Tips to Transition After Vacation
We just got back from a week-long vacation to England and had to jump right back into the swing of school and work. I have found that if I take care of some things immediately, it helps set us up for success as we settle in at home.
Tip 1: Unpack immediately — in my experience, if you let suitcases and bags sit, they will sit for way too long. Everyone was awake early this morning because of jet lag, so I had the kids unpack and put away everything that was packed (I had laundered everything at our AirBNB, which is a tip as well!). Packing cubes also make unpacking a breeze! Read this post about why I love packing cubes so much.
Tip 2: Order your groceries ahead of time — I placed a big Thrive Market order for our pantry essentials before we left town and a Walmart grocery delivery for all our cold items while on our layover. This ensured we had a well-stocked kitchen right away.
Note: If you have never tried Thrive Market, they are offering an incredible deal for the new year — get $60 in free groceries when you sign up for a membership + 20% off everything in your first order. This is a no brainer. Do it today!
Tip 3: Do some batch cooking — I know you’re tired, but by cooking some good, healthy food right away, you will feel better and eat better after all that travel food. For instance, this morning I made a turkey chili, some turkey taco meat and some roasted potatoes this morning. Perfect for breakfast, taco salads for lunch and dinner.
Tip 4: Put fresh linens on your bed — It is so nice to have a fresh bed after a trip. I got a bunch of new flannel sheets that I washed before the trip and had ready to go for everyone’s beds.
Tip 5: Tackle all packages and mail immediately — like the suitcases, don’t let packages and mail sit. Toss the junk mail. Open the boxes. etc.
Tip 6: Turn off auto-responders — Don’t forget to turn off any away messages you might have set up for your trip.
Tip 7: Schedule appointments — When I got back to town, I immediately scheduled a chiropractor adjustment and a massage.
Tip 8: Move your body — After a long travel day, your body will be glad to move. Do something to fit in physical fitness, even if you feel busy or like you don’t have time.
Tip 9: Drink water — Your body also likely needs fluids, so fill a big Stanley cup and drink lots of water.
Tip 10: Go through your photos — Take a few minutes to go through your vacation photos, pick your favorites, delete the duplicates, etc. I use the app Slidebox for this and it is so much easier than using the phone interface directly. If you have a digital photo frame, send a few favorites to that. Also consider ordering prints. You won’t regret doing this right away!
I hope these tips help you the next time you plan a trip. For more about our London trip read this post answering people’s questions about the vacation.