Clean the House Before You Leave
You may be excited but before you go away, make sure the home is clean. Take out the rubbish, wash the dishes and change the sheets.
It gives you much less to do when you step foot back into the house after your time away. It’s also a good idea in case you have house sitters come over during your vacation.
Create a To-Do List
Enjoy the night together when you get home and order a takeaway. The next morning is when real life starts. The best thing to do is to create a to-do list so you know everything that you need to do.
This means you won’t forget something and helps you prioritise your list. Tackle this list one thing at a time and get the people in the house to help out where possible.
Do the Washing Before You Leave
Get all the dirty washing through the washing machine before you leave. You can keep them on the dryers or radiators if you really need to while away but try to put them away too.
This will mean that the only clothes that need washing when you get back are those that everyone wore while away. It may seem like something small but it will definitely help you out in the long run.
Ask People to Look After Your Home
Talk to the people that you trust to look after your home while you are away. This minimises the chance of walking in to a disaster when you return. It could be a neighbour or a close friend, or even a family member.
They will be able to take care of post that piles up, if there is a burglary or even if the pipes burst while you’re away!
Set Up an Autoresponder on Your Email
Make sure people know that you won’t answer your emails for a few days – you never know if you’re going to get something important that would need a response.
You don’t have to say where you’re going, just that it will take x days to return. This will also stop people constantly emailing for a response.
Avoid Events for the First Few Days
You want the first few days to remind you of your holiday and ease your way back into real life. The best way to do that is to avoid any events for the first few days.
It gives you the chance to get through the washing and relax after your break. Once you’ve gotten back to normal, call your friends to arrange a time to meet up.
Give Yourself an Extra Day
When you return, don’t plan to do anything for the next day.
This gives you chance to catch up on sleep, organise the post and email that you received while away and to get through your washing.