Cleaning After Your Vacation - What to Do
We all know that going back to your daily routine can be difficult. But it can be even harder if you come home to a house that has been empty for weeks or months. We’re here to help! Read on to see our practical list of all the cleaning you should do after your vacation.
Your bags are probably all over the place. Maybe there’s dust in the living room. Your fridge is probably empty, and you’re daydreaming about how nice it was to be lying on the beach just days ago.
This actually has a name – post-vacation blues. In this article, we’re going to show you how to get through it.
Cleaning after your vacation to get back into your routine
Clothes
This starts with unpacking your bags, hanging up whatever’s still clean, and tossing everything that’s dirty into the washing hamper. You can start doing a load of laundry and while the washing machine does its job, you can get to work on some other chores. That way, you can get some other things done, and once you’re finished, your clothes will be clean!
Kitchen
Once you get back from vacation, you’ll need to go to the store. But before you do that, make sure to check that the fridge is clean. If you’re a planner, you probably did it before you left. Otherwise, you should take the opportunity to wipe it down with a baking soda solution and make it smell and look brand new. Then you can fill it up again!
Do the same with all your other kitchen appliances: oven, microwave, coffee maker, etc…When you leave things unused for a long time, they can start to smell, and they’re probably covered in dust anyway.
Lastly, you should look through your pantry. Make a list of everything you need to buy and organize things in such a way that the oldest things are at the front, so you’ll eat them first.
Going to the store at a time when there won’t be too many people will also save you lots of time. Pick a time when people are usually eating dinner or lunch. It’s an absolute luxury to have the store all to yourself.
Bedrooms
If you didn’t do this before you left, put on some clean sheets. There’s nothing more comforting than getting into bed and knowing you’re home.
Clean off your nightstands and dresser. Pay extra attention to your kids’ rooms, too. Make sure their toys aren’t covered in dust. This could give them allergies or a cold.
Bathrooms
One of the first things a lot of people want to do when they get back from vacation is take a bath or a shower. That really reminds them that they’re at home. Again, we recommend cleaning your bathrooms before you leave. If you’ve done that, you can do a quick clean with a rag and a disinfectant and leave it at that.
Floors
One of the later cleaning steps, after you get back from vacation, is to mop and vacuum your floors. You want to get rid of all that pesky dust that settled into your house while you were gone. Use a mixture of water and a splash of vinegar for your mop water and your floor will be clean and sparkling.
Closets
By this time, your clothes should be clean and dry. Don’t worry about ironing anything for today (we don’t want to exhaust you). Just put the clothes where they belong in your closet so they’ll be ready for when you need them.
What to do with your souvenirs?
This is the best part about getting back from vacation. If you’ve bought any souvenirs, it’s time to find a special place in your home to display them. They’ll give it a wonderful, new feeling, and it’ll be nice to remember the trip every time you see them.
Your personal touch
Put out some fresh flowers, spray a nice fragrance everyone in the family likes, and make your favorite meal. This is the best way there is to bring your house back to life. By doing it, you’re filling it up with your essence, aromas, and flavors. After your post-vacation cleaning, this is the best finish to really make yourself feel at home again.