Travel Prep Checklist in Electronic Age

Since I leave on Wednesday for Northern Voice in Vancouver, it seems there is no better time than the present to get ready to go. I can pack on Wednesday following my Master Packing List,  a list I created that includes a check-off of every item (suitcase and carry-on) I need to bring with me (or consciously exclude) from any trip I take (I hate forgetting the camera recharger or a pencil with Pos-It flags for whatever it is I am reading).

However, I am now doing the more “silent” items involved in preparing for the trip, those beyond merely gathering everything together and throwing it all in a bag. These are some of the digital items I need to consider, like a check-off list, when I am preparing to travel:

1. Archive and Backup Outlook – This should go without saying (and insofar as it does we tend to forget) that archiving items in Outlook and then backing up the Outlook folders themselves is a good practice to do on a regular basis anyway. This involves more than just automating the processes and then having them run.
2. Backup Personal Folders – The second step, just as critical as the first, is to backup all these files, and indeed all personal folders on the computer to an external storage device. One never knows when something problematic will happen, such as breakage or worse, so being prepared means being backed up. I often let this step go and do more infrequently than I should, but this is something I plan to do later tonight.
3. Remove Old Photos from the Camera – When I take photos, I usually move them to my computer then consider uploading to Flickr if appropriate. However, there are times that I neglect to get these photos off my camera, and they tend to accumulate there. Getting ready for a trip where I am planning to take a lot of photos, I need to free up as much memory as possible (prior to my computer backup, of course!).
4. Charge Bose Headphones – I do not use my Bose headphones very often outside of when I fly, and thus the battery tends to lose its charge. The headphones are useless in an uncharged state, and I really do need to get some sleep on this red-eye so I will make sure they are fully charged.

Is there anything else I am missing?

Technorati Tags: Northern Voice,nv08