How do you keep up with your plans?

[Pstreet1 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Pstreet1]

Plastic folders are available with separate sections; it just makes the folder a little more bulky. We use the kind that are really envelopes, with a snap or a string closure. They also come in colors, which could match the colored calendar.

[jlwquilter Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close jlwquilter]

I open a word document for each trip as soon as it's a probablity of happening. I copy and paste into it all tips, info, links, activity ideas etc. I come across as I search online. As the trip starts to take form I type in a rough itinerary for each day, along with any needed reservation numbers, etc. I refine the itinerary along the way. At any time I can move things around on it as things change. I can easily see where I have gaps to fill. If I fnd info from a tour book I will either reference the book, page and general info or I will take the time to type in any info I need (in the case of library books). I will group topics together for easy location (Dinding Ideas, Activities, Sight Seeing, etc.).

I keep a manilla folder, labeled with trip info. I throw in any paper info that I collect. Near the trip start I organize it in a logical order for easy reference and pulling out papers on the spot as needed.

A few days before the trip I print the word documant out and it goes into the folder that travels with me.

I also did adopt the master packing list idea from here some time ago - love it!

I use a calenday (13 month for me) and mark off trips on it so I know when I am home and not. I also use the same calandar to make when bills are due so I can pre-pay before leaving town. That is one thing I have to fine tune though. Last month I missed a bill due date as it wasn't online before I left and late by the time I got back I generally do not spend time on the computer when vacationing.

I just started several months ago using a spreadsheet to keep track of all my timeshares, exchanges, costs, etc. This is more informational to me than used as a planning tool.

I enjoy the trip planning very much and what I do works very well for me so far. I am reading this thread and hoping for more suggestions as well!

[Dancingfish Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Dancingfish]

Love hearing everyones methods of vacation survival.

I use a pocket manilla file folder to stash bits and pieces along with stashing the email confimations in a VACATION email folder. (like someone else mentioned I can generally get access if I need to!)

When it gets closer to take off I generally make a page per day of possible places to go attaching any coupons etc to the back-- if theres alot (ie my alaska vacation) I get pocket school folders and slide all the info in each pocket per day.

We too have a master vacation list and have a rubbermaid container in the basement with all those vacationy type things (plug adapters, travel pillows, ponchos, airline headsets etc)

[pittle Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pittle]

My version of the plastic folders is an accordian plastic file folder that has 7 sections. I keep our passports in the first section and various scheduled vacations in the others - labeled spring, family, fall, etc. I put all confirmations and things we want to see & do in the alloted space - including the list of what we want to take with us. When it is time to go, I put everything we need into a smaller plastic folder that fits in my carry-on bag.

I also have copies on my laptop computer that goes everywhere that I do! Even though I love having electronic confirmations, I have learned that "He who has the paper wins!" I always have the written paperwork with me!

[glypnirsgirl Member Find all posts View Profile Close glypnirsgirl]

started organizing

I don't remember if I had mentioned this, but I had kept up with my reservations and confirmations by printing them out and putting them in a zip-lock bag in the freezer. One of my uncles told me to put important papers in the freezer when I was a kid and I have been doing it ever since.

Anyway, not very effective for all of the travel that I have planned.

I took several ideas and I have really enjoyed using them. On the computer, I have set up a document folder called Travel (and sub-folders with the trip name) and then I have printed out the confirmations to Adobe PDF files and saved those with the trip name.

One of our trips is a driving trip to the Grand Canyon, Bryce, Zion, Canyon de Chelly, and Santa Fe. For that trip (but not the others), I went to www.aaa.com redirect and logged in and printed out the triptik I did of the driving directions PLUS the travel guides for Santa Fe and Grand Canyon. I printed those only to PDF files, and not to paper for now.

Next I am going to build a document with the travel guide names and page references. I want to be able to insert the guide references into the other PDFs, but it will take me awhile to figure that out. Or I may just print out the paper, put on the notes, and scan the paper with the notes (and keep the handwritten ones in my travel file.

elaine

[Ryne08 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Ryne08]

I do both file folders and electronic folders. They are organized by date and location.

Ditto and Ditto here !!!!!!!!!!!

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

Wow!

I am impressed how organized everyone is.

Ashamed to say that I'm not so organized. If it wasn't for the search feature on my yahoo email I probably wouldn't be able to find anything. Most of my vacation details are filed in my head. It's not the most efficient way to do things but I don't plan more than 6 months in advance most times anyway. Usually it's actually only 2-3 months in advance except for my fixed weeks which go on the Outlook calendar and pop up at the appropriate time.

I really need to work on some of you guys's methods. Probably would free up some memory space in my head.

[glypnirsgirl Member Find all posts View Profile Close glypnirsgirl]

I'll vote with the plastic folder ~ only I'll take it a step further and buy a fabric covered expandable envelope ~ the kind with 10 - 12 separators inside. They usually all have separate tabs on top, and I'll label them - RESORT, CAR, DINING, ETC. Planning's half the fun!! We'll keep 1 of these for each vacation.

Hi Susie! Where do you find these? They sound perfect for keeping up with everything.

elaine

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

Hi - still trying to figure this all out.

I have all of my reservations bookes for the next 18 months. I have saved the confirmation notices as PDFs on my computer. I have printed them out and put them in my freezer - where we store all of our tickets and confirmations.

Now I am doing a lot of travel planning. Figuring out what to do at what location, and I have no idea how to keep up with my ideas.

How do you keep up with your plans?

elaine

I have a filing cabnet that holds most of the information. Since we get E-mail confirmations, I print them out but never worry if they get destroyed. I can access my E-mail account and reprint them anytime I need. Same with our airline reservations.

I also put all the reservation numbers, addresses, resort phone numbers, airline confirmation numbers, flight times, car rental information and phone number et....into the address book in my phone. That way I always have that information handy wherever I'm at.

The file from my filing cabinet goes with us in my carry on luggage when we leave. Any restaurants, museums, historical sites et.... will be in that file or, information will be in my phone's calander for future reference of even in my phones memo section. Keeping things in my phone works pretty well since my phone generally goes with me anywhere we're going.

[TimeshareVon Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close TimeshareVon]

Another happy TripIT fan here . . . plus I do use three ring binders for particularly complex trips.

[glypnirsgirl Member Find all posts View Profile Close glypnirsgirl]

Another happy TripIT fan here . . . plus I do use three ring binders for particularly complex trips.

I have signed up for tripit. Now I just have to figure out how to use it!

elaine

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

I am going to check out Tripit. Thanks for all the great information in this thread. I have been using the manilla folder approach.

[x3skier Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close x3skier]

I have signed up for tripit. Now I just have to figure out how to use it!

elaine

Just forward the email you get with a reservation and it is automatically added to a trip. Simple as that! Even if it changes, just send the change and it is added.

Cheers

[happymum Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close happymum]

I have a 3 ring binder for all travel . Everything gets filed in date order and paper-clipped together by specific trip.
My problem is how to store newspaper/magazine and on-line suggestions or articles on various destinations. Whenever I read or find something of interest about a destination, I want to keep for future reference, I don't know how to store it. I used to use Google Notebook for on-line info and liked that, but it has been discontinued.I do not find Evernote as convenient.
For hard-copy stuff I keep folders, but filing is time-consuming.