Advertisement

5 Tips to Stave Off a Vacation Hangover

Returning home from a vacation can be a drag. Here are 5 tasks to do before and during your trip to send your vacation hangover packing.

DO YOUR OWN TURN-DOWN SERVICE before you take off, by putting fresh sheets on the bed and clean towels in the bathroom. After a week of pampering, you'll feel like you're still on vacation your first night back.

Related: 10 Secrets for Surviving a Family Vacation

HOLD THE MAIL an extra day or two at the post office. This will give you a chance to unpack and get settled in before facing a pile of junk mail and bills that need to be sorted and paid.

HAVE DINNER READY TO ORDER by leaving your favorite restaurant's menu on the kitchen table or better yet, programming the number into your cell phone so you can order your meal during the car ride home. (Just make sure you arrive before the food does.)

GET THROUGH MOUNDS OF DIRTY LAUNDRY a lot quicker by doing the sorting while you're still on vacation. Use several laundry bags at the hotel to hold your dirty clothes - one for lights, one for darks, and one for delicates. When you get home, you can easily toss a pre-sorted load into the washer right away.

Related: 5 Tips for Wrinkle-Free Packing

COME HOME AND HEAD OUT. Put anything you'll need as soon as you get back on top in your suitcase. That way you won't have to rummage around and leave your bags in disarray while they're waiting to be unpacked.

What are your tricks for making the return from a vacation easier? Let me know in the comments!

- by Christina Peterson

More from Good Housekeeping: