Revised Florida Vacation Packing Checklist!

Florida Vacation photo

Our Disney Vacation (January 2010)

Based on the winter of 2010, we are now advising turtlenecks, sweatshirts, long underwear and warm socks! We are well aware that globally, temperatures are still rising, even this past January…. But, Florida weather was not indicative of the globe as a whole. It continues to be the longest stretches of cool and cold weather that any of the locals can remember.

Hopefully this isn’t the way things will be every winter in Florida, but it is a good reminder to check the forecast right before you pack and maybe take a few extra versatile things, just in case.

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winter camping gear

Bestselling Winter Camping Ge

Winter Camping Gear

One of the bestselling Winter Camping Gear products at Amazon.com is the Yaktrax Pro Traction Cleats for Snow and Ice. You put the cleats on over your shoes and they conform to the shape of the shoe, giving significantly improved traction on snow and ice. The combined Amazon review rating from 146 reviewers is over four stars on a five star scale. Besides campers and hikers, these would be great for just about anyone who spends time in a climate where there is snow and ice.

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Remember to Put Utensils on Your Thanksgiving Packing Checklist

Thanksgiving Packing Checklist

If you’re headed to a family member’s house for Thanksgiving with one or two dishes that you prepare, remember to put utensils on your Thanksgiving packing checklist. With the number of different offerings present at most American Thanksgiving feasts, the host’s supply of serving utensils may be depleted by the time you arrive. Also, consider that oven and refrigerator space may be limited, so consider taking hot food already heated in an insulated carry bag and cold food in a cooler.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Start Packing Now for Thanksgiving Travel

To make your holiday travel less stressful, start packing now for Thanksgiving Travel. There is nothing more stressful than running around at the last minute trying to remember everything you need and finding the right bag to pack. It’s not too early, so go ahead and check the weather for your destination. Make your packing checklist right now. Now go back over it and see if there is anything you can live without.  Choose a suitcase that you like and seems like it will accommodate everything on your final checklist and start packing. Anything that you won’t need between now and departure day can go in the suitcase right now. Now make two lists from the remaining items on your checklist. One should be items that cannot be packed until the last minute and one should be things that need to be laundered or purchased. Do your laundry and shopping as soon as you can and get those things packed. Once that is done, you’ll feel the calm start to come over you! Put the list on top of the suitcase, so that on departure day, you can grab those last minute items and head out the door with confidence.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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    Packing Checklist Book

    Packing Checklist Book

    Packing Checklist Book

    If you’re the kind of person who prefers reading a book to reading a computer screen, you might want to check out this packing checklist book. Smart Packing for Today’s Traveler by Susan Foster covers all types of trips, includes packing lists and tips for packing that can actually improve the quality of your trip. You don’t have to take too much to make sure you have exactly what you need and you’ll love her tips for preventing wrinkles in your clothes. She also includes a wealth of tips you can use while traveling – from staying healthy to being ready for airport security.

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    Put Patience on your Holiday Travel Checklist

    The lonely candle

    You may not be able to put it in a suitcase, but at least put patience on your holiday travel checklist. Stess, especially when you’re traveling, seems to go hand in hand with the holidays. Putting ‘patience’ on the packing list, will serve as a reminder as you pack and before you leave, that it’s a good idea to get yourself into a calm and patient state of mind before all the stress begins. Remind yourself to take deep breaths when things get crazy or when family tension rises and remember not to sweat the small stuff.

    Get Ready… here they come!

    Creative Commons License photo credit: ShravanSamurai

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    Vacation’s Over… Time to Evaluate the Checklist

    I just returned from 2 months of summer fun traveling in the Midwest and the Northeast.  It was great fun and I don’t think I was quite ready to see it end, but then again, it’s always nice to be home. 

    Unpacking is always so much easier than packing, but we’re hoping to make next year’s planning and packing a little easier by taking time this week to evaluate the packing checklist that we used and making any adjustments that are needed. We’ll post the updated list when we’re finished.

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    Avoid This Vacation Packing Mistake

    I’ve been traveling for over one month now and that has given me plenty of time to notice any packing mistakes that I made.  On a long trip like this, I need versatile clothes that are interchangeable so that I will have a variety of outfits.  It turns out that I packed several shirts that only go with one pair of shorts, which has really limited my selection of outfits.  I’ll make a note on my packing checklist so I do a better job next year.

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    Putting Our Golf Checklist to the Test

    #14 at Stonehenge in Crossville, TN

    #14 at Stonehenge in Crossville, TN

    I’m caddying this week in the Tennessee Women’s Open, so I’ll be putting our golf checklist to the test.  In my experience, professional golfers expect all of the little details to be taken care of efficiently and quietly. Knowing the particular preferences of your player is critical and I always add a few items to my golf checklist that are unique to the player for whom I’m caddying.  The tournament rules this week allow for use of a laser rangefinder, so most of the players will be using one.  I also add an extra battery and small screwdriver, just in case the battery dies during the round.

    Golf Checklist

  1. WEB (HTML) version
  2. WORD version
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    Road Trip Checklist Must Include Healthy Snacks

    Healthy Travel SnacksToday is a 10 1/2 hour day in the car (mini-van).  There will be a number of long driving days throughout the next two months of our summer vacation road trip, not to mention many shorter travel days.  We call the food we eat while we travel “car food”.  One of the jokes is that even if it wouldn’t be something we would choose to eat if we had other choices, it always taste great in the car.  It’s also true for us that if we don’t plan well, and just pick up what’s available in convenience stores, we will eat junk food along the way.  Needless to say, sitting in the car and eating high sugar and high fat foods, is not the best way to take care of your body and ensure that you’ll feel your best on vacation.  So we have learned to keep healthy foods that we enjoy eating within reach during our drive.  Fruit is always a winner and its no problem finding fresh local fruit during the summer.  We also like whole grain crackers and lower fat cheese.  So find some healthy snacks that your travelers will enjoy and add them to your road trip checklist.

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