| What | When (How long before you leave) |
|---|---|
| Decide what you want to do and/or roughly where you want to go | 4 months or more |
| Contact organisations for volunteering placements, study programmes etc | 4 months or more |
| Book your ticket | 4 months or more |
| Ensure passport and driving licence are up to date; get new ones if necessary | 3 months or more |
| Start getting your vaccinations | 3 months |
| Buy guidebook for your first destination | 3 months (this is because it will have useful visa and health info) |
| Start buying stuff for your trip | 3 months |
| Contact agency about renting your house out (if you own) | 3 months |
| Start getting your visas | 2 months or more (depending on how many you need to get) |
| Notify your mortgage lender if you’re renting out your house | 2 months |
| Organise movers or a moving van | 1 – 2 months (busier in summer) |
| Resign from your job | 1 month (check your employment contract – it might be 6 weeks) |
| What | When (How long before you leave) |
|---|---|
| Talk to personnel manager about pension, health insurance etc | 1 month |
| Give notice on your house (if you rent) | 1 month (check your lease agreement in case it’s longer) |
| Go to the dentist | 1 month |
| Get an online email account and tell everyone your new email address | 1 month |
| Organise a mailing address (parents' house is common, otherwise talk to the Post Office about mail holding). Set up redirection. | 1 month |
| Notify your bank and credit card company, and let them know if you’re not earning | 1 month |
| Organise someone to look after your financial stuff, or set up online banking | 1 month |
| Organise storage facility if necessary | 1 month |
| Cancel your mobile phone contract or set up international roaming | 1 month (they usually require a month’s notice) |
| Cancel mobile phone insurance if you’re not taking your phone | 1 month or less |
| Cancel your internet service | 1 month or less |
| Get travel insurance | 2 weeks |
| Make a list of all the stuff you need to take (or use The Career Break Site’s) | 2 weeks |
| Book removal van | 2 weeks |
| Get foreign currency | 2 weeks (sometimes they have to order it in) |
| Get travellers’ cheques | 2 weeks |
| What | When (How long before you leave) |
|---|---|
| Make a list of all the money that is owed you (or use The Career Break Site’s) | 2 weeks |
| Register with the British consul in the country of your destination (only if you’re going somewhere really remote) | 2 weeks |
| Start packing | 1 week (in case you’ve forgotten to buy something vital) |
| Ensure address book and diary are up-to-date; add renewal dates of things which will come up while you’re gone | 1 week |
| Sell car | 1 week |
| Cancel car insurance | When car is sold |
| Notify DVLA; get road tax refund | When car is sold |
| Cancel TV licence | Day before you move out of your house |
| Notify the council tax people | Day before you move out of your house |
| Cancel home (buildings or contents) insurance, or notify them if you’re renting your house out or if it will be unoccupied for a time | Day before you move out of your house |
| Contact gas, electricity, water and phone people with final meter readings and your new mailing address | Day you move out of your house |
| Confirm flight | 3 days before |