We are finally all recovered and back to our normal routine after our September vacation/ marathon adventure. Through out the years I have come up with a list of tricks that help take the stress out of coming home from vacation, this comes from working 60-80 hours a week. I use to push my vacation as much as I could meaning I would work in the morning and leave straight from work to the airport or land and go straight to work. This time I posted a freezer prep picture on my IG account @Alisueonthemove and people went crazy! Bam, a blog post is born!
Here are my top 5 tips for a stress free homecoming after vacation:
- A day or two before knock out all your laundry, and I mean ALL, towels, sheets, etc. Coming home to fresh crisp clean sheets is always something special.
- Starting the week before super clean, I know it sound odd and maybe a little overwhelming but taking the extra 20-30 mins a day is worth it! I am a huge believer in having time slots for cleaning (i.e.; 30 mins a day) and have a list of different zones (my version of FlyLady) that I clean throughout the week. I just follow this and add-on some deep cleaning extras. We have been home for five days, I have only done dishes, vacation laundry, and today I vacuumed.
- MEAL PREP FREEZER MEALS! I can’t stress this enough, there is nothing like coming home and knowing that you already have a couple healthy meals prepped and ready to go. We try to eat good on vacation, but as you know that doesn’t always happen and you feel like you need a detox when you get home. I prepped a Sausage/ Veggies Soup which lasted us 3 dinners and a lunch, and a Roast with Vegetables & Potatoes which is in the slow cooker right now. All my freezer meals are made for the slow cooker, I just pull them out as soon as I wake up, workout, do my cleaning for the day, and BAM into the slow cooker it goes.
- Pack a day or two before. I am a HUGE over packer so I pre pack then the night before I re go through everything and start taking stuff out. This vacation I had to super pack because it was two trips in one, a race weekend and then home to PA to visit my family. I had so much to give/ share with them but I am came home with a lot less stuff.
- Empty out your refrigerator the day before and either use what will go bad in a freezer meal, or share with your neighbors. Coming home to a frig filled with bad food is never a fun situation.
What are you tips/ tricks that you do before a vacation that help you stay stress free when you come home?