We all love going away, whether it is a week long vacation or a long weekend get-away. It is an exciting time to get out of town and not deal with the every day stresses. It is a time to unwind and relax, either by yourself or with a loved one.

I love going away.  It is a chance for my husband and I, and now Wyatt, to be together without work and every day stressors, and just be us. However, if we leave and the house is a mess, not only am I thinking about it while away, I am stressed when we come home because now do I not only have laundry to do, but I have a home to clean!

Healthy living is not just about exercising and watching what you eat. It includes everything that is going on in your life. Healthy living is a lifestyle, and I include how you keep your house in that lifestyle.  I am all about living in a clean house. However, that can be hard with a newborn and a dog! When we go away, I need to make sure we leave with a clean house so when we get home there is nothing to do but unpack.

Here are the top 4 “chores” I do around the house before we go anywhere, so when we unlock the door, we are walking into a clean house.  A clean house leads to less stress and a more relaxed family coming home from a nice time away.

1. Change sheets on bed– When you go to bed the night you come home, you can slip into crisp, clean sheets on a bed that is nicely made.

2. Do all laundry– If that pile of laundry is tackled before going away, you do not have to rush doing laundry the week you get back.

3. Tidy rooms up/Clean dishes– Nothing is better than coming home to a clean kitchen and other rooms!  With everything clean and put away, you do not need to think about how you’re going to handle cleaning everything when you have to go back to the daily grind of reality.

Cleaned kitchen and dishes before recent trip

4. Sweep/Mop- Especially if you have a pet. Nothing is worse then coming home and seeing the dust and pet hair all over the floor.  

Made sure to straighten up living room and sweep before going away.

When you want to live a healthy life, think about everything in your life.  If coming home to a messy house, think about the stress you have when you arrive back.  If you can avoid that, take the extra time.  You may not want to clean the night before, but believe me, you will be happy when stepping into the door after being away for a few days or a few weeks!

Your body and mind will thank you and appreciate you doing things in advance!