Pre-Departure Countdown Checklist

Who this is for

What to do before you go, in the order you do it. Jobs are grouped by how far off the trip is, with a line to write when each was done.

Whoever organises the holiday for a household, a couple or a group, and anyone who has previously reached the airport and remembered the thing they meant to do.

What this helps you track

• The jobs that need doing months before the trip
• What to sort in the last month and the last week
• The day-before jobs that are easy to leave too late
• A short list for the morning you leave
• When each job was done, written beside it

How to use it

1. Write the trip, the departure date and who is travelling at the top of the sheet.
2. Read through every stage as soon as the trip is booked and cross out anything that does not apply to you.
3. Work through each stage as it comes round, ticking a line when it is done and writing the date or a note on the line beside it.
4. Add your own jobs in the browser version, or in the margin on paper, such as a plant waterer or a pet sitter.
5. Keep the printed sheet on the fridge, or fill in the browser version, which saves in your own browser.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

How far ahead is 'months before'?

As far ahead as your trip needs. A weekend away may need nothing at that stage; a long-haul trip may need several jobs started early. The stages are a running order, not a timetable, so move lines to suit.

Does it tell me which documents or vaccinations I need?

No. Entry rules, visas and health requirements differ by country and change, so the sheet only reminds you to check them. Look them up with the official sources for where you are going and note what you find.

What goes on the line beside each job?

The date it was done, a booking reference, or who is doing it. For shared trips, writing a name on the line stops two people doing the same job, or neither.

Is there a packing list on this sheet?

Only a reminder to pack. The packing checklists for ski trips, cruises, festivals and travel with a baby are separate sheets, so this one stays on one page.