TIPS FOR A HASSLE-FREE FAMILY HOLIDAY

A great advantage of living in the region is that almost all of us enjoy yearly vacations, be they trips back home or to foreign shores. As such, a lot of us are packing for the family often. This, as anyone who has done this knows, can be very stressful.

Here are a few tips from IKEA that might reduce your stress levels and bring the pre-holiday anticipatory fun back!

1. Passport control

Check that everybody’s passports are valid and have empty pages for visa stamping 2-3 months before your vacation.

2. Bookings

Arrange flight tickets, hotel bookings, and visas much in advance. If you are travelling for the first time to a particular destination, pre-arranging an airport-to-hotel transfer is a good idea.

3. Vaccinations

Check if any vaccinations are required for travelling in the region. This is a crucial step because outbreaks can occur without warning, so it’s best to be prepared.

4. Gifts

If you are travelling back home, take out your travel bag in advance and pack your gifts as and when you purchase them. This way, there are lesser chances of you missing out somebody’s gift.

5. Amenities

Check if your hotel provides towels, soaps, shampoos, body lotions, etc. If you are not very particular about brands, take advantage of these. It will save you space and weight.

If not provided by the hotel, check if you can shop locally, and the prices; buying them may be preferable to paying for extra baggage weight.

6. List it out

Make a list of things to be packed for each person; ideally this should be one outfit for the kids for each day, and a few more for insurance.

For adults, this may mean casual day wear and smart casuals or formal wear for dining.

Swimsuits, hats, beachwear and towels are a must if you plan to lounge on the beach or by the pool.

7. Gadgets and devices

Personal devices are very important in today’s world; ensure that each device has its own charger.

It may be better to take a multi-plug extension cord for each hotel room (if you have separate rooms for kids or other adults), as it enables you to charge multiple devices at the same time.

Wind up and secure each charger, extension cord, etc., with a rubber band or cable ties.

Make sure you are carrying adequate memory cards, batteries, etc., if you are planning to use a camera, rather than your phone, for taking pictures. A power bank is a must if you plan to be out sightseeing the whole day.