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10 Things I Always Do the Night Before a Family Vacation

The simple night-before routine that helps me stop wondering “What am I forgetting?” and actually get my family out the door on time.
The Checklist
THE NIGHT-BEFORE RESET

Do as much as you can tonight so tomorrow morning is just: get dressed, grab the bags, and GO.

I used to think I could leave the little things for the morning. Charge the tablet, throw some snacks in a bag, grab the toiletries, find everyone’s shoes… nope. Somehow those “little things” turn into 47 things when you’re trying to get an entire family out the door.

Now, anything I can do the night before, I do. I charge everything, pack the snacks, lay out everyone’s clothes, double-check our reservations, and put all the bags and travel gear by the door.

The goal isn’t a perfect travel morning. It’s a morning where I’m not running around the house yelling, “Does anyone know where the charger is?!” five minutes before we’re supposed to leave.

01

SCREENSHOT EVERY RESERVATION

The night before we leave, I screenshot anything I might need to pull up quickly. Because airport Wi-Fi is never something I want to depend on while I’m standing there with kids, luggage, and a line of people behind me.

MUST-HAVE TRAVEL SCREENSHOTS

  • Flight details + boarding passes
  • Hotel confirmation + address
  • Rental car reservation
  • Pre-booked activity tickets, QR codes, and Tours
  • Travel insurance policy numbers & emergency local support lines
MOM TIP

Create a “Trip Screenshots” album on your phone and put everything in one place. Then if an app won’t load or you don’t have service, you’re not digging through emails trying to find what you need.

02

DOWNLOAD MOVIES & SHOWS

The night before we leave, I make sure the kids’ tablets are fully loaded and ready to work without Wi-Fi. There is nothing worse than getting on the plane and realizing the movie you promised them never actually downloaded.

  • Favorite Movies: A few I already know they'll actually watch.​
  • TV Shows: Several short episodes for when a full movie is too much.
  • Offline Games: Simple games, puzzles, and drawing apps that don't need Wi-Fi.
  • Something New: I always save one new movie or show.
03

CHARGE EVERYTHINGPhones. Tablets. Headphones. Portable chargers. EVERYTHING.

If it has a battery, I charge it the night before. Travel morning is not the time I want to realize the tablet is at 12% or someone’s headphones are completely dead.

Once something hits 100%, it goes straight into the travel bag. I don’t leave it plugged in and tell myself I’ll remember it in the morning, because that’s exactly how chargers and devices get left at home.

  • Phones + Tablets: Fully charged with movies and shows already downloaded.
  • Kids' Headphones: Because a dead pair of headphones on a flight is not fun for anyone.
  • Portable Charger: One of my biggest travel must-haves for keeping our phones alive all day.
  • Any Extras: Watches, cameras, portable fans, or anything else we're bringing with a battery.
04

DOUBLE-CHECK THE WEATHER

Check the weather one last time before you close those suitcases.

I always check the forecast when I’m planning what to pack, but I check it again the night before we leave. Weather changes, and what looked like sunny and 75° a few days ago can suddenly turn into rain, chilly mornings, or way hotter temperatures than expected.

This is my last chance to make a few easy swaps—throw in a sweatshirt, add rain jackets, take out clothes we probably won’t wear, or make sure we have enough for the heat.

It takes maybe five minutes and can save you from overpacking and those expensive “we didn’t bring anything warm” purchases once you get there.

05

SET OUT THE KIDS' TRAVEL-DAY OUTFITS

Travel day is not the day I’m trying to win Best Dressed Family at the airport.

The night before we leave, I lay out every single thing the kids are wearing—clothes, socks, shoes, and a sweatshirt. That way, nobody is digging through a packed suitcase in the morning looking for the shorts I accidentally packed at the very bottom.

For travel days, comfort wins every time. I want soft clothes, easy layers, and shoes they can get on and off without a whole production.

  • Comfy Clothes: Soft, stretchy, and something they'll be happy wearing for hours.
  • Easy Layer: A zip-up sweatshirt for chilly planes, airports, or early mornings.
  • Simple Shoes: Slip-ons or Velcro whenever possible.
  • Spare Outfit: One complete change of clothes goes in the carry-on—because kids.
06

Fill the Snack Bag

“Pack more snacks than you think you need.”

Because somehow a child who wasn’t hungry at all before leaving the house becomes absolutely starving 14 minutes into the trip.

I pack our snack bag the night before so I’m not standing in the pantry throwing random things into a backpack while everyone is waiting to leave. I like a good mix of easy favorites, filling snacks, and a couple of fun treats that I can pull out when we really need them.

  • Crackers: Easy, familiar, and not too messy.
  • Granola Bars: Something a little more filling when we're between meals.
  • Fruit Snacks: Easy to throw in the bag and always a hit.
  • Pretzels: No melting, minimal mess, and perfect for travel.
  • Special Treats: I always hide a few fun snacks they don't normally get at home for when we need a little travel-day motivation.
07

PUT MEDICATIONS + ESSENTIALS IN THE CARRY-ON

If we can’t go a day without it, it doesn’t go in the checked bag.

Before I zip up our suitcases, I make sure anything we absolutely need is in the carry-on. Checked luggage can get delayed, plans can change, and kids always seem to need the one thing you packed at the very bottom of a suitcase.

I like knowing that even if our luggage doesn’t make it when we do, we have enough with us to get through the day.

WHAT STAYS WITH US

  • Medications: Anything we may need during travel or can't easily replace.
  • Important Documents: IDs, passports, confirmations, and travel documents.
  • Kids' Essentials: Diapers, wipes, bottles, comfort items, and anything we'll need along the way.
  • Chargers + Valuables: Phones, tablets, portable chargers, jewelry, and anything I don't want separated from us.
  • Change of Clothes: At least one complete outfit for each kid.
MOM TIP

Ask yourself: “Would it be a big problem if I couldn’t get to this for 24 hours?” If the answer is yes, put it in the carry-on.

08

CHECK IN + CONFIRM THE DETAILS

The night before we leave, I do one final check of everything with a time or location attached to it. Flights change, gates move, pickup instructions get buried in emails, and I would much rather catch a problem from my couch than while we’re standing at the airport with all our bags.

  • Flight: Check in, confirm departure time, terminal, and seats.
  • Hotel: Double-check the address and check-in time.
  • Rental Car: Confirm pickup location, time, and reservation.
  • Tours + Activities: Check meeting times, locations, and any special instructions.
  • Driving Route: Look at the route, estimated travel time, and any planned stops.

MOM TIP​

Screenshot the addresses and download your maps before you leave. I especially do this for hotels, rental car locations, and tour meeting points. The last thing I want to do after a long travel day is rely on spotty service to figure out where we’re supposed to be.

09

THE “DO NOT FORGET THIS” ZONE

Put Everything by the Door

The night before we leave, anything that is coming with us goes into one spot by the door. Suitcases, carry-ons, kids’ backpacks, stroller, car seat, snack bag—if it’s leaving the house, it goes in the pile.

This is one of those little things that makes travel morning so much easier. I’m not walking from room to room trying to remember what we’re missing or realizing halfway down the street that the stroller is still sitting in the garage.

If we’re driving, I’ll even load anything we don’t need overnight into the car ahead of time.

The goal is to make travel morning boring. Get dressed, grab the last few things, load up, and GO.

10

One last check before we walk out the door.

DO ONE FINAL MASTER PACKING LIST CHECK

Right before we leave, I pull up my master packing list and do one final sweep. These are usually the things we couldn’t pack the night before because we were still using them—or the little house things I know I’ll wonder about five minutes after we leave.

  • Lock doors + check windows
  • Adjust the thermostat
  • Take out the trash
  • Check cameras + security system
  • Do one last walk through the house
PRINT COMPLETE MASTER PLANNER
GRAB BEFORE WE LEAVE

The Last-Second Quick Grab

  • Toothbrushes + Toiletries
  • Phone + Tablet Chargers
  • Daily Medications
  • Wallet + IDs
  • House + Car Keys
  • Anything still charging
THE FINAL MOM RULE

The goal isn't to have a perfectly packed vacation. It's to make travel morning easier.

I used to think I needed to remember everything for a trip. Now my rule is much simpler: anything I can do the night before, I do. Pack the snacks. Charge the tablets. Lay out the clothes. Put the bags by the door. Screenshot the reservations. Do all the little things tonight so tomorrow morning doesn’t feel like a race against the clock.

Will travel morning still be a little chaotic with kids? Probably. But at least I won’t be digging through suitcases looking for a charger while everyone is waiting in the car.

And if you did forget something? 

There’s probably a store where you’re going.