Can you book a trip, pack your bags, and leave for your destination all within 24 or 48 hours? More importantly, do you like doing it? I’ll travel anywhere, anytime. Few things are as exhilarating as turning a mundane weekend at home into an unexpected trip someplace fun.

To make this type of travel less stressful, keep a few tips in mind.

• Keep quart-size bags in your bathroom or vanity. I even keep one packed with toothpaste, intense face moisturizer, perfume samples, and hand cream, so that I can just throw it in my carry-on.
• Know where your passport is and have it handy.
• Start a travel budget and set aside money each year just for travel. Whether it’s $1000 or $100,000, it will help you to make decisions on what trips you are able to take at any given time.

Hotels, restaurants, and travel websites are great places to sign up for e-newsletters. Set up an email address for travel information, and get on many of these lists. Some of the best deals I see are from hotels who realize that their booking for a particular weekend is down and send out phenomenal rates to their distribution lists. Also, Travelzoo’s weekly Top 20 newsletter features the best 20 deals that their service has found that week.

Travel Fabulously!