So Many Travel Documents/Stuff - How Do You Organize?

[Flatbush Flyer]

I use a brightly patterned 2 pocket folder that I can find quickly in my tote bag. All printouts and tickets etc, are arranged in order of use.

 

 

 

I took a picture of my luggage a couple years ago, and printed it on 8x11 paper and that is included too. Just in case someone somewhere along the way needs to find it. (God forbid). I also take a picture of all our luggage pieces and finally take a piece of paper and write in large letters my name, address (or address of my business) and home, work and cell phone numbers, and take a picture of that paper. That last piece of info got my camera back to me last summer after I drove off with it on top of my car and it fell off. Someone picked it up turned it on and the first picture they saw was my name & phone #.

 

 

Never put your address on the contact sheet in, or name tag on, your luggage. Some of the luggage thievery rings identified at airports use that info to set up house burglaries while folks are gone. Phone number and e-mail are plenty.

 

 

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[Cruise Envy]

Here is my free travel organizer. Don't mind the white pieces of paper. I had to block out the name of the travel company as to not get in trouble on here.

 

I really love that everything zips and is secure - especially the Passport part. The outside zips too keeping it all together. And it's a small size as to fit easily in my carry on tote and doesn't weigh really anything. Not bulky, cumbersome, or too big.

 

Not bad for free! I highly recommend it if you can find one!

 

P.S. Yes that is an expired Victoria's Secret gift card. I use it for my in cabin safe :D

 

 

OMG I love it... I want one!!

[firemanbobswife]

OMG I love it... I want one!!

 

 

It really is perfect! I wish I could get another one to have for when this one finally dies. I'll look around and see if I can find anything similar.

[crystalspin]

Maybe this:

 

http://smile.amazon.com/Lewis-N-Clark-Document-Organizer/dp/B008MQDZ9W/ref=sr_1_5?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1414203086&sr=1-5&keywords=lewis+n+clark

 

The change-purse is a little different (as a straight zipper is cheaper and easier to sew than a curved one?) but the size appears similar.

[firemanbobswife]

Maybe this:

 

http://smile.amazon.com/Lewis-N-Clark-Document-Organizer/dp/B008MQDZ9W/ref=sr_1_5?s=apparel&ie=UTF8&qid=1414203086&sr=1-5&keywords=lewis+n+clark

 

The change-purse is a little different (as a straight zipper is cheaper and easier to sew than a curved one?) but the size appears similar.

 

 

That's the closest I've seen so far. Thanks!

[Lerin]

PASSPORTS,

my purse

 

TRAIN TICKETS/INFO,

HOTEL CONFS, SHUTTLE SERVICE INFO,

E tickets

 

CRUISE BOARDING PASSES,

Purse

 

SHIP INFO, E-GIFT CERTIFICATES, EXCURSIONS INFO, PORT CITIES INFO,

Don't need

 

AIRLINE HOME,

E tickets

 

ETC.

Most everything is electronic nowadays. No need to print and keep track of a zillion things. Just bring it up on my Smart phone

[iancal]

We keep edocs. We do not print much and most especially not all the cruise line printouts.

 

We have a hard copy page with our cruise reservation number, our flight numbers/locator numbers, and any hotel reservation IDs. We print Priceline or Bookingdotcom reservations a week in advance (we often travel for 5-8 weeks).

 

We do print confirmation page/contact data for private excursions. No fancy binders or portfolios, just a small bulldog clip. We are at the end of a eight week land/ cruise trip. I would say that we left home with 7-10 sheets of paper, which quickly became 5 as we moved along.

 

We do keep receipts. Just shove them into an envelope for credit card verification when we get home..if we have not already done so mid trip.

Edited October 25, 2014 by iancal

[Cruisa Loosa]

I save all travel documents on my iPad for back up, but still like the security of having the documents with me in hand.

I carry a small accordion folder I got in the dollar store and keep our passports and all travel documents in each section in the order they will be used...flight, hotel, car rental, cruise, excursions, travel insurance, contact information, copies of credit cards, etc.

The folder goes in my carry on tote bag and everything is handy when we need it. Receipts from purchases are filed for easy access when calculating our expenditures for customs upon return to the country.

Folder fits nicely in cabin safe.

 

On another note...I noticed one respondent to this posting mentioned notarized copies of passports....are those accepted in place of passport? I carry a copy of our passports on excursions, but not sure why I bother as they are not accepted as legal ID. I carry our drivers licenses as well for ID. Just wondered about the passport copies.

Thanks!

[herbanrenewal]

i use the three ring binder with divider for each port for planning.

 

the only print outs for me are reservations

 

I do a lot of self-guided walking tours in ports, so my planning approach is to grab as much info as i can get and stash it in my binder...then put points of interest on a map to help me decide what i can fit into one day. then i organize all the tips i have gathered for getting from point A to point B and what it costs.

with my plans mapped, I print out the logisitics part, but organize the relevant notes and save them to a folder of notes for each day. i can review them the night before.

 

Also if your phone is in airplane mode you can use your phone's apps, and also when in port can use free wifi zones to text family or friends cheaply (check your plan for rates)

[Roadtripster]

Here is my free travel organizer. Don't mind the white pieces of paper. I had to block out the name of the travel company as to not get in trouble on here.

 

I really love that everything zips and is secure - especially the Passport part. The outside zips too keeping it all together. And it's a small size as to fit easily in my carry on tote and doesn't weigh really anything. Not bulky, cumbersome, or too big.

 

Not bad for free! I highly recommend it if you can find one!

 

P.S. Yes that is an expired Victoria's Secret gift card. I use it for my in cabin safe :D

 

 

That is very similar to the Vera Bradley wristlet I always travel with. The passports fit perfectly in it.

 

As for organization... at home I use an accordion file. I print off important info and also any research info I have found. By the time we are ready to sail, I have saved everything electronically, and also have taken photos of the papers and have them on my phone. That way I can always look at them and not have to be connected to the internet. The hard copies stay home "in case".

 

When I land/cruised Europe for 3 weeks, I planned all excursions on my own and then I used large size envelopes for each day. I had the info written on the envelope and inside I had the correct amount of money for payments, tips, spending etc.... when I was done, I put the receipts in it from the day and if I had money left, I put that amount in the next days envelope. Worked quite well.

[Folk Singer]

I use a clear plastic folder that has a "zip-lock" type of closure at the top.

 

I put all documents in order that they will be used - airline tickets, car rental reservation, hotel reservation, cruise docs, bon voyage confirmation, so on and so on. This folder fits in the outside pocket of my tote-bag carry on.

 

I keep passports in the outside zippered pocket of my purse so that they are handy, but a little more secure.

 

 

Same with us.

[Oceanborn]

On another note...I noticed one respondent to this posting mentioned notarized copies of passports....are those accepted in place of passport? I carry a copy of our passports on excursions, but not sure why I bother as they are not accepted as legal ID. I carry our drivers licenses as well for ID. Just wondered about the passport copies.

Thanks!

 

That was me that mentioned that. Honestly I doubt it does. I just figured why the hell not. I'm a chronic over planner and it makes me relax knowing I've covered all my bases to the best of my ability. Honestly doing the research on this one would take longer than just having the cashier at my bank notarize a copy of my passport while I'm in there making a deposit. I wouldn't count on being able to use it for much/anything though...