Make your vacation less stressful by preparing ahead of time. Be sure the house is picked up and the kitchen and bathrooms are clean before you leave, so you won’t come home to a list of chores. Ask friend to check your mail, get someone to take care of your pets, and even hire yard work to be done while you’re away. All of these things will help you relax more while you’re away from home and breathe easier when you get back.

As you get ready to head off to visit family or take a resort vacation this holiday season, it helps to be prepared for travel surprises.

Is your car constantly messy? Time for a new family rule: That which you take into the car must also come out with you. But first, get the whole family to help you clean it.

With the right preparation, your travel time can be easier to enjoy. You can breeze through airport security by wearing shoes that are easy to remove and put on. Keep your laptop where it’s easy to access so you can get it out and replace it quickly.

Summer break is a great time for families. It’s a time when schedules open up, albeit with effort. The kids have fewer obligations and you can finally get out and do something together. But what about the house?

Winter Emergency Preparedness
For many of us, the winter season brings harsh driving conditions. Make sure you're prepared; check your tire pressure regularly (don't forget to check the spare tire), keep your windshield ice scraper handy, and pack a blanket and an extra coat in the car.

Neat Returns
When you go on a trip, it always seems like you come back with more than you left with. So plan ahead; save some room in your luggage to accommodate a souvenir or two. Even if you don't pick up anything extra on your vacation, your bags may still seem like they've shrunk while you've been away. Here's a packing tip: fold your clothes and put everything neatly back in your bag. Stuffing it all in takes up more room. Seems counterintuitive? Try it!

Organize Your Carry-on
The TSA flight rules have been around for long enough now, there's no excuse for not having your toiletries ready for traveling. 3 ounces or less of your liquids, and everything in one sealed plastic bag. Here's an idea: keep a plastic bag (or two) at the ready with your travel- sized toiletries. Don't like buying overpriced travel-sized items? Invest in a couple of Travelon Smart Tubes and you can transfer just the right amount of lotion/soap/shampoo from your normal supply and be ready for lift-off. 

Fly Through Airport Security
Here's a little travel tip from frequent flyers: your ID, boarding pass and carry-on toiletries should be the most easily accessible items. Save a spot for them in an outside pocket of your carry-on luggage when you're packing, and you won't spend time fumbling around trying to get them (or worse yet, trying to find them).