Smart Tips for a Smooth Return from Travel

Travelling can be really fun. There’s an adventure waiting for you once you’re off the plane (or out of the car) and there are always new people to meet and almost always fun things to see. Coming home from that adventure can be a lot less fun, so today I’m sharing some tips on making that return home just that little bit easier.

Before you leave home

There’s almost always a mad rush to pack and get ready to leave for a trip, but with a little bit of planning and some reminders for the days (and weeks) before you can feel more prepared for that bounce back to earth.

• Cook some meals for the freezer. A few days worth is great but a week’s worth is even better as when you come home the hard part of the cooking is done. Label them so it’s easy to tell what’s frozen.
• Clean out your fridge so there’s nothing that will go off whilst you’re away.
• Think of a quick meal for the evening you return and get the ingredients ready – make it something that you can keep in the pantry if possible.
• A couple of days before check that you have a couple of days worth of clean clothes and a set of pyjamas for your return – if not, wash them and dry them now.
• The night before (or the morning you leave) put clean sheets on your bed so that you have nice fresh sheets to sleep in when you get home.
• Organise for a friend or family member check your mail and your house every couple of days just to see that things are ok whilst you’re away.

At the airport

When you get to the airport, if you’re leaving your car, you’ll need to park it in the long term carpark.

• Take a photo of your parking bay/marked bollard that’s closest to your car so you can remember where you parked it upon your return. Do this with your phone camera so the photo is with you when you get back and start searching for the car.
• Stash some local cash in the back of your wallet for the airport cafe on your return – so you can get a coffee or a soft drink before the drive home.

Whilst you’re away

Whilst you’re away, having a great time, there are some little things you can do to make that return a little bit easier.

• Turn your dirty clothes inside out when they need washing and put them in your suitcase/bag inside out, so when you return home you know which ones to wash. This is also great if you’re moving from location to location whilst travelling and need to wash as you go.
• If you have the opportunity you could also do a load of washing (or have it done for you if the hotel offers that) so you have less things to wash when you get back.

On the way home

Once you’re off the plane and have collected your luggage, it’s time to start the trip home. Here’s just a couple of last things you can do before walking in the door and plonking yourself on the couch.

• Stop at that airport cafe with the money you set aside and have a coffee or soft drink before heading home. It gives you just a little while to slow down and reset after your flight before having to sit again in another confined space.
• Drop in at a local convenience store for bread and milk. Just enough to get you through until you are ready to face the supermarket again. Grab a pizza too if needed.

These are all little things on their own, but they have made life so much easier for me when I’ve returned from travel. There’s nothing quite like sleeping in fresh sheets in your own bed after you’ve been away for even a short time. Some might be trickier if you’re having guests house sit or if you’re away for a long time, but they can be easily adjusted to fit most trips.

What’s your number one tip for making things easier coming home after travelling?