Come home to a clean house

When returning home from a nice relaxing vacation, there’s nothing worse than walking into a messy house. With the chaos of packing and planning your trip, it’s easy to get behind on cleaning. Here are a few quick things you can get done before you leave to ensure you have a more relaxing return home.

Be sure to put fresh sheets on the beds. There’s no greater feeling than climbing into a bed with fresh, clean sheets on it! Putting clean sheets on the bed will you relax and get back into your daily routine with a good night’s rest, especially after a long trip home.

Load and run the dishwasher. Take a quick trip around the house and gather up dishes left around. This way you’ll have clean dishes for when you return, and you won’t be up at 5 a.m. washing dishes for breakfast the next morning!

Take the trash out. There’s nothing worse than coming home to the smell of garbage. Make a quick trip to the dumpster or load up your trash cans so your home doesn’t start to smell while you’re gone.

Wipe down countertops. Take a wet sponge and quickly wipe down your kitchen and bathroom counters. This is a quick and easy way to make sure there are no spots or crumbs anywhere!

Clean up any extra clutter from packing. It’s easy to throw clothes everywhere in the chaos of packing, especially packing with kids. Putting away these extra clothes takes no more than 5 minutes, and is a sure way to leave your bedroom floor spotless when you get back home.

Get Organized! Essentials to help you get through the Holidays

This time of year can be stressful for all of us, especially when you begin to feel guilty about skipping on your not-so-necessary traditions (the gingerbread house became a hassle more than an hobby when your kids hit 16, admit it.) But here it is, a few tips to help you through and to let you know that it’s ok to ditch some habits for the sake of your stress level.

Organization

Food Storage Containers are key, so remember to stock up on all sizes so you can give some leftovers to family or store and freeze for a quick meal later on in the week.

Collapsable Tarp Bins are great for storing christmas blankets and stuffed animals. Regular bins can also store ornaments and decorations to pack away for next year.

Cut Down

Decide whats most important on your To-Do list. Ask yourself what you would be sorry if you missed. This way, you don’t feel like you’re running around wasting precious time during the holiday craze.

Differentiate between obligations and choices. Keeping up with the Jones’ lighting display, for instance, is one thing you can cut out. Going to that miserable company party every year isn’t necessary either. Cut yourself a break once in a while — odds are you’re doing enough already.

Schedule & Simplify

Scheduling prep time is one of the most important steps that people overlook. Schedule time to shop, cook, bake, clean, decorate and wrap. With these items on your agenda, you won’t have to stress by looking for gaps in your busy schedule to squeeze them in.

Simplify Gift Giving. Who doesn’t like getting gift cards? And e-cards are just as thoughtful as pricey, time-consuming Christmas cards mailed from the post office. Remember, setting a budget before getting elaborate will help to give you an idea of whether you’re doing too much or just enough.