Okay, so I’ve been planning this trip to Japan for months, and let me tell you, keeping track of everything was starting to feel like a second job. Flights, hotels, bullet train reservations, those quirky little restaurants I found on some random blog – it was all over the place. I had a million tabs open, notes scribbled on napkins, and my inbox was a disaster. Then I remembered, I could probably use those organization tools I had used for work before and give it a try.
I started by dumping everything into a Trello board. I created lists for “Before I Go,” “Accommodation,” “Transportation,” “Activities,” “Food,” and “Emergency Info.” Each little detail got its own card. For example, under “Accommodation,” I made a card for my hotel in Tokyo, adding the address, check-in/check-out times, and confirmation number.
The Detail and The Process
I decided to use Google Docs, as I was so used to the tools I had used at work, so I created each document for each category.
- Flights: I saved the itinerary confirmation, with details such as flight numbers, departure/arrival times, and airport terminal information. I also created a section for travel to and from the airport.
- Accommodation: I stored the booking confirmation for each hotel, including the address, contact information, and check-in/check-out times. I could easily access this information, even without an internet connection.
- Itinerary: I outlined my day-by-day plan. I could include the opening hours of attractions, reservation details for restaurants, and any notes.
I began to add details. I uploaded my flight confirmation PDF to its card, attached photos of the hotels, and even linked to Google Maps locations for each place I wanted to visit. The cool thing about Trello is that you can add due dates, so I set reminders for things like “Book pocket Wifi” and “Buy Japan Rail Pass.”
Then, I shared the board with my travel buddy. We could both add things, leave comments, and basically stay on the same page. It was so much easier than those endless email chains we used to have!
I also created a Google Doc for all the random notes and links. Things like phrases to learn, packing lists, and those weird opening hours for that ramen shop I wanted to try. This way, I could access it all offline on my phone, super handy when I’m wandering around without Wi-Fi.
Honestly, taking the time to set this all up saved me so much stress. Instead of panicking about where I put that one confirmation number, I could just open Trello or my Google Doc and find it instantly. It made the whole planning process way more enjoyable, and I felt so much more prepared for the actual trip.
