I hope that by sharing my personal experiences, you will avoid learning similar lessonshard way. And it goes to show that those little details inplanning ofvacation can makehuge difference inoutcome. You can make your next vacation relaxing and enjoyable by following these simple vacation planning tips.

one. Keep your vacation planning information in one place. Createlabeled file folder ("Hawaii Vacation") and use it to keep your airline, hotel, car rental information, as well as maps or AAA guide books, tourist information, contact information for people you know in that city, etc. You can find all this information at Holidays, Vacations and Traveling

two. Plan ahead for your wardrobe. Think about all ofactivities you might do, and imagine what you'd want to wear for each activity. For example, onbeach you might wantswimsuit, cover-up, slip-on footwear or water shoes,sun hat, sunglasses... maybe evenface mask, snorkel, and some flippers. Willkids want shovels and buckets to buildsand castle? Do you need to supply your own beach towel, or will you be staying somewhere that supplies this for you? What about waterproof sunscreen? The more you can visualize yourself onbeach,better prepared you will be.

three. Usetravel checklist. I've createdPacking List to get you started. Once you've tailored this to your needs, keep it intravel file you've created. This will help you remember to pack bothbasic necessities, as well as some ofmore obscure things you might not remember but would want to take with you.

four. Let children pack their own travel bags, and make sure their bag is small enough that they can carry it themselves. Help them select things they can do onroad or inair: Walkman and cassettes or CDs, books, handheld video games, portable crafts, card games. Talk about seating arrangements ahead of time to avoid conflict among siblings about who will sit where.

five. Packcarry-on that is small enough to stay with you at all times. Include necessities that you must have, inevent that you get separated from your other luggage forday. If you need to take medication onregular basis, be sure this is with you, and not in your checked luggage. If you are combiningbusiness and vacation trip and need something forpresentationnext day, take it in your carry-on rather than checking it.

six. Plan early to getbest selection and to get early booking discounts. If you're really adventuresome and are not particular about where you want to go, you can also book reservations last-minute. There is some risk involved in doing this, but you can also get some great deals this way. Find some great bargains at airline tickets.

seven. If you're driving, you may wish to map out your trip ahead of time and make hotel reservations alongway if you are traveling during peak vacation time. Mapquest offershelpful Website for mapping out your route and estimating travel time under normal driving conditions.

eight. If you're traveling to another country, check outCurrency Converter for International Exchange Rates.

If you'd like to masterfew useful phrases inforeign language, visitForeign Language Assistance Website. It even contains some sound clips so you can pronounce words properly.

nine. If your vacation plans include staying home rather than traveling, plan how you will spend your vacation to rejuvenate yourself. Perhaps there are some local attractions that you've been wanting to experience but have not hadtime to experience. Are there people you want to connect with? Get clear about what you want to do and who you want to do it with, and then plan to make it happen. If your vacation includes havingfriend or relative flying in to visit you, you can checkstatus offlight to see if they will arrive on time.

onezero. This ismost important tip of all: packright attitude. Let go of"what if" and enjoymoment. Remind yourself what matters most, and focus on that. If this isvacation to get away and relax, then focus on activities and thoughts that will be relaxing. If your goal is to reconnect with family and build memories together, that can be done regardless of circumstances (missingflight, not getting tickets toevent you wanted to attend, etc.). If your goal is to sight-see and take in some special attractions or shows, then plan ahead and makereservations necessary to ensure that you can do what you want to do when you get there.

Kathy Paauw, President of Paauwerfully Organized, specializes in helping busy executives, professionals, and entrepreneurs declutter their schedules, spaces and minds. She iscertified business/personal coach and professional organizer. Contact her at mailto:orgcoach@gte.net or visit her Website at http://www.orgcoach.net and learn how you can Find ANYTHING in five Seconds - Guaranteed!