The French have a word for returning to everyday life after a holiday. It’s called “la rentree.” It means the re-entering. I love that word and use it often when we return from a trip. Right now I am going through la rentree. Since we travel so much, I go through it a lot, and I have a definite checklist that I use when we get home after a big trip. With summer vacation season upon us, I thought you might enjoy seeing what I do to ease back into my life. Perhaps these are some habits that you might want to try after your next trip.
Unpack
No matter how exhausted we are, Mike and I both try to unpack as soon as we walk in the door. We even put our clothes into color coded piles so they will be ready for the washing machine as soon as we are ready to start laundry. Getting vacation items washed and put in their place helps the transition to real life. We also put away the luggage so we won’t have to walk around it for days.
Buy Groceries
We always try to empty out the fridge of all perishable and dated items before we leave which means there’s not a thing to eat when we get home. Sometimes I will shop on-line and schedule for our groceries to be delivered to use. Sometimes I do Kroger Click List, and sometimes I go to the store myself.
Check Documents
Although I don’t do this every time, it is a good habit to check your passport expiration date and your driver’s license expiration date now and then. Or at least put their expiration dates in your calendar. If they need to be renewed, get it done before your next trip is scheduled. Some countries won’t let a person enter if their passport will expire within six months. This realization has created some crazy last minute chaos for some of our friends.
Check Toiletries
I have a small bag of toiletries that I only use when we travel. I always replenish the supply of anything that is used up soon after we return home. It’s easier to do when it is fresh in my mind. I might forget that I need more dental floss or makeup remover cloths later, so, it’s a good idea to do this right away.
Charge Batteries
I go ahead and charge up my ear buds (I love these) and camera (this is my great travel camera) so that they are ready for our next adventure.
Make Travel Laundry Sheets
I shared with you a few weeks ago the DIY laundry sheets that I take with me on vacation. Since I usually use them all, I make a new batch when I get home so they will be ready to go when we are.
Check Bank Accounts
I always take a few minutes on the day after we get home to check my bank and credit card accounts. Even though I notified all of these institutions before we left and even though there are pin numbers, etc., I just want to make sure that nothing was purchased without my knowledge. It’s called keeping the honest honest.
Go Through the Mail
I can count on my husband to go through the mail as soon as his bags are unpacked. He wants to make sure everything that needs to be tended to gets tended to. Even though all of our utilities are on automatic online pay schedules, he just wants to make sure there are no surprises.
Write Thank You Notes
It is always nice to write notes of gratitude to anyone who helped us out in a special way on our trips. Sometimes it’s easier to just send an email, but the thank you is what counts. And by the way, here’s the post where we showed you how to make your own note cards.
After a vacation it’s also important to reconnect with friends, return to church and volunteering, cook some favorite meals, and clean the house. I baked a strawberry and rhubarb pie the morning after we returned from our last trip. It helped me get back into the cooking/baking mode. And by the way, that recipe will be on the blog Friday. Do you have any special habits that you follow when returning from a trip?
Take care.
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