As with many things in life, prep is key, and that is no exception when it comes to travel. Unless you’re playing the throw a dart on the map and buy a plane ticket game, you’re likely spending quite a bit of time before vacation researching the best places to stay, stalking flight pricing trends, building out an itinerary, and figuring out logistics. Once that is out of the way and you’ve gotten through the dreaded packing stage, you’re ready for the fun part… almost.
Before you lock up your house and head out, there are a few more things that you can do to ensure your trip is a breeze and you don’t have any *oopsie* moments while on vacation or the moment you walk in the door to your house. Implementing these things into my pre-travel routine have really benefited my travels and I hope they will do the same for you!
1. Sign up for USPS Informed Delivery
This. is. the. best. life. hack…. and I honestly don’t think many people know about it. Whether you’re traveling or just away from home at work, Informed Delivery is amazing because it emails you scanned images of your mail, including packages delivered by USPS, every day.
For me, the email arrives around 8 AM daily. Every morning around this time when I feel my Apple watch chime, I grab my phone and open the email so that I can keep tabs on what is being delivered when. You can sign up here for free.
2. Hold Your Mail
On a similar, mail-related note, you can also go here to schedule for your mail to be held (not delivered) while you are away. You then conveniently select the day that you wish for it to be delivered, and it will all be waiting for you when you get home. This prevents checks from laying around and/or packages that are weather-sensitive from sitting in your mailbox. For example, I have my deodorant and multivitamins on subscription, neither of which do I feel would do well sitting in my mailbox during a sweltering Charlotte summer!
3. Adjust the Thermostat
I feel old when I say this, but if you’re at the stage in life where you are now responsible for paying bills you will understand. Adjusting the thermostat a few degrees can really help save on your electricity or gas bill while you are gone.
If you are someone who likes to keep the house cozy in the winter or super cool in the summer, adjusting the dial slightly is an easy way to save you save you money that could be better spent on a drink with an umbrella. Just don’t go so crazy that you freeze the pipes! Bonus points if you have a smart thermostat (I don’t), like a Nest, that you can readjust back to your comfort before your arrival.
4. Clean Out Your Fridge
… and your pantry too. this one may be a no brainer, but it can be easy to forget in the shuffle of getting everything ready to go. Let me tell you friends that nothing is worse than the smell of old potatoes. The day before my trip, I throw out leftovers and anything that will go bad by the time I return to save my future self the hassle.
5. Take Out The Trash
Before I leave, I always take out the trash. After you’ve cleaned up from your last at-home meal and after you’ve cleaned out the fridge, take out the trash so you don’t come home to any smelly surprises. It’s also not a bad idea to take your trash out to the end of your driveway if you own a house and will be gone for trash day.
6. Do Your Laundry
Washing everything beforehand will ensure you have what you need to pack and that your hampers aren’t already overflowing when you come home with your suitcase full of dirty clothes.
7. Wash Your Sheets
On the same tone as point six, wash your sheets! Coming home to a clean bed is refreshing and relaxing, especially if it’s been a busy trip or you’re getting home late.
8. Straighten Up
Returning home to a clean, nice smelling home is always the perfect switch from “I wish I was still on the beach😩” to “I wish I was still on the beach but I’m happy to be home.” It’s a harsh enough reality going from fun adventures to a backlog of emails and delayed responsibilities. Do yourself a favor and at least do the dishes and straighten up a bit so you start off on a good note and have one less reason to be overwhelmed when jumping back into the swing of things.
Remember, if you have a Roomba, you can always run it right before you get home in preparation of your arrival. However, if your robot vacuum is anything like mine, it needs close supervision or it will “need your attention” because it got “stuck on a cliff.”
For this very reason, I much prefer to do this step before I leave.
9. Make Plans for Your Furry Friends
Find pet care well in advance so you know that your animal is well taken care of and things don’t book up. Waiting until the last minute can leave you feeling frazzled about your furry friend and nervous if you leave them with someone with less than a 5-star reputation.
10. Pay Your Bills
If your bills are on autopay, you’re good to go on this one. However, if you make any of your bills manually, I recommend making the payments in advance so 1. you don’t have to think about it and 2. you don’t forget.
*Bonus Tip*
Always remember that if you are traveling outside of the country you need to alert your bank so that they won’t detect your activity as suspicious and freeze your account. Your happy little butt won’t be so happy when it gets denied for buying a croissant in France because your bank doesn’t possibly believe that you could be anywhere but your couch. #quarantine
What are some important things that you do before a trip that put your mind at ease? Did you learn anything new that you plan to implement next time? Share your thoughts in the comments below! If you found this useful, you may be interested in my after-vacation tips.
