June 3, 2019
6 Things I Do Before Going on Vacation (to make re-entry easier)
Let’s talk about vacation. Regardless of where you are going and for how long you’ll be gone, there’s a lot to do BEFORE leaving – packing, stopping mail, making sure you have everything turned off and locked up, and if you have kids, there’s making sure you’ve thought of everything that they could possibly need. Once the day of departure finally comes, it is easy to leave the house in a flurry of activity and plan to deal with the tornado you left behind upon your return. But….when you come back from vacation you’re tired, possibly jet-lagged, and just want to sink into your own bed. I’ve found that if I just do 6 things before we go on vacation it makes re-entry so much easier.
Laundry at zero. What does that mean? We try our best to make sure that all the laundry is washed and put away. I will typically pack for the trip from the fresh laundry a couple days before leaving so I’m not folding and putting things away multiple times.
Check floors. I do a quick vacuum or sweep as needed. It’s so nice to come home to clean floors after being on vacation.
Wipe counters. Do a quick wipe down of the kitchen and bathroom counters ensures that they’ll be clean upon our return.
Empty the kitchen sink and dishwasher. Emptying the sink, washing dishes, and making sure that the dishwasher is empty is a great way to welcome yourself back into the kitchen.
Make beds. Made beds change the look and feel of a room. It’s always a treat to fall into bed at the end of vacation – especially when it’s made.
Quick tidy and declutter. Pick up little messes – grab a basket and put anything that needs to be returned to it’s proper location in that basket. Try to put those things away before going on vacation or save it until after you come back.
If you follow my cleaning routine you’ll see that these 6 things are pretty close to my 5 DAILY CLEANING TASKS. Check them out here – just staying on task with daily cleaning makes everything easier.
How about you? What do you do before leaving for vacation?
Here’s how I catch up on laundry after being on vacation – because we all know that that can be overwhelming!
hazel Says
Becky, you are a star. I always do this too, and make sure the windows are clean (this morning :o) and the cellar is cleared out. It’s also nice to have cleared out any clothes I haven’t worn in ages and have donated them.
A neat trick I learnt for the freezer. If you want to be sure it has not thawed during your vacation, put some icecubes in the freezer and then transfer to a bowl, also in the freezer. If those ice cubes have melted on your return, your freezer has thawed! I also like to have some food in the freezer – because going shopping is not my idea of fun when I return from vacation!! (or, for that matter, a business trip). Have to admit – I like to keep it relatively empty before going away too, just in case someone turns off the electricity, even just for a little while.
b r Says
Post authorGreat tips Hazel!
Niki Waltonen Says
Excellent suggestions! I make sure my fridge is clean and garbage carried out as we are leaving the house. My husband is great at remembering to shut off water to avoid any catastrophes while we are gone. I also make sure I have a few of our basics in the fridge/freezer so that on our return we are able to make something simple to eat.
b r Says
Post authorLove it, yes, garbage out and water off is important! thanks Niki!
Nina Says
Unplug computers, TVs, coffee makers, small appliances. In case of a storm or power surge .
Plus whether items are in use or not- they still draw power if plugged in! XO
judi Says
We travel a lot. One thing I really like is having clean sheets on the bed when we get home so we can “fall into guilt free sleep”. Also, when we are back, the suitcases have to be emptied immediately or it doesn’t get done for days. Just sayin’!
b r Says
Post authorYes, love those re-entry tips!
Montee Wellman Says
Thanks so much for this post and the catching up on laundry post. I’ve been doing a lot of traveling and will through June, so this is very helpful!
Tabatha Says
Great tips! I also like to have the yard freshly mowed and weed whacked before a trip. And let the post office know to hold your mail so there’s not an overflowing mailbox to come home to:)
Joan Sicherman Says
I make green smoothies every morning. We used to go out immediately upon our return to buy the ingredients ( spinach, kale, fruit, ginger).. instead I keep a weeks supply of shakes frozen and already in baggies so we don’t need to run to the grocery. ( i also keep a fresh or vacuum packed carton of almond milk that I know won’t have expired before our return date. ).
Clean Mama Says
Post authorGreat idea! Thanks for sharing!