Every time when I have a flight to catch I become euphoric and neurotic, especially when I know that I will be away for more than a week. Usually two or three days earlier I am trying to prepare a checklist for my trip because I am one of those people who stick to the last-minute packing plan and when in a hurry it is quite likely to make a critical mistake.

Does it sound familiar? Lets exchange some experience with this. So here is my super fast 4-step travel checklist:

Luggage

“Is this suitcase big enough?” Is the most frequently question I ask myself when I’m packing. Big suitcases are tremendously heavy and the physical effort to pull them spoils my trip from the very beginning. That’s why I try to put in only the most important stuff: personal cosmetics, underwear, t-shirt, jacket, second pair of comfortable shoes and of course, a towel. Remember what Douglas Adams said about the towels? He was right and I promise to tell you a story how once in Spain a towel saved my life. Also here go the recharges for the mobile phone and the laptop, batteries and eventually some special medicines.
If your suitcase is not very unique, make it. I usually put electric pink sticker or other colorful item with my name, email and phone number otherwise someone else can take it by mistake.

Handbag

It should be big enough to have it with you in the airplane, forget about the tiny cute pink party purses. A traveler is a warrior against airplane delays and terminal chaos. When I travel, I think of my handbag as snail’s house, my shelter against everything unplanned. I have selected a model with 5 sections which allows me to organize well the small universe inside.
However according to the latest standards, this shelter should not be bigger than 56 cm (22 in) long x 45 cm (17.7 in) high and should not contain liquids and sharp objects. I stick to regular lipsticks, powder eye-shadows, dry deodorants, napkins and (do not laugh!) an extra pair of clothes. Also I always wear all my vital documents (see 3.) in my handbag and I usually keep them in a special secret pocket.

Vital documents and money

This is the most important part of the trip preparation. Passports and visas should be valid and my advice to everyone is to make sure that the passport will not expire in at least one month. Travel vouchers and insurances are also important and it is better to have them all at one place. When I travel with e-tickets usually I print more than one copy, just in case. At the same time I clear my wallet from all useless cards and documents. For example if I have cards that will not be valid abroad, access cards for the office or similar plastics, I leave them at home.
Cash is very important too. I always try to have petty cash in euro or dollars. I keep 20-30 euro in easy to access pocket, to buy water, coffee or small items on the airport. The others are hidden deeper in my handbag.

Security

I have heard stories about people who pin their money in their underwear, socks and so on. This is overcautious I think. In addition, when you pass the security check in the techniques might ring as if you have heavy gun in your underwear and it will be really humiliating to undress because of a pin with a thousand bucks in your pants.
I also usually put on an easy to access pocket some information about me, no matter if I travel alone or with companion or close friend. This information includes my name, nationality and phone numbers of one or two family members in case of emergency.
Usually but if I should be honest not always I inform some friends or relatives with my itinerary or hotel phone numbers. The truth is that we live in risky world and no matter how much we need a secret break away from the daily routine, it is good for the people we love to know if something happens to us.

Do you have a travel checklist? What is in? Share, you may give me an idea for my next packing experience!