Savvy Aunties need their vacations, and it's time to start planning those summer getaways now! Even if it's just a long weekend or a whole week or two, whether you're traveling solo, with a mate, friends, or your nieces and nephews, a little travel planning will help make your time away more relaxing. 
 
Disconnecting from the World

Vacation means to vacate. When you go on vacation, you need to go away from work. Trust me. The people who work with you will thank you. You see, vacations are to restore yourself, but it’s also for the people around you. No one wants to work with a grouch who needs to get out of town. It doesn’t matter if you can’t afford to go anywhere. Just take the time off to restore your sanity and soul. 

People can’t miss you if you don’t go away. That means you do not check work e-mail, call into work, or come into the office and tell everyone, “I’m not really here.” Believe me. The place won’t fall apart with you. Some people complain about the e-mail and mail that comes in while they’re gone, but I tell them that after a vacation you’re in a better frame of mind to deal with.

Don't check your work or personal e-mail on vacation. Puh-lease. You're on vacation. Set an auto reply message. People will figure it out.

Stay away from social networks! Facebook and Twitter are a no-no when you're on vacation. If you play on those sites, you'll be tempted to check e-mail. Do you really want to spend your vacation time on Facebook when you could be at the beach? OK, OK, maybe a couple of Instagram photos are required.

Screen phone calls. Put your cell phone on silent mode or turn it off if you won’t want to be interrupted for a while. Change your message to say you’re on vacation. 
 
Prepping Your Home

Nothing invites a thief more than stacked up newspapers and overflowing mailboxes and darkened windows. 

Stop newspaper and mail deliveries. Mail can be stopped via the U.S. Post Office’s website - www.usps.gov. 

Put lights on timers to give your home that "lived in" look. 

Have someone house-sit for you while you're gone. I’m sure older nieces and nephews would like to hang out in your cool pad, Savvy Auntie.

Ask neighbors to park a car in your driveway every now and then. 

If you have an alarm system, turn it on. It doesn’t work if you don’t use it. 

Packing your bags

Whether you’re packing for a long trip or just a trip to the beach, take some time to decide what you really need to bring. For those longer trips, make a packing list. This way, you can check items off as you’re packing. 

Don't over-pack! If you are historically an “over-packer,” go through and reduce everything in your suitcase by one-third to make sure you have enough room. The easier way to do this is to group all your shirts, shoes, pants, skirts, etc. into groups of threes, and then eliminate one item per group. 

Be efficient! Try to coordinate your wardrobe so you only have to bring one or two pairs of shoes. I know, it can be considered shoe heresy, but shoes are bulky items. 

A few items to consider adding to your suitcase:

Chargers for your cell phone, tablet, or Kindle.

Dr. Scholl foot gels for those longer sightseeing strolls. Your tootsies will thank you.

Sightseeing map. I love the small, credit card size ones you can unfold. Or, download the city or area map app, if there is one

Journal with a pen

For the beach:

Sunscreen and lip balm with SPF and a floppy hat

Towels (have one towel in your car so you won’t get sunscreen and sand on your car seat)

Flipflops

Trashy book

Water bottle and power bars, trail mix or other snacks

Plastic bag for wet bathing suits

Wet wipes

A clear sandwich baggie or small make-up bag for your keys, ID, cell phone and money.

Managing the Airport

Airlines have reduced the number of flights and now pack as many people on the plane as possible. Get there early go to through security. 

Check your airline’s website before packing about their baggage fees. They will charge overweight or handling fees. 

Don't be an amateur at the airport security gate. You need to remove your shoes and jackets, have your three ounce gels and liquids in a clear plastic bag, and pull out any computers and electronic equipment. (If you're going on vacation, do you need to take the laptop? I thought not.) 

The airport is not the place to wear elaborate belts and lots of jewelry. No one wants to be behind the person who has to remove half of their outfit before clearing security.  Most jewelry does not have to removed, but large pieces will set off the alarm. Pack the big rocks and wear the smaller ones. 

Bring a refillable water bottle to fill at a water fountain to save on terminal prices.

Bring snacks for the plane since some airlines are now charging for food or simply not serving anything to eat. If you plan to buy food on the flight, pre-order from the website if they offer it, or bring cash. 

Don't forget your nieces and nephews!

Every adventure of yours can be a bonding experience with your nieces and nephews. Get postcards (and stamps!) at the local tourist shop. Sometimes, hotel rooms provide them too. Send a postcard to your nieces and nephews to tell them you miss them. And consider doing it even if you are an Long Distance Auntie (LDA) and wouldn't seeing them that week anyway.

Everything their Savvy Auntie does is cool! And they love it when you share it with them!  Postcards are a meaningful and economically sound souvenir.

(An extra tip: More than one niece or nephew in a household? Send all the postcards in one envelope. It's a shame if one child receives his/her postcard before a sibling does.)
 
With planning and preparation, you can have the relaxing time you deserve -and lots to share with your nieces and nephews when you return! Start planning today!

Image: Maridav
Updated and Republished: May 18, 2016