When planning a vacation, either a romantic international getaway with your partner or a road trip with the whole family, the more prepared and organized you are, the better.

Hopefully, you either booked your accommodation through a professional travel agent or online through a reputable site and will not experience the, unfortunately, all-too-common problem of hotels not living up to their promise.

There are, however, other common mistakes and entirely avoidable mix-ups often made when planning a vacation, and here is a simple guide on how to prevent them from happening to you.

Upgrade Your Regular Travel Insurance

Perhaps your bank provides your travel insurance, or else you took out a family travel insurance plan a number of years ago and tend to rely on this policy for every vacation.

Now, unless you are only traveling a short distance, it is strongly advisable to spend time reading the small print of the insurance documents and, if you are going abroad, upgrading the current policy.

Contrary to popular belief, a more comprehensive level of travel insurance is actually a savvy way of traveling on a budget, as such policies can include damaged or lost luggage protection, small medical issues as well as emergencies, and delays and cancellations with your flights and connections.

Never Rely on Buying Clothes There

Especially when you are traveling with hand luggage only, the temptation to buy toiletries, accessories, kids’ toys, and beachwear when you get there to save on luggage seems to make sense, but apart from items you are willing to leave when you return, resist this temptation!

Check out the stylish and comfortable range of more modest bikinis online and make sure you and your children try everything on in good time so you know you have everything ready to pack.

Stay Centered

Part and parcel of a well-deserved vacation is being able to abandon your normal routine during a regular working week, but (especially if you are flying long-haul) you need to be careful that your vacation lie-ins do not turn into wasted days.

Obviously, if you are traveling with younger children, then you’ll be lucky to sleep in, but regardless, maintaining the smallest semblance of normality will serve to make sure you do not make the ultimate mistake of not actually vacationing on vacation.

Take along the book you are currently reading at home, your kids’ favorite toys and games, and enjoy relaxing and comforting family time without the stresses and responsibilities of being at home.

Avoid Overscheduling

If you have always wanted to visit a particular country and are finally getting the chance, you will no doubt have a long list of tourist attractions you want to visit.

However, you only have a certain amount of time, and as such, planning a scheduled itinerary with virtually no wiggle room could spell disaster when inevitable changes occur along the way.

Prioritize the main sights and attractions you want to experience the most and spend the rest of the time going with the flow!