Holiday season is officially here and that means millions of people around the country will be hopping in cars, trains, and planes to travel home for the holidays! Everyone loves the holidays, but no one enjoys the difficulty that comes with traveling during such a crazy time of the year.  If you’re one of the many who will be traveling during the holidays this year, there are steps you can take to ensure stress-free travel.

The most important thing to do when traveling during the holidays is to plan ahead. Book tickets in advance, plan out your transportation, and create a schedule to follow on days of travel. Having things planned out will keep you organized amidst the chaos of airports and train stations. If possible, you should avoid traveling on peak travel days—the day before Thanksgiving, and Christmas Eve tend to be the busiest each year. Consider booking your travel for early or late in the day to avoid the mid-day crowds. It is essential to leave early and give yourself plenty of time when traveling—you never know what unexpected delays you might face.

When traveling home for the holidays, it is best to pack light and take only the essentials. If you are flying to your destination, reducing your luggage to a small carryon will save you time at the airport—you won’t need to check your bag, risk lost luggage, or wait at the luggage carousel to collect your bags. If you fly home for Christmas, be sure to ship any Christmas gifts to your destination so you won’t have to carry extra luggage around the airport. The sooner you ship the packages the better to guarantee gifts arrive on time and ready to be opened on Christmas day.

If you will be leaving your home unattended during the holidays, it’s a good idea to create a check list of everything you need to take care of before you leave. Make sure your front door, windows, and Bi-Fold Patio Doors and Multi-Slide Doors are locked and secure. Arrange for someone to collect the mail and newspaper, water the plants, and feed the pets! Triple-check that the thermostat, lights, and tv are off before leaving. If you are worried about burglaries, set up automatic timer lights as a safety precaution. Let your neighbors know you will be traveling for the holidays and ask them to keep an eye on the place.

Traveling with children can be an additional challenge, but with proper planning, it can be a breeze. Use one suitcase to pack all the children’s things—this will make carrying and keeping track of bags a lot easier. For ease and comfort, dress kids in layers and lace-free shoes. The key to stress-free travel with children is keeping them entertained and engaged. Bring your children’s favorite toy and a tablet loaded up with all their favorite games and movies so they can stay busy throughout the trip. Kids get cranky when they’re tired and hungry, so don’t forget to let them rest and pack plenty of snacks. Keeping your children happy and sane will ensure your travel day is stress-free. For tips on traveling with babies and toddlers, check out this blog.

Planning ahead, packing light, making household arrangements, and keeping kids happy will contribute to a stress-free holiday travel season. Remember that things sometimes don’t go as planned, and if this happens, stay calm and create a plan B. If you start to get lost in the chaos, remind yourself the holidays are a time for family, celebration, and thankfulness.