UnPacking Tips
Everyone always talks about packing hacks, the cutest backpack, and the generation of suitcase wheels to make your packing and trip a success. Here I am going to talk about my unpacking tips and a few things that I do post-trip to make it complete and improve the process the next time.
Write down what you didn’t bring or missed having
I have an on-going list of things to pack and I keep adding to the list every time I come back from a trip. When it is time to go again, I just print it out and start packing. If there are things I don’t need I just cross them off, but I would rather cross them off then not have them and totally forget about them. In this post, I touch on a few things like this. Things that I usually cut off the list and always regret are: sandals, an alarm clock, and fuzzy socks.
1Loved them until the end
Throw away old things
Depending what kind of holiday you went on, you may have taken old clothes. If they were damaged on holiday it might be time to retire them after a good run. This usually happens to me with shoes, maybe because I walk to much more while on holiday? Don’t be afraid of a little de-clutter after travelling.
Wash all clothes
I always wash all my clothes out of my suitcase, even if I know I didn’t wear them or they were washed at destination. Things get mixed more in a suitcase, like shoes beside underwear etc. and it is possible to get some critters while away, so wash to be safe. Since I usually travel in the winter, I leave my suitcase in the car the night I get back and let the Manitoba -30C deal with any unwanted souvenirs then wash everything the next day.
Write down travel dates
I will be writing lots about how important it is to do this. I didn’t think to do this for awhile, but had luckily saved all my flight confirmations into a folder in my email, so making an Excel list of dates wasn’t that hard. But DO take the time to do this, as you never know when you will have to recall a distant trip.
2Insurance claim with postage paid envelope
Claim any Outstanding Insurance
On my recent trip to Asia I had to go to the hospital while in Indonesia. You have to phone the insurance company BEFORE you seek medical attention, so while I was on the phone to RBC they gave me the option of paying myself and being reimbursed, or phoning them again while I was at the hospital to arrange direct payment. Luckily, with the conversion my bill only came to $70 which I could pay by credit card. When I came back to Canada I filled out the reimbursement form, but it is easy to forget to do it in all the adjustment of getting back into routine.
3Claim Points!
Claim frequent flier miles
Towards the end of the Asia trip I flew with Garuda Indonesia, and only while I was on the flight did I realize that they are a SkyTeam (Air France, KLM, Delta) member! I wished I would have pulled out my FlyingBlue card at the counter, but I just made a note to do it when I got home and with their new easy online tool it was a breeze to claim the miles even after the flight.
Send thank yous to hosts
I have done this a few times and always try to remember doing it. I don’t mean thank hotels, but thank someone who it will mean something to. When I went to Trinidad and Tobago I stayed with an amazing family in their BnB. We talked a lot about different things and they were very interested in Canada. When I got back, I printed some pictures of the countryside and wrote a thank you letter and sent it down to them. They were very grateful and I know they enjoyed the pictures!
4BnB Arras, France
Write reviews
In the past 6 months I had one amazing experience with a beautiful apartment in Arras, France and a bad experience with a hotel in Hong Kong. I do try to share my experience and pass the knowledge onto the next traveller. I think this has to be done with a grain of salt though. If the hotel had a hot water problem or something, it doesn’t necessarily mean it is a terrible hotel. Try to think of the big picture when writing reviews, and how much control those people have over certain things. Cleanliness is very controllable, but a snow storm is not.
Organize pictures
It is unrealistic to think you will have everything photoshopped by the end of the week, but download them onto your computer from your phone for safety primarily. Maybe sort by location and they will be easy to navigate when you go back at a later date.
5Exchanging money
Put money away or exchange back
When I have currency left over I keep in in a plastic bag so it is easy to see. If I had a lot of something that I knew I wouldn’t use again I would return it at the bank. Note that if it is not a commonly used currency that you couldn’t get at the bank, they might not take it back. Also, they only take bills, no coins or loose change. Try using those for a coffee at the airport before you come home.
Check credit card statements
Credit cards are a must-have companion on a trip, but safety issues can arise. Check your statement when you get home and make sure everything looks in order. If you see something weird, take a moment to think what you did on that day because your purchase may just display different on the statement. If you are sure it is a fraudulant transaction, call your credit card company right away. (They often give special phone numbers if you need to call from abroad in an emergency too.)
What do you do after a trip?