KATHMANDU, NEPAL – If you know me, you know that I organize everything in my life into a binder: work, finance, fun, and travel. Although this has earned me a bit of ridicule from my colleagues and family (I’m looking at you, Mom) it’s a system that continues to work very well for me in travel as in life.
Besides keeping everything organized in a pleasing fashion, my travel binders have also twice saved my butt at border crossings, where I was selected for extra screening by immigration and customs who wanted every last detail of my trip through their countries. My travel binders have helped me quickly rectify issues with airlines and hotels, get un-lost when I was in need of directions, and keep track of my budget over long trips.
They are the quick-reference you need when you’re about to miss a flight and there’s no wifi to pull up your bookings online. Basically what I’m saying is that travel binders are next-to-god, and I will forevermore be spreading the gospel. I have been asked to share my travel binder secrets, so get ready…because here is your how-to to make your very own.
So when do I need a travel binder?
Let’s be clear, IMHO you always need a travel binder.
However, if you’re going on an all-inclusive vacation and all you need is one reference number for your flight, and one booking number for your hotel, a travel duo-tang might suffice. But if you’re like me and you often plan multi-destination travel with many moving parts, it’s worth it to spend a little time getting everything organized before you leave the comfort of home.
Use the below checklist to see if you need a travel binder. If you answer yes to two or more of the following questions, you probably need one.
- Is your trip longer than a week?
- Are you staying in multiple accommodations?
- Are you taking multiple flights, trains, buses, or renting a car?
- Do you have bookings for shows, attractions, or tours?
- Are you traveling with others?
- Will you be in locations with no (or questionable) access to wifi, data, or GPS?
So where do I start?
First, you need to get yourself a binder. What kind of binder? (You may ask.) Well that all depends on how much you need to organize. For most trips of up to a month, a standard 3-ring 1” binder will do. My favourite kind has the clear cover so that you’re able to insert a nice cover page.
Travel binder shopping list:
- Binder of your choice
- Tab dividers
- Clear page covers to collect smaller items like boarding passes (optional but recommended)
- A 3-ring pencil case to keep pens, etc. (optional but recommended)
To do this project, I recommend you set aside 1-2 hours of quality time with your supplies, printer and three-hole punch.
Next, fill in your five essential sections.
Set the tone for your binder with a snappy, descriptive title. Imagine you’re writing a memoir about your awesome trip…what would you name your book? Try something like: “Sarah & Amira’s Grand Icelandic Adventure” or “Andrea Was Here: A European Roadtrip Across Five Countries” or “Raj vs. The World.”Section 1: Quick reference
This is your at-a-glance reference sheet that tells you everything you need to know about your travel plans. This should include a day-by-day breakdown of all travel and accommodations bookings, expenses, and general destination country information. This section is probably the most work to put together, but the handiest thing to have around when you need it. Download my template here, and fill in the blanks with all your deets.
Section 2: Travel & Other Essential Bookings
- Travel Bookings: Plane/train/bus tickets, itineraries, and boarding passes.
- Car Rental: If you are renting a car, include your booking confirmation, and any insurance information through your personal provider or your credit card. Depending where you are driving, it may also be worthwhile to research where you can find gas stations, and any nearby mechanics if your rental agency does not provide roadside assistance.
Section 3: Accommodations & How to Get There
- Bookings: Include booking confirmation emails, which should include addresses, contact info for your accommodations, reference or confirmation numbers, proof of payment (if applicable), and any other details such as pre-arranged transfers or door access codes. If you are staying with friends or family, include their address and contact information.
- Maps: If you are road-tripping, print off Google Maps directions for how to get to your next destination or accommodations. This is super helpful for if you don’t have GPS, lose your GPS signal, or end up in a place where GPS has no meaning. (I’m looking at you, Moldova.)
Section 4: Activities & Area Information
- Bookings: Include tickets and voucher codes for any activity or tour bookings you have made in advance.
- Activity Ideas: Print off the details for any activities you want to do on your trip, but haven’t confirmed.
- Restaurants & Nightlife: Print off the names and locations of any restaurants or nightlife you’d like to try on your trip.
- Top 10 Lists: Do some research on sites like TripAdvisor or Lonely Planet and include lists of ideas for activities in the area you’re visiting.
- Information Sheets: If you’re visiting any historical sites and you’re doubtful they will have information available in your preferred language, print off some info in advance and take it with you! Wikipedia and local tourism sites are often very helpful for this.
Section 5: Traveler Information
- Emergency contact & medical information sheet: Make the information on this sheet easily accessible in case of any emergency. For each traveler, list the name, phone number including country code, and email address for at least two emergency contact people. If travellers have any allergies, or medical conditions, list them here. If you’re really concerned about any of these things, you can also have this information translated into the local language(s) before you go abroad to ensure that you can communicate important information with local doctors in case of an emergency.
- Local emergency contacts: List emergency contact numbers for the country you are visiting, including for police, tourist police, fire, and medical emergencies. 911 is by no means a universal number, and you will appreciate having this information at your fingertips in an emergency.
- Travel insurance information: Include copies of all travel insurance information, user cards, and policies.
- Identity documents: For each traveler include a photocopy of your passport, driver’s license, visas, and any other relevant identity documents.
Other Optional Components
Here are a few more components I suggest to personalize your binder:
- A list of addresses of friends and family – makes it easy to send impromptu post cards!
- Copies of any other information of which a hard copy would be handy. Imagine your cell phone falls in a river and dies…what information would you absolutely need?
- Journal pages to make entries along the way.
- Some blank paper for notes, making paper airplanes, or playing tic-tac-toe.
- A three-ring pencil case with a pen, highlighter, and marker.
Before you put your new travel binder into action, go through it day-by-day to ensure that you didn’t miss anything crucial.
And that’s it! Let your binder do all the work from here on, while all you have to do is enjoy your time abroad.
Do you have any suggestions for other information to include in your travel binder? Let me know in the comments below.
Pro-Tip: Always make sure your travel binder is in your carry-on luggage. It won’t do you any good if you need your flight booking at the gate and your binder is in a checked-in bag.
The Travel Binder 