Initial Thought: One of the most overlooked ways to create a stress-free return is to "pre-stage your return"—essentially treating your future self as a guest in your own home. This mindset shift leads to small but impactful actions that make a huge difference, like fresh linens, a tidy entryway, and a stocked fridge or pantry. Example Tip (Lesser-Known Habit): Leave a "welcome back basket" on your bed or kitchen counter with a few feel-good items: a clean set of pajamas or loungewear, your favorite herbal tea, a nourishing face mask, and a handwritten note to yourself. You'd be surprised how grounding this can feel after a long flight or road trip. It reestablishes home as a sanctuary, not a to-do list.
Managing marketing for FLATS® properties across multiple cities taught me that the small details make the biggest difference in resident satisfaction. When we analyzed feedback through Livly, we finded that residents returning from trips were frustrated by basic maintenance issues they'd forgotten about before leaving. Here's my data-backed tip: Set your thermostat to 72°F and run a quick maintenance check before you leave. We found that 40% of post-vacation maintenance requests at our properties were for issues residents knew about but forgot to address. Check your garbage disposal, test your oven (we literally made FAQ videos about this), and run water in rarely-used sinks for 30 seconds to prevent drain odors. The game-changer is creating a "return protocol" checklist and leaving it on your kitchen counter. At our properties, we noticed residents who had clear processes were 30% more likely to leave positive reviews about their living experience. Write down three specific things you want to do within your first hour back - mine are always: open all windows for 10 minutes, start a load of pre-sorted laundry, and check that the WiFi password is still taped under my laptop.
As an entrepreneur who travels frequently, I can tell you that getting back home after a trip can be just as challenging as leaving. Which is why I've developed a Pre-Trip Pause Protocol—simple, easy-to-use rituals that help ease the transition. These are the habits that help me transform my home into a sanctuary and slowly but surely slip back into real life after a trip, while retaining that post-vacation glow. Another habit I depend on is a pre-programmed scent diffuser for relaxing scents, such as lavender and eucalyptus. The second I enter, I receive a calm and soothing energy, which is the perfect setting for peace. I also have a "Welcome Home" playlist programmed to sync with my smart home system, so my favorite songs begin to play as soon as I arrive home, immediately setting a reassuring, familiar vibe. I also make a cozy corner with predetermined comforts—a preferred blanket and a basic snack for the first day back. There's no need to process a plethora of options, and I can't help but fall in and get comfortable. I share these thoughtful, intentional practices because they've transformed what was once a stressful time of "re-entry" into an enjoyable, mindful ritual, and I challenge other business people and frequent travelers to let me know how you incorporate similar practices into your routines.
I always make sure to do one thing before I leave for any trip: I reset my home like I'm prepping it for a guest. I think it changes everything about how I feel when I come back. I travel a lot for work in hospitality, and every time I walk into a tidy, fresh-smelling home with clean sheets and empty trash cans, it feels like I've extended my vacation just a little longer. I always take 10 minutes to declutter countertops, fluff pillows, and turn down my bed like I'm at a hotel. It's something I picked up from years of working with luxury properties and event planners—ambience matters, even when you're coming home. One lesser-known thing I do? I put a few drops of essential oil on a cotton ball and tuck it into my HVAC filter before I leave. When I return and the air kicks on, it smells amazing—instant calm.
Turning the key after a trip shouldn't feel like snapping back to reality—it should feel like a soft landing. One brilliant pre-vacation habit is changing your sheets the night before you leave. There's nothing better than coming home to crisp linens after a long journey. Another underrated move? Toss a few lavender dryer sheets in your laundry basket or closet to prevent musty smells. Set your lights on a timer, freeze a homemade meal, and run your dishwasher (even if it's half full) to avoid stale odors. Empty the trash 'and' the fridge, but leave a glass jar of baking soda with a few drops of citrus oil inside. It absorbs odors and greets you with a hint of freshness. These small steps create a space that feels more like a welcome than a wake-up call—and make it easier to stretch that vacation calm just a little longer.
Hi there, I'm a former commercial flight attendant and frequent traveler, and so I know that the way you leave your home can drastically affect how you feel when you return. A few smart (and often overlooked) habits can turn that chaotic post-trip slump into a smooth landing for myself - mentally, physically, and emotionally. Here is my 1-2 go-to pre-departure rituals for a blissful return, as you asked: 1. Write Yourself a Note I leave a handwritten sticky note on the fridge magnetic blackboard (I can provide a picture of that if needed): "Welcome back! You had an amazing trip—now take it slow today. Unpack later." Might sound cheesy, but you'd be shocked how grounding it feels. 2. Take a Pic of the Stove, Door Locks, and Thermostat I do this right before I leave, then relax mid-flight when that "did I turn off the oven?!" panic hits. Thank you for considering my expertise and please let me know how I can help you further with your article. Looking forward, Best, Paula
Packing for a trip can be as exciting as it sounds; however, there are always these "what if" thoughts, leaving the home all empty. Even missing out on a small thing while leaving can spoil your entire trip, or your welcome back might not feel all that pleasant. I always have a habit of clearing the refrigerator, even if I'm travelling for a short period. Taking off all the perishable items, either you distribute them to neighbours or consume them all by yourself — your call. This is because you don't have to return to a refrigerator with all rotten items, and a stinky space to store those champagne souvenirs you bought. Consider turning down your water supply, because I would never love to come to a home with leakages, overflows rusting my decor. Thus, always have a habit of turning off the main water supply, and that's how you go stress-free. The next one is a wise option: to schedule your lights to turn on and off. Going away for a few days might appear as a gold mine to the thieves, and the chances of robbery increase. Therefore, randomly scheduling lights being turned on and off creates an illusion of you being present.
I travel at least 10 times a year, for periods of anything between 1 week to 2 months, and as much as I like exploring a new country and its culture, I dread coming back home and jumping onto my routine right away. What started off as a pet peeve, has now extended into a full-blown plan of pre-travel routine, to enjoy my back-at-home time and prolong my holiday high. Coming back to a messy and dirty house is a pet peeve. So, prior to my departure, I make sure that I clean everything. From clean rooms to clean silverware and plates, I make sure that there's nothing that needs my attention as soon as a get back. Garbage is taken out as soon as I leave, and food that will spoil during my absence is distributed among family and friends. That being said, I want to make sure that grocery shopping is also done during my holidays. So, I take some time during my trip and I plan my grocery delivery. As soon as I arrive home, all I have to do is wait for the groceries to be delivered, and then I am good to go.
A lot of people focus only on emptying the fridge or tidying up before heading out on vacation, and yes, that's something you should absolutely do, but one often-overlooked tip I swear by is washing your sheets, pillowcases, and blankets before you leave. There's nothing better than coming home to a clean, freshly made bed to help ease your body and mind back into everyday life, especially after a long flight or drive. If you're going away for a longer trip, I recommend stripping the bed or folding back the covers to let the mattress breathe and allow any trapped moisture to evaporate. This way, you'll prevent bad odors and keep it fresh for you until you get back.
My travel schedule often includes a short 2-day business trip, a 5-day business trip, a weeklong family vacation and gathering and several more extended periods of time away from home. Sure I like to return to a neat home, a clean home, and a fully stocked kitchen. To be realistic, the most important aspect of returning home and retaining my post-vacation mellow feeling is to not find anything "new". By this I mean a failure of one or more appliances, a new collection of insects, mystery water damage, or any such catastrophes. It's for this reason that my focus when I'm about to close the front door behind me is to prevent such potential damage. I have created a short and quick list of must-does. First, flush all the toilets and wait for the bowl to refill. Then lower the lid. I've learned from past surprises that this protects the toilet, keeping water in the bowl by reducing natural evaporation. Next, I visit my beautiful refrigerator and take advantage of its wonderful "vacation mode" button. This quick step halts the production and thereby overflow of ice while increasing the maintenance temperatures, saving energy and money directly. Additionally, I assign a family member (often myself) to completely empty and transfer to the large receptacle in the garage all waste baskets, from bathrooms, bedrooms and of course the kitchen. In this way we are removing the source of material that could otherwise become smelly, bug attracting, and harder to clean weeks later. I appreciate the value of returning to the home I left, in the condition I left it, rather than hoping for sweet smelling flowers.
Buy some frozen or non-perishable food items before leaving. Frozen pizza, nuggets, or even dry pasta would work. Trust me, after a long day of travel, you wouldn't want to leave your comfy sofa to get some groceries. But your family can't go to sleep hungry as well, right? Having frozen food in your refrigerator will take the burden off your shoulders. And, you can actually make a quick meal and go to sleep asap. You can take it one step ahead by vacuuming the entire house before leaving. so, when you come home, it looks like the house was waiting ready for you. of course, everything will get messy in a bit (if you have kids and everything). But, the initial feeling of "not having to clean up or tidy up" is actually going to make your journey back more enjoyable.
One of my favorite things to do before leaving for a trip is to wash my linens. The ability to come home, take a shower with clean towels, and then slip into a freshly-made bed with clean sheets is a perfect way to welcome myself home and recover from the stress of travel.
Before a trip, I like to set up a welcome back treat for myself at home; little things that make coming back easier. A fave of mine that people don't usually think of is putting out clean sheets and some comfy PJs before I go. Coming home to a bed that feels super comfy is the best. It's an easy thing to do, and it helps me chill out after my vacay ends.
I travel pretty frequently, and one thing I always do to prepare my home for when I return is do my laundry the day before. The goal is to have as few pieces of clothing in my laundry basket as possible before I leave. The last thing I want to have to do is run loads of laundry when I return because I have no clean clothes but need to get ready for work the next day. An empty laundry basket means I have plenty of clean clothes and I can tackle cleaning my travel clothes whenever I get the chance.