3 Simple Things Happy Travelers Do Before They Leave for a Trip

Written by

Brittney Morgan
Brittney Morgan
Brittney is Apartment Therapy's Assistant Lifestyle Editor and an avid tweeter with a passion for carbs and lipstick. She believes in mermaids and owns way too many throw pillows.
published Mar 28, 2017
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(Image credit: Sophie Timothy)

Nothing beats the relaxation that comes with taking a much-needed vacation. A trip away from it all—whether you’re headed somewhere warm and beachy or ready to bundle up somewhere colder—can be just the thing you need to help you unwind and de-stress. But there’s one thing that can drag you right back to reality when you return: a messy home.

If you’re anything like me, you probably pack at the very last minute before you leave for a trip (I always mean to get it done in advance, and then time gets away from me). When you pack at the last minute and run out the door—or at least this is the case for me—it often leaves your home in a state of disarray. And unfortunately, as much as we all wish it would, that mess won’t magically fix itself while you’re gone.

Rather than leave your home in a hurry and deal with it later, allow yourself to ride the high of coming home from vacation to a mess-free home. Beyond the pre-vacation must-dos (like taking out the trash and not leaving dirty dishes in the sink while you’re gone) sacrifice an extra 30 minutes and take care of these cleaning tasks. You’ll thank your (potentially jet-lagged) self later when you can walk in and relax without a care in the world.

Do a Quick Bathroom Run-Through

You don’t need to deep-clean, but a quick wipe-down of the sink, shower and a once-over with the toilet brush only takes a few minutes and will make it all worth it. Coming home to a clean bathroom means you can take a long, post-trip shower and not worry about the last time you scrubbed the tub.

Clean Out Your Fridge

The last thing you want to come home to after a relaxing vacation? Smelly, rotting food in the fridge. A full fridge clean-out before you leave isn’t necessary, but definitely give yourself a few minutes to look through each shelf and drawer and throw out any foods that are questionable or that are set to spoil while you’re away, and your return will be a much more pleasant experience.

Make Your Bed

Because everyone knows there’s nothing better than sinking into your own bed after some time away from home, so you may as well make it an even more heavenly experience. If you have time to do your laundry (or if you have extra sheets waiting to be used) put fresh bedding on, fluff your pillows and rejoice knowing your bed is waiting for your return.