Two weeks (or more) before leaving
Have valid passports for each family member if you are going outside of Canada (note: some countries require valid tickets for at least another six months). If you are applying, allow at least three weeks’ notice. Are you already late? Note that it is possible to make an express request and obtain a passport quickly for a certain fee.
Receive the appropriate vaccines, if necessary. Warning! Some vaccines must be received a few weeks in advance for some vaccines to be effective. Visit the Traveller’s Clinic to learn more.
Make sure the car has no problems if you use it for travel.
Buy a timer so that the lights in the house turn on and off at different times of the evening (not night!) if you don’t already have one.
Interrupt newspaper and mail delivery, or have someone pick them up each day.
Pay all accounts that will be due during the holidays so as not to be late on the return.
Make a photocopy of all important papers (passports, credit cards, medical prescriptions, for example) and leave a copy with someone or in a safety deposit box.
Put the invoices of appliances and valuables in a safe place if it is not already done. In case of theft, your insurer will claim them. It’s also good to photograph expensive items like the stereo and TV.
Find someone (or an animal shelter) to take care of Pitou (or Minou) if he doesn’t go with you.
A day or two before leaving
At work, tidy up your desk before leaving. (There’s nothing more depressing than coming back to work and finding our desk a mess.) ensure that a colleague can deal with emergencies.
Make a backup copy of your essential computer documents and place them on a USB key that you will keep in a safe place.
Water the plants. If you are going away for more than a week, ask someone to come and water them. You can also ask him to mow the lawn (a very long yard is suspicious!).
Ensure not to leave a ladder outside (or any other object likely to be used by burglars). Put away everything that lies outside in the shed, and lock it.
Make sure you and your family are protected with flexible, comprehensive travel insurance.
Are your bags ready?
Just before leaving
Unplug electrical appliances.
Leave a radio on, and activate the timer hooked up to the lights.
Close the windows tightly and lock the doors.
Teen special
Will your teenager stay home while you’re away? It has happened once in a while, but for shorter periods, and you have taught him what to do in an emergency, and you trust him? Whether you leave for two days or two weeks, it’s up to you to judge and make the decision. A few tips, though.
Establish clear rules (no parties and a curfew time for returning home, for example).
Make a little list of things to remember (like taking out the trash, mowing the lawn and even locking the doors).
Leave your itinerary and a number where you can be reached at all times and the coordinates of people to contact in case of emergency.
Ask someone you trust to drop by occasionally (unannounced) to take a look.
And for other ideas on this subject, consult the site of the National Security Council.
Little reminders
Do not announce on Facebook or Twitter (nor on the answering machine…) that you are going on vacation.
Plan a “buffer” day on your return: this is very useful for recovering from jet lag if necessary, but also for essential tasks such as unpacking the suitcases, doing the laundry and restocking the fridge.
