You know that feeling when you walk through the door after a relaxing trip, only to be greeted by a weird smell, wilted plants, and dust that clearly had a party while you were gone? Yeah, not the welcome home vibe anyone’s going for. It’s fantastic that you and your family get the chance to have that family vacation you all needed.
Besides, vacation is supposed to reset your brain, not give you a fresh to-do list the second you’re back. Honestly, the mess you all come back to is absolutely never worth it, and instead, it’s just so much better to come home to a space that’s in pristine condition rather than immediately getting you all stressed out, right?
But honestly, it’s really about how you plan for things; actually, a little planning can truly go a long way. But where do you start?
Your Plants Want a Plan Too
Seriously, nothing kills post-vacation bliss faster than walking into your plants dramatically flopped over like they’ve been through something. If you’ve got a friend or neighbor who owes you a favor, now’s the time to cash it in. No takers? Well, sure, sometimes that can happen (and it’s honestly a shame). But in that case, maybe self-watering planters or those little water globe things can do the trick. Actually, even grouping your plants together helps create a mini humidity zone so they’re less thirsty.
The Fridge Can’t Just Wing it
Yeah, if only, right? Even though smart fridges are a thing, they don’t really have the power to dispose of anything. So, there’s something about coming home to a fridge that smells like it’s plotting revenge, well, having nasty odors at least.. In this case, you should really just check expiration dates, toss anything questionable, and for the love of all that’s good, don’t leave any chopped onions or half-open containers behind (this is actually a major problem).
So, you’ll need to wipe it down and toss in a little box of baking soda to keep things fresh. Now here’s a really helpful suggestion: if you can, just try to leave a few drinks or a frozen pizza for Future You to appreciate. Sometimes delays happen, and you get home exhausted, so this does the trick.
Outsource What You Can
Alright, so asking friends, family, and neighbors was mentioned earlier, and yeah, it’s a really good suggestion, of course. But there’s some things that they can’t or at least shouldn’t do. So, if you’ve got a pool, lawn, or garden situation, now is not the time to try saving a few bucks.
You don’t want to come home to murky water or grass that’s halfway to jungle status (if you live in an HOA, you’ll still be charged). So, ideally, just book lawn care or pool cleaning services while you’re away, since it means one less thing on your plate when you return. It’s like giving your house its own mini vacation.
Keep it Smelling Like a Magazine
Is this even possible? Well, yeah, thankfully it is! So, stale air just makes everything feel off. Like, way off, so, just crack a few interior doors before you leave, so air can move around. For example, a couple of dryer sheets behind furniture or tucked in corners keep things smelling nice. You can even toss one into your hamper or shoes if you’re really committed to the cause.
