support Dog
- Planning a Cruise Vacation? Check Out These Tips for a Better Cruise Experience
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