I LOVE GOING ON VACATION. I would travel somewhere at least once a month if it were free to do so. In my world, going on vacation is the cure to all concerns and worries. It’s an opportunity to spend quality time with your loved ones, eat good food, and do some fun sightseeing, all while learning about new people, places, and things. I like to tell people I travel with purpose. There are a wide range of purposes but there is always a purpose. Some vacations I plan for my family and I to learn about culture and history. Some I plan for specific types of food or restaurants. Others I plan to simply see the people I love the most and be in each other’s presence. We have a jammed packed vacation coming up next month and the purpose of it will include all of the reasons I listed above. I’m already having so much fun just thinking about it!
As much as I love going on vacation, I really and truly don’t enjoy the time leading up to vacation, and the time right after returning from vacation. There is so much energy and preparation that goes into both parts they can be extremely exhausting. Add in trying to keep up with a toddler in the process and you’ve got yourself a whole new recipe of exhaustion. With all of the traveling I have done over the years, I have learned some really valuable lessons along the way, and they help make all the transitions of vacation a little easier.
6) Make Packing List:
This sounds like a no brainer but most people try packing based off of memory instead of using a list. MAKE A LIST PEOPLE! You will thank yourself when you get to your location and don’t feel like kicking yourself for forgetting something you should have remembered to pack. *tip* make a list on your phone this way no matter where you are, when you randomly remember something you need to pack, you can add it to the list immediately. Or in my case, before I forget again…
5) Clean Kitchen & Bathroom(s):
Let’s be honest, is there ever a good time to clean these rooms? Of course not because we never want to do it. However, we do feel a wonderful sense of accomplishment when we do. You want to clean the bathroom(s) and kitchen from top to bottom BEFORE you go on vacation. Your exhausted, recovering from vacation, post-vacation self, will thank you tremendously.
4) Do All Laundry:
Wash all of the dirty clothes and bed sheets a day or two before you leave. This way, when you are packing, you don’t have to worry about something you want to pack being dirty. Secondly, having your clothes clean before your trip means the only clothes you will have to wash and put away when you return are the dirty clothes in your suitcase.
3) Organize Bedroom(s):
If you have clothes that need to be folded, hung up, or packed away to make room for more, do this right before you pack. It will make your packing process easier because you will know where certain clothing items are since you recently put them in their correct places. Lastly, make your bed before you leave. It feels welcoming coming home to made beds with clean sheets and a completely organized bedroom(s).
2) Empty Fridge:
Go through your fridge and clean out any leftovers or perishable foods. My fridge usually has a container or two that were pushed all the way to the back to play hide and go seek from us. I also buy a lot of fruits and vegetables which get over looked sometimes or will spoil while we’re gone based on how long the vacation will be. Get all of those things out of your fridge to save yourself a lot of grossness when you return from your trip.
1) Make Grocery List:
I like to call this the overachiever bonus. When you’re done emptying your fridge you know exactly what foods you have left to use when you return. I like to do this while I’m en route to my vacation destination. We usually have down time in between flights or need something to do on those long car and train rides. Trust me. Post vacation you will be grateful you have one less thing to think about when you return home. Unfortunately, I can’t help you with the whole having to actually leave the house to grocery shop part.
These are the pre/post vacation tips and tricks I use to help me make my vacation plans go a lot more smoothly. What vacation tips have you perfected over time and want to share with the rest of us? Leave your comments below!
Brie <3
[09.21.16]
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