Have a decent carry bag for all of your items. Make use of pockets, divisions, etc. The inside of the bag can act as a reminder of what needs to go where helping you to remember when something is missing.
Have a list for your routine work or studies Have a list for sports and hobby activities Keep a list for your pets, such as what you need to grab when taking the dog to the beach or local hiking trail, etc. Have a special list for weekends away, vacations, and other travel (see below for more on vacation lists) Have a list for special visits, such as going to see a loved one in the hospital or a caring facility, attending a party, going to a work function, etc.
Remind all family members that when they forget something, it’s a learning experience rather than an excuse to have someone else chase it up for them (with exceptions for vital items and genuine mistakes, of course).
Is the stove/oven off? Are the pets fed for the day and put away where they are meant to be? Are all the windows closed/locked/semi-open, etc. ? Are all of the external doors locked? Are the electrical items, that must be off, turned off? Are notes for the kids, heat-up meals, or other necessities being placed where they should be?
It can be helpful to have a bag stand next to the front door, on the outside, to allow you to put down whatever you’re carrying and lock the door without weights hanging off your arms.
Have a list of things that have to be packed. Ask other family members to make their own; if they tend to forget things, do a read-over of their list early on and make any suggestions that are missing. Have a list of last-minute to-dos, with a check-off column. Have a list of things that need to be checked around the house, again with a check-off column. See the previous section for the sorts of things to look for and check.
Make sure that the safe has been closed properly. Make sure that all of your appliances are either switched off or working properly.
